Need Help with 3 Year Old

I went thru the same thing with my daughter, so I would say it is normal. I was concerned about her and asked the doctor. He said that all you can do is offer the food. If they are hungry they will eat, if not, no big deal.
I know it is frustrating, but she will be fine.

Stop the juice! It is definitely your problem. Juice is sugary and filling and if I give one of my kids a juice in between meals, even hours before it, they don't eat. Give water and no snacks and you will find a remarkable improvement immediately. My doctor says only one juice a day, preferably orange juice because of vitamin C and it should be with breakfast. Sugary drinks are often a cause of childhood obesity also, because they are habit forming and extra (unneeded) calories. Good luck.

Hi L.! I have a four year old boy who eats just about nothing but like Denise said just be sure to keep her hydrated and they will eat when they are hungry. Don't stress too much and it is sooo good that she is taking vitamins. Take care:) Leah

My kids are very picky and don't like to eat dinner either. My pediatrician said they will eat when they are hungry. Their bodies will tell them when they need to eat. We make it a rule not to make special stuff for our kids. If we are having a chicken casserole, I will pull a peice of chicken out for them, but the rule is they must eat that (in a portion that is reasonable for them) and if they don't eat it, they get no other snacks or food until the next meal. I do it for lunch too. Just cover the food and when they ask for snacks remind them they have to eat their meal first and then can have snacks. It will take a few weeks to get your daughter into the concept, but keep to it and hopefully it will work.

I have to say that i have 4 daughters. My youngest is 4 and she is in that stage. Please do not worry. They have all gone through it and now i have my oldest telling me not to forget to buy broccoli and asparagus!! I do occasionally worry and think my god she is not eating that well...but then i remember it is just a stage and it will pass. She is having many more pb and j's than i would like :-(

I know it can be frustrating but if your pedi. is happy with your daughters growth I'd try and just follow her cues. Have you tried to include her at all in the food preparation? Maybe if she helps make the meal in some little way she will be more excited to taste/eat what she helped to make.

Hi L., My 2yr old an d 5 yr old are like that. I give them Shaklee's mealshakes with their breakfast and sometimes again later in the day if they have not eaten well for me. It gives me piece of mind that they are getting the nutrients they need. The are very healthy. For snacks I try to keep fruits and vegetables on hand and for the most part if they are hungry and that is their only option they take it. My 2 yr old especially likes to snack when we are on the go with our other children and I was sick of him eating cereals and crackers so I decided to take steamed vegetables out with me and I couldn't believe it, he ate them since it was all I had. If you'd like to look up the meal shakes go to http://www.shaklee.net/dudinyak/product/20322 They come in chocolate and vanilla. Good luck. Oh there is also a cookbook by Jessica Seinfield - Deceptively Delicious that has recipes on how to sneak veggies into food they like, even desserts. My kids eat some of them too.

I have a three year old so I know exactly what you are going through. Most of the time they let you know when they are hungry. One thing I could suggest are the ensures for kids. We call them milkshakes for my daughter and she loves them. They are good for a snack or if they miss a meal. All you can do is keep making the food and hope she eats it. I look at it this way, I am not a short order cook (and neither are you) when you make food you do the best you can to give everyone what they want and if they don't eat it then they go without. ( I know that sounds bad but I have found they eventually eat) My daughter is not a big meat eater except for chicken nuggets and hotdogs. I work around it by making noodles and veggies (thank god she likes them) and supplementing where I can. Unless the doctor is telling you she is not getting enough then I am sure she is fine. Everyone tells me it gets better eventually, I hope for you and me it does soon. Good luck.

I wouldn't worry too much about it. What you describe seems to be a typcial toddler eating pattern. I've noticed that if my kids (ages 3 and 4) drink alot before a meal they don't eat much, but are hungry later on. So one I limit their drinking about 30-60 minutes before a meal. I also do not give straight juice - I dilute it with water so it isn't as filling. I've also noticed that sometimes if my kids eat alot for lunch they eat much leass for dinner. Likewise, if they don't eat alot for lunch, they will for dinner. Sometimes they are too interestd in playing and don't want to eat. I don't force them to eat their entire meals (in case they truly aren't hungry), but I do encourage them to eat 3 or 4 bites. Sometimes that entices them to finish their meal. Good luck!

the first thing I would say is cut out the juice all day .. 1 glass of juice is enough .. 1 glass of milk .. from then on water ...water ... water. Juice is good for her yes, but in moderation ..there is a lot of fruit sugar in 100% juice.

The other thing is you say you get her food when she wants it .. and snacks are ok .. but she is old enough for you to establish meal and snack times. When my 2 dd's were 3 & 5 they had breakfast anywhere between 8 and 9, snacks about 2 hours later and then lunch around 12:30. Afternoon snacks were around 3pm and dinner around 6pm. Dessert was after that .. 7ish or so. Then bath and bed. Other than those established times they didn't eat. Feeding on demand is great for infants ... but for toddlers a schedule works. I also am not a short-order cook .. whatever I fixed was it for that snack or meal .. they could wait for the next scheduled time to eat if they didn't care for something. Toddlers are notorious for "I don't like that!" .. and usually it's simply because it's new and they are unfamiliar with it. Introduce new foods repeatedly and let her know she only needs to take one bite. This way she can become accustomed to the taste. I let my kids have 1 food that they didn't have to eat a serving of, but they still had to taste it everytime it was served. I do not have picky eaters .. they love fruits and veggies, I don't have to coerce them to eat what is prepared. One other thing, get her involved in making the snacks. My 2 loved making 'ants on a log' and dipping apple slices in peanut butter, carrots in ranch dressing .. finger foods that are actually good and good for them. Good luck!

