Picky eater (5 1/2yrs old), I need help

hamzamama

My son was a pretty good eater til three, then he became pretty picky.  It is especially bad at dinner time.  I fell into the pattern of giving him foods that I knew he liked because 1. my husband and I usually eat later because he comes home late, 2.  it was just easier than dealing with the battle to get him to try something new.  Now I have another child (he is 3).  The second is not as picky, but of course it is going that route because he sees what his brother is eating.  I know that I contributed to the problem, now I have to get myself out of it.   I will, once a week, make something new.  That is how I started to try and solve the problem.  I will try and include one thing that he likes, but at least one new thing.  I try to get him to at least take a bite.  Sometimes he will, and then he will smile and in a fake voice say "oh it is good".  But it is just to please me, I have figured out.  He won't take another bite.  I do stick to my guns when he won't eat the new thing, and not give him anything else.  He has gone to bed without dinner, but it has not made a difference.  He won't ask for food later, he just waits til the morning.  Super frustrating.  I don't bribe or offer him dessert, in fact we rarely have it.  I figure I have a hard enough time getting him to eat new things in general, I don't want to use sweets to do it. 

I have also tried eating with them at least once a week, and hoping that they would want to try more if they see me eating it.  Works with the younger one from time to time, but not the older one.  

He is super healthy, average height and weight, so should I not worry?  I don't want to give him food issues.   Any one one have luck with their child growing out of this?   I want to keep introducing foods to my younger one, and not sure how to do it without making 3 different meals. 

Zenya

Hi - I will link a thread I wrote about this recently.  My son has more extreme issues than yours but maybe it'll help.

https://community.thebump.com/cs/ks/forums/thread/47999460.aspx 

hamzamama

Thank you...that might work.  I will give it a try!