When do you let your child go hungry?

Re: When do you let your child go hungry?

• Shayna0182 member

  September 2010

  We usually give ds a chance to eat what we've brought out, and after sitting in chair if he starts yelling, or shaking his head no, then the meal is over and he doesn't get anything else.  I figure that means he'll be hungrier at the next meal.   I know it's tough, but he'll learn that mealtime is not his personal buffet and that you will not just bring out different foods for him. 

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• Mrs.Hizzo member

  September 2010

  I guess I don't understand what you mean by "at what point?" By what age? I think I started doing that somewhere between 12-15 months.

  No healthy kid will intentionally starve himself. You aren't letting him "go hungry," at all. You're providing good food that he is choosing not to eat. If he doesn't want to eat it, that's his problem. Try again at the next meal/snack. He'll get the picture. 
  

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• cmbrown member

  September 2010

  I've been doing this since day 1.  If she doesn't eat what we give her, she doesn't eat.  She usually will eat anything we give her, so we don't have this problem bad.

  

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• Princess_Lily member

  September 2010

  We do not give other options.

  If he doesn't eat, then he goes hungry.  This doesn't happen though, he will sit in his highchair for an hour (max). He never doesn't eat.
  

  Do I want to have a war with him to get him to eat a meal which ends up in frusteration and tears?  No,  Do I want to cook 10,000 things and be a caterer?  No.  He has to learn somewhere that what mommy cooks is the meal. No options.  My parents didn't cater to my every whim, sometimes mom cooked what I wanted, sometimes she didn't.  But I ate it anyway.
  

   
  

    

   
  

  
  

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• DTNZ4Ever member

  September 2010

  We have since day 1. However if it is something he has never had and tries it then indicates he doesn't want it then I may make something else. However if it is sonething I know he likes he gets no options. He eats 3 meals and 2 snacks he won't be starving.

  

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• wellfleet04 member

  September 2010

  Mrs.Hizzo:

  I guess I don't understand what you mean by "at what point?" By what age? I think I started doing that somewhere between 12-15 months.

  No healthy kid will intentionally starve himself. You aren't letting him "go hungry," at all. You're providing good food that he is choosing not to eat. If he doesn't want to eat it, that's his problem. Try again at the next meal/snack. He'll get the picture. 
  

  THIS.  Unless he's got a medical reason he needs to gain weight quickly or something, there is no reason you HAVE to make him eat.  If you WANT to cook 4-5 things and make sure he eats, then do it and don't complain or get frustrated, but if you don't, then stop now and he will figure it out.  I go by the mantra that it's my job to offer healthy foods, and their job to decide what and how much to eat.  I have NEVER offered my kids 4+ options.  If they are hungry, they eat.  End of story.  Meal times are not a battle, and it doesn't bother me one bit if they chose not to eat.  Their choice, their problem.
  

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• nolebride

  September 2010

  We have lots of eating challenges in our house. LO has had many issues with gaining weight and continues to eat mostly purees at almost 16 months. Even with his issues the pedi told us that as long as he gets 14 good meals in 14 days he's ok. So if he refuses one meal a day it's not terrible. I usually offer two things, the one I make and then one I know he loves. If he refuses both he goes to bed without eating (he usually refuses dinner). GL!

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