Picky Eater - HELP!

It is normal, however I don't give in and make a special thing just for 1. Be the parent and maintain control - she will eat when she is hungry enough.
I have a 12 yer old who is picky but she has to eat what we all eat unless we go out to eat. She would live on chicken nuggets if I let her! My mantra was "you have to try it once". My son still HATES mashed potatoes at 11. However if it is on the menu he gets a smaller portion. I don't have a budget big enough to support picky eaters in my house so eat or go hungry.
M. F

I have picky eaters. My four year old is just showing signs of coming out of it. My six year old is ok, and my three year old is terrible! I think your little one has focussed on great foods, and if I were you I would try not to worry. She won't be like this at 25.

I was a really picky eater as a child. Luckily, so far, my children are not as picky as I was. Just because they are kids I don't see why they should not be allowed to have a preference for what they eat. I think its crazy when people make entire meals out of stuff they know their kids hate and then want to have an all out war and try to force them to eat it anyway. I don't want to be treated that way so why would your child? As long as they can eat part of what's on the table or God forbid get to eat a sandwich instead of an entree that caters to adult taste then that is ok. The goal is a healthy child, don't let anyone who has never dealt with a picky eater guilt you into feeling like you should use food as punishment.

Your Daughter, is NORMAL.

Also keep in mind:

1) Kids have food phases. Their taste buds are still developing.
No person, kid or adult, eats EVERYTHING.
So... it is all relative.
If an Adult is not expected to eat everything, then a child should not have to either.
Even adults, have food preferences or food phases.

2) Eating and Preferences are not 'static.' It changes. So keep that in mind. Nothing per eating, is permanent. Kids and eating and preferences changes. ALL the time.
Just because they used to eat something, does not mean they will still eat it all their lives.

3) Even a good non-picky eater, WILL go through eating phases and preferences. Even adults.
My Daughter, is a good eater and non-picky. And she is adventurous in eating and trying different things. BUT, even she goes through spurts of having eating preferences. NO biggie. I do not get hung-up on it or worried, because she is only human.
Eating is not, static.
I do not have junk in the house. So my kids eat fine, even if they do get picky sometimes. No biggie. And they are very healthy. So no worries.

4) My kids, ONLY eat if they are hungry and stop when they are full. They KNOW their body's cues. Which is GOOD. I rather have them eat that way, then to eat for emotional reasons/boredom/or because I make them eat everything on their plate. That is not, healthy reasons.

5) In my house, we do not treat eating with punishments/forcing/rewards/or verbal scolding. I would not like, as an adult, to be treated that way, either. It creates negative and dysfunctional eating habits.

6) My son, who is now 4... has been a "picky" eater since he started solids at 6 months old. No biggie. But, as he has gotten older, HE has NATURALLY expanded his palate. All without forcing him to eat or demanding he eat or punishing him for not eating.
He just has, naturally expanded his palate. Which is good.
Again, he eats when he is hungry, stops when he is full, and knows his body's cues. That is a good thing.

I cook what I cook. I know that from whatever I cook, there will be something that he will eat. I don't cook separate things for just him. I also don't have junk in the house. So, he eats fine, and is very healthy and grows like a weed.

We do not battle, over eating. Per our kids.
Some days my HUSBAND is picky too, or even me. So what. We 99% of the time, eat.

7) Food phases, occurs all throughout childhood. And even adults get that way at times. NO human, eats everything and anything. Nor according to what another person wants them to eat. Only.

My 8 year old daughter, as a 2 year old, LOVED cherry tomatoes. She would eat the whole container, herself. Then she didn't like it. Then she did. Then she didn't. Then she did. Then she didn't. Then she did. Then she didn't. Then she did. No biggie. I don't "Expect" her to love tomatoes nor eat it, every day from 2 years old until now at 8 years old.
I wouldn't even want to do that myself. I get tired of tomatoes myself, sometimes. And I am one who eats anything.

I also do not, 'expect' my kids, to eat just like me.
They are an individual.
They know what is 'healthy' food, and what is 'junk' food. Because we teach them that.