My pedi. told me that at that age they will eat when they are hungry. Just supply a bunch of good snacks and foods to give her when she is hungry. I wouldn't worry about it to much. She'll eat when she wants. When I make something my son insists that he don't like but I know he will like it if he tries it I just touch it on his lips and he licks it off usually wanting more. Or I'll say just taste it. If he doesn't then I'll turn the tv off till he does. Yes he sits in front of the tv when he eats. I hate that!

Hi L.. Food is one of the biggest battles that we as mom's fight each and every day. We worry about what, when, how much and how often. If you let it, it will drive you nuts! Here are a few of my suggestions that may work for you. First, have a schedule and keep it. Set times for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Also set times for snacking. Second, Limit the juice, it is loaded with hidden sugars and it's healthier to hand her apple slices than apple juice! One of the best gifts you can give your child is to teach her to like and drink water. Third, any child can be required to eat at least one real bite of any item on their plate. You have to offer a child the same item 12-18 times to get them to like it/eat it. Forth, remember your a Mother not a short-order cook make one meal for the family. If she doesn't want it after trying all the componets on the plate then she either goes to bed hungry or (in our house if they don't like dinner they can have pb&j) she can have a set stand-by item. No snacks after if she chooses not to eat the dinner you fix though! Fifth, remember the habits and dinner rules you choose now will effect your home forever! So really think about it and talk to your hubby and make sure you both agree and can live with any decisions you make. You both have to be on the same page with this issue & have to be prepared for some battles along the way. Sixth, if she is hungry she will eat. It really doesn't take a lot to fill them up either! Good luck & best wishes!!

Hi,

My daughter is 4 and doesn't eat what i make for dinner she always eats something else. She has been a picky eater since she was 2. My doc said she is getting something cause she is healthy and growing. I am trying really hard myself to get her to eat what we make but no use. Make her what she likes for now even if it is different than what you make. Also my daughter doesn't eat veggies of any sort nor takes any vitamins. Hopefully your daughter will come around to eat even if it is a pbj sandwich for dinner. I am still struggling. I just wanted to let you know that your not the only one that has these problems. I hope things get better i know its not for me as of now.

L.
I am in the same boat with you! My daughter is 2 and 1/2 and some days are good and some days arent. I find that one meal during the day is better than the others. Yes I always try to get a couple bites in as oppossed to nothing. My PED said that at this stage if they get one good meal per day your doing good.If there is excitement in our day and we go out or have company it throws everything off. My PED said no vitamins
so I have resorted to V8 fusion juice 8 oz once a day when we can afford it. The meal that she likes I load up on the calories (lunch). I try not to force her too much because that seems to put her off to food as well. I try the last bite
thing a couple of times and when she wants to go,I let her go.
I know its frustrating,I used to get upset after making something and her not eat it and I am gaining all the weight,because I eat her portion and mine.

Its a phase for sure hang in there!

Also, I try to switch meals like have lunch for breakfast with the foods I know she likes like chicken noodle soup and then for lunch have something small and offer cereal for dinner.....it works!

S.

Your daughter might be drinking her calories in juice and that is why she's not hungry. Try giving her water and see if her appetite doesn't improve.

L.,

Kids will eat when they are hungry, but just be careful that you are not enabling poor eating habits by catering to her needs. I serve breakfast between 7 and 8, a snack around 9:30, lunch at 11:30, nap, snack between 2 and 3, and then dinner between 5 and 6. Sometimes, my son eats at all the meals, other times, he will only eat snacks and 1 meal. What I did notice though, was that if I did cave in and give him something different than the rest of my family, he would refuse food the next day, trying to get the "treats" that he wanted.
So, I offer only the food I prepared. If my 1 year old doesn't like it, then I'll make something different for them, but if she eats, then he has to eat it too. I tell him, take 1 bite and swallow it. If you don't like it, then you don't have to eat it. We stopped having such stressful mealtimes and 80% of the time, he eats at least half the plate. It was as if as soon as he realized that 1. we didn't care if he ate or not and 2. what was offered was it, he stopped fighting it so much.
The only other thing is that your daughter may be filling up on juice which may be another reason she doesn't seem hungry. My son would drink his whole cup of milk before he'd eat. Then, he'd only eat 3 bites or so before he said he was full. So, to remedy that, we offer only milk or water. Milk with each meal, water the rest of the day. Juice is only offered on a rare occasion because I know when he goes to my parents' and brother's houses, that's all he gets, plus its so expensive. If we notice that our son is focusing more on the drink, we make him eat 2 bites before getting another sip.
Good luck. Food issues are no fun, but the less you push it, the easier it will be.

Hi L.,
I think the most frustrating thing in the world must be to have a kid who won't eat when you want him/her too! Be assured, that although they sometimes eat like snakes--you know--huge meals O. day and then almost N O T H I N G for days after that, they WILL eat when they are hungry! The oldest advice on the books, I know--but so true. Just make sure not to overdo the juice--water is better--and make sure she stays hydrated in this heat! Good luck to you and your daughter.

I have a 5 year old son that is the same way. Our doctor said only 6 ounces of juice a day and 2 servings of milk, the rest must be water. He is filling up on empty, sugary calories and not eating the food that he needs. He only gained 1 pound in the last year and dropped from the 25th percentile in weight to the 3rd. Since I've limited his juice (he gets 2 a day now, about 3 ounces of juice diluted with water), he eats much more food. It's amazing! He HATES water, so after he's eaten a good amount of calories for the day, I'll let him have more diluted juice to hydrate him. He will tell me he's thirsty and the deal is, if he wants a drink, he has to eat first.
Good luck.