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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Picky Kid Won't EAT!! About to Term
JBWWCC 08:44 AM 07-17-2018
I have never had a kid this picky in my entire daycare career. He literally won't eat ANYTHING. I made rainbow pancakes this morning hoping the color would excite him/ encourage him to eat. Every single meal I make, he says "I don't like that" "I've tried it 10 times at home and I don't like it" Having mom pack a lunch from home is not an option because she will bring ho-hos, chocolate cupcakes and ritz crackers. It's obvious he isn't encouraged to eat properly at home. I should mention he is 8! Freaking 8! I've tried the 2 bites and you can be done. I've tried, that's-what-we-are-having-eat-it. You-can't-get-up-until-its-gone. Etc etc. etc. I'm SO tired of wasting food on this kid that I'm about to term. Advice?
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Ac114 08:46 AM 07-17-2018
Oh my goodness I seriously almost posted the same thing because I was debating on having parents pack from now on or supply food because this is every single one of my kids except 1!!! I can’t deal with it. It’s dollars going into the trash for every meal.

No advice by just hugs!
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hwichlaz 08:48 AM 07-17-2018
My advice...stop caring if he eats. He won’t starve. Put healthy food in front of him, and choose not to notice if he eats it or not. It’s a power play and you’re letting him win.
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Country Kids 08:49 AM 07-17-2018
It is frustrating!

I sometimes feel just making the lunch and turning around and throw it away in the garbage.

Also, if parents make lunches they have to meet the USDA guidelines or you have to supplement the area they don't have.

Hugs to you
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Snowmom 09:07 AM 07-17-2018
Stop stressing about it.
It's his choice to eat or not. The only thing I'd do is tell his parents that I serve healthy, balanced meals every day and it's his choice to eat or not. He usually chooses "not".

If the food waste really bothers you, serve family style. tell him to take what he'll eat. The rest is available to him-so all good on the food program requirements.
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Blackcat31 09:14 AM 07-17-2018
Originally Posted by Snowmom:
Stop stressing about it.
It's his choice to eat or not. The only thing I'd do is tell his parents that I serve healthy, balanced meals every day and it's his choice to eat or not. He usually chooses "not".

If the food waste really bothers you, serve family style. tell him to take what he'll eat. The rest is available to him-so all good on the food program requirements.
I do not stress about food. If they don't want to eat, don't eat. I don't care.

I don't serve heavy carbs, sugary foods and/or foods that aren't healthy and I do not require a "thank you" bite or for a child to try something.

I serve, they eat. Or don't.
In the tummy or in the trash, either way it's gone.
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Josiegirl 09:24 AM 07-17-2018
Yep, give him his lunch, no words or expressions from you, and let him decide. The only thing I'd do, if food waste is bothering you is give him minute amounts. If he eats, give him more. I've tried the family style, telling kids to only take what they'll eat. But it doesn't work well for me because usually they over-take anyways.
I loathe the fact kids' taste buds are becoming more and more ingrained towards unhealthy eating. They 'hold out' for their treat at the store on the way home, their bag of goldfish crackers they know are in the car, or whatever.
It can be disheartening feeding kids; they all have different likes and dislikes and some won't eat anything at all. Control issues cannot be played into.
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racemom 12:04 PM 07-17-2018
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
I do not stress about food. If they don't want to eat, don't eat. I don't care.

I don't serve heavy carbs, sugary foods and/or foods that aren't healthy and I do not require a "thank you" bite or for a child to try something.

I serve, they eat. Or don't.
In the tummy or in the trash, either way it's gone.
Yep!! Eat or don't, don't care either way. Just wanted to add I have some of the best eaters here because of it. My current kids eat everything. If dcb says I don't like fish, I say thats to bad, I like it. End of discussion.
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happymom 10:49 AM 08-08-2018
My son does not eat much/well either. He is extremely small for his age, too (skinny AND short).

I might be an awful mom but I choose not to make it an issue. This is one thing my husband and I don't see 100% eye to eye on....I work hard making our meals and I want to enjoy the time with our family and not focus on forcing him to eat.

If he's hungry later, I remind him that he didn't eat whatever it was he was served.
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e.j. 12:24 PM 07-17-2018
Originally Posted by JBWWCC:
I have never had a kid this picky in my entire daycare career. He literally won't eat ANYTHING. I made rainbow pancakes this morning hoping the color would excite him/ encourage him to eat. Every single meal I make, he says "I don't like that" "I've tried it 10 times at home and I don't like it" Having mom pack a lunch from home is not an option because she will bring ho-hos, chocolate cupcakes and ritz crackers. It's obvious he isn't encouraged to eat properly at home. I should mention he is 8! Freaking 8! I've tried the 2 bites and you can be done. I've tried, that's-what-we-are-having-eat-it. You-can't-get-up-until-its-gone. Etc etc. etc. I'm SO tired of wasting food on this kid that I'm about to term. Advice?
Pick your battles. Let this one go. I know it's frustrating. I've had a few kids in my care who were super picky. One wouldn't eat the grill cheese sandwich I made because I cut it lengthwise vs. diagonally. She would also whine, "That's not how my mother makes it" no matter what I served. It didn't matter what it was. Another kid went home hungry every single day for 5 years because if it wasn't junk food being served, she wasn't going to eat it. When I first started doing day care, picky eating used to drive me absolutely crazy! After thinking about it, I finally realized: The food has been bought. The money's been spent. I'm out that money whether they eat or they don't. Once I realized that, I stopped stressing about wasted food. Honestly, it saved a little bit of my sanity. If I know it's a food other kids will want seconds on, I'll give the picky eater a small amount. I set aside the rest of his serving. If he eats, great. I'll offer more. If he doesn't, I offer the rest to someone else, lessening some of the waste.
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mamamanda 01:22 PM 07-17-2018
My own ds stresses me out at times over food. He legitimately has spd which is a huge factor in his "pickiness" and certain textures actually make him vomit so it's not just an I don't like it thing. But he also plays it at times & wants special. He informed me that he wanted fast food a couple days ago b& I told him no. We've explained to him that we're cutting way back on fast food both to save money & make healthier choices. He said he'd starve for 200 days before eating something I made at our house.

I said "Suit yourself, but stay out of the snack drawer." And that was that. No fighting, no nagging. Guess who was starving & ate the biggest meal of their life that evening. And he ate the lunch I offered him w/o issue the following day.

I think when they know we're upset about it it gives them power. I'd serve your food & not say a thing about it. You don't like it, suit yourself...and go on with your day. He'll either eat it, or he won't & his parents will fight that battle at home. It's so not worth the stress of worrying over it.
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Josiegirl 02:42 PM 07-17-2018
Originally Posted by mamamanda:
I think when they know we're upset about it it gives them power.
This is so true about almost everything when you deal with kids!!!
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Tags:food battles, meal deductions, meal report, meals provided, meals served
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