Mealtime is becoming painful...

[Tweakster]

For me - to watch him NOT eat.

Ok so I wasn't going to worry but now he won't even eat the things he used to like.  Do they go through some sort of food fetish at 2?  Anything he used to like he's avoiding.  He's eating mainly breads, crackers, yogurt and that's about it.  He's even gone off of his cereal.

Tonight I asked him if he was hungry 'yes yes' so I made chicken nuggets and fries.  Nuggets without batter but still very nice chicken.  And oven fries.

I had to watch him slowly dip one fry into the ketchup, suck the ketchup off, then after he got bored of that he took the fry and dipped in ketchup and 'painted' each chicken nugget piece with ketchup.  The fry eventually got too soggy to do anything with so he got mad and threw it across the table.  The he pulled his bib off and said 'all done, down' He ate nothing!

So I said well that's all there is for dinner, I'm sick of making him toast at every meal.  So then I put his bowl of raspberries on the table.  We've been offering this same bowl for THREE days.  He wouldn't eat a single one.  So then I ate a few, he grew slightly interested and then ate the rest of the bowl.  He asked for more.  I brought more.  He said 'no way' with this huge grin. 

You're kidding right? lol  Is this going to be the next few years or what?  Is he starting to play me or something?

[deb]

I'm going with developmental leap here, possibly coupled with changing food needs.

For now I'd offer a very small plate. If he finishes it, great, if he wants more, great, but if he putters then you're not waiting all night - maybe only half the night.

[Mum-of-Two]

Wendy, we had a bit of this lately and I had to cut out the afternoon snack for awhile to get him interested in eating dinner again.  Its not easy that last hour before dinner, he needs extra attention to get him through but he started eating like the boy he is again thats for sure.  We seem to slip back and forth this way even with my 5 year old, hate to say it but seems kinda cyclical.  Also, my kids will eat the same thing for weeks then suddenly refuse it all together.  My IRL Mom friends tell me thats normal, but it is frustrating when I make a big batch of something that can be reheated for them while I am at work only to come home and find out they didn't eat.

Provided he's not losing weight (my guy is skinny so I prefer he eat), he'll be OK if he refuses a meal or two.

[bubbabear1]

Hey Wendy,

Same happening here, so will listen in if that's ok.  DD does seem to eat more if I pretend that the food is for me and we 'share'.

HTH

Siobhan
xx

[Mom to M&M]

Wendy - as you know, we've had our share of food nightmares and are still working our way through the latest. But in your case I would guess it's mainly that he's really not that hungry come dinner time. Toddlers have a BIG drop in appetite around 2 and it always sounds like your boy eats quite a lot for breakfast, lunch and then double snacks at day care. I know it's beyond frustrating but I don't think you have anything to worry about!

[KathrynK]

Wendy, Alex's appetite has really dropped off since his birthday, like Karen said.
I used to worry loads at first, as previously he had always eaten like a grown man, and Sophie's appetite didn't drop off till she was 3. But now I realise if he's hungry, he'll eat it, and if not, he won't, so there's not point in stressing.
He doesn't get an alternative if he doesn't eat what he's given, he just gets down from the table when everyone has finished like normal. And he's not bothered at all. He still sleeps as well as he ever does, lol!
I have stopped his afternoon snack as that was really killing dinner. Some days the last 30-40 minutes before dinner is painful when he's starving, but it's worth it when he shovels it all in!
xxx

[Tweakster]

Yeah they say he eats great at daycare and so I don't typically worry...but with all the EW being so precarious I don't like sending him to bed hungry - don't need another reason for him to wake early.

The snack is a problem because they have snack before we pick him up at night - can't very well give the other kids a snack and not him.  I don't see a way around it.  We can't get to him any earlier :-(. They only give them a handful of Cheerios or Goldfish but I guess it's enough to fill him up.

He's definitely fallen down on his curve - he dropped to 75th percentile at his 18 mth check and now I would guess he's in the 50th.  We'll find out in early April at his 2 yr check.  It's certainly not like we have anything to worry about with his weight - if he lost some I'd be secretly happy because he'd be lighter to lug around lol

So good to hear that it's normal - although frustrating to have such a great eater for a year and now has gone wonky

[Mom to M&M]

It's probably not so much that the goldfish fill him up, per se - but that they are the icing on the cake and enough to take the edge off for him especially after a full day of eating already. Can daycare make that late snack a bit of fruit or veggies instead of goldfish or cheerios?

It doesn't sound from your previous posts that hunger is much of a factor in his EW but if you are really concerned you could offer a healthy bedtime snack - but IMO that might just give further incentive to him to reject dinner - since I know you don't have a lot of time between dinner and his bedtime.

[Mum-of-Two]

Yeah they say he eats great at daycare and so I don't typically worry...but with all the EW being so precarious I don't like sending him to bed hungry - don't need another reason for him to wake early.

Yes, I feel the exact same way.  And even had a few days where at bed time Oliver was saying "eat" , "food".  My other trick is to just  leave the food out.  Sometimes Oliver won't eat when we do but will come back to it later.