All the best,
Susan

I really don't think you need to worry about it. I have 4 kids and each of them has gone through a picky stage at some point during the toddler years.
My DD is 3 now (she's my youngest). Broccoli and peas used to be her favorite foods on earth. In fact, if you were to offer her a cookie or a plate of broccoli, she'd go for the broccoli w/o skipping a beat- then, if the cookie was still there, she'd go for that. Now she has only a few bites of broccoli and a few bites of everything else on her plate. When her Pedi asked about her diet at her 3yo appt, I told him about the change. He just nodded and smiled and said to just keep offering different things. I think it's worse to make a big issue of it because then it just becomes a power struggle and isn't even about the food anymore.

Hang in there. This too shall pass :)

We raised our kids to eat what was put in front of them. If you let your two year old dictate to you it will spread from food to other things. She is two. Its called the "Terrible Twos" because of this kind of behavior, not just food. The food is just the start. It will spread to other things. My wife and I went through this 8 times. YUK! But its the "terrible twos" unless you loose control. Then it will be the "Terrible Twos" this year. Next year it will become the "Terrible Threes". I have two DILs that have let their kids do and eat what they want and the terrible twos have stretched to the terrible sixes in one family and the terrible tens in the other.

Don't let this happen to you. Its a horrible situation and the younger kids pick up on this and will emulate the one that gets away it. No, you don't need to talk to your pediatrician.

Remember who the moms and dads are. Moms and dads set the rules, not the children, especially children in diapers.

Good luck to you and yours.

You mentioned that she's healthy, but was she sick just before this started, maybe a stomach bug or something? Anyway, she's a growing baby and she needs to eat, period. The foods you mentioned she is still eating are good ones. Your description of this doesn't seem like she's trying to manipulate you. Frankly, I don't get parents who use mealtimes and food to show who's boss. As we get older, we all discover certain things we like and don't like. For now, I'd let her eat those foods she still likes when the rest of the family is having a meal. You could encourage her to try a little at a time of her old favorites, but I wouldn't force them. If it persists, you might check with her ped. for suggestions.

My 3 yr old daughter went/is still going thru it. She's starting to eat things again. What we did was, not make her anything else. If she didn't eat what we made and were eating, then she didn't eat. I allowed her to drink her milk and she was fine with it. It went on for months but is finally starting to improve again. I think they have to learn to eat what is provided, they are the child and need to learn that you are the parents and it's as simple as that. I'm sure your daughter will move thru the phase and start eating again. Don't worry too much. You can always ask your Ped. if you are concern, he may have some suggestions too or tell you not to worry.
good luck!

regardless of whether or not it's "just a phase".....as the parent, you have to follow thru on good parenting. By allowing her to be self-limiting, you are indulging her! If she won't eat with the rest of the family, then she doesn't eat. Plain & simple. Save the plate, put it in the frig & offer it again later. Eventually, she'll get the picture & will move on.......

If you continue to indulge her, the issues only become bigger & bigger.....

My suggestion would be to take a stand. If she had started as a picky eater, I would have said, let it go. My son was a picky eater from day one. It took the full 7 years for his taste buds to change to get him to eat things. so I let it go with him (texture issues). But my daughter has always been a good eater, and I make her eat what I know she already likes. Kids will try to see what they can get away with at all different ages. The trick is to know if they are trying to get away with something or there is truly a problem. That only a mom and dad can answer. Good Luck.

She needs more essential fatty acids- she is just fine. See Nourshing Traditions cookbook, and Weston Price.com- normal normal normal!!!
best, k

I have a very picky eater...but she is now coming out of her shell after 7 years. It was hard... I catered to her every food choice and did not want the battle. But she would eat about 5 different things for dinner and or lunch and she was fine with fruit and carrots. It became a texture issue with my child. She did not like anything moshy, sauces, things like that. So you could not give her a choice like Sue said and just put what is placed on the table and not allow her to control the food choices, but this will start a battle at food time each day. I guess I just did not want that. But if your relaxed about it and place it in front of her and she does not eat it, then I say give it too her again in a hour and give it too her again.....as she complains of hunger. She will eventually get the idea. It won't hurt to talk to a ped. But I never did.