I'm asking for some help from moms of toddlers. My three year old can't seem to get through mealtime…
I'm asking for some help from moms of toddlers. My three year old can't seem to get through mealtime without a meltdown, and I'm at the point where I can't keep my cool when he does it. He'll sit down to a meal and be fine for about 5 minutes - but then it starts: "My tummy hurts. I need to go lay down." We have been through this several times. The first time, I was concerned and thought maybe he actually didn't feel good, but I quickly discovered he just wanted to go play instead of eat and would ask for food a few minutes later; usually he wanted to eat in his room. A big no-no in our house. If we try to make him sit through the whole thing, he screams. We live in an apartment building with thin walls, so this isn't good. We have tried reasoning with him, explaining that you need to eat at the table and mealtime isn't play time...bribing him doesn't even seem to work (that was a last resort). Lately, by the tenth time he throws a fit during a meal and says he's done, I've just started taking the plate away. At this point, he has eaten enough of it so I don't feel as though I'm actually depriving him of food, I'm just taking away his control. But by the next meal, he does the same thing. I'm at my wits end with it, and I don't like yelling, but I'm finding my hormones make me extremely irritable nowadays. Does anyone have any advice?
Kimberly ·
Sometimes they're just not hungry. I've spent many times wasting food because my butthead wouldn't eat what was made for him. I found it best not to fight with them, just because I personally think it makes the situation worse and they'll have bad memories/thoughts about dinner and trying foods so I just leave the food on the table and hope for the best. Within a couple days, maybe a couple weeks your lil dude should go back to having a healthy appetite. If you're worried you could always contact your pediatrician, but things like this (refusal to eat) are normal. When my kiddo refuses food to where it gets worrisome I offer him his favorite food. There were times his favorite food wasn't healthy (Uggh...chicken nuggets), but sometimes healthy food is better than no food. They'll eat when they're hungry. Don't feel bad. No one would think you're starving your kid.
missing76user·
Well being that he is a toddler you have to become a detective and figure out why he hates dinner so much. Being hardcore at this stage about sitting still will make meal time misery for everyone. There's teaching manners but there's a fine line. I personally had a picky eater who hated meal time. I started with getting her a small table and her own chair. I also got her a special spoon, cup, and plate. I allowed her something like a toy car to distract her and keep her entertained. Then I found color bright foods lots of finger foods. I also never forced her to eat extensively or make her stay extended periods. Toddlers do not have a long attention span for long meals. Sitting at the table might also be triggering anxiety. If you are making meal time tough he will internalize it. His anxiety might be causing his stomach to hurt. Let him enjoy food at his own pace and back off of him for a while and see if that helps. If he is still sick at meal times take him to the pediatrician for an evaluation.
Tiffany·
Мама двоих (3 года, 5 лет), ждёт третьего
We've already figured out the why, he wants to play and watch t.v. instead of sitting at the table. He picks what he wants to eat (I give him lots of choices). I'm just trying to get him to stop the up and down. Some nights it isn't so bad, but lately he has gotten a really bad attitude, beyond normal toddler sass.