Refusing tea everynight and screaming for the hell of it?

[Ginger_Kitty 10]

Ed's now 16 months, he's always been a fabulous eater but the last few weeks he's gone mad.

Every night at teatime he just flatly refuses his tea; hot, cold, mush, lumps, everything! (well, apart from salmon fishfingers and peas!)

 

I know he's been teething forever (he now has at least 16) but this is just not normal for him

 

He'll eat breadsticks, or rusk, or banana, or pudding, he just won't eat his tea...

He screams when its in front of him and he doesn't want it, that doesn't happen with breakfast or lunch, just tea... he won't even entertain it going into his mouth for him to try...

 

but he's still hungry!

 

He's even the same with his grandparents - now thats serious!!!!

 

anyone any ideas? I'm running out of tactics....

 

(a very exhausted) Em

xx

[busymum3 10]

I'd try not to worry too much, sooner said than done I know. Could be just flexing his muscles, especially as it looks like he'll still eat his favourite foods. Very clever these little ones! It's really up to you how you deal with this, you could either refuse to give in or let him have his favourite for tea for a few days and gradually introduce other things. Whichever way you go I don't think he'll fade away just yet. Be kind to yourself you are doing a fabulous job.

 

Good luck x

[BobbyBunny 10]

He's probably testing you. If you offer him different foods after he refuses the first, he will keep trying until he gets something he 'really' likes - one of his favourites. I would be in two minds whether to persevere - if he won't eat what you give him, its nothing until suppertime (perhaps two hours later) when you give him something substantial like porridge or weetabix (something to fill him up, but something boring so he knows if he says no he's stuffed) or give in, let him have what he wants for just a few days, and then try again.

 

Good luck hun. x

[yan 10]

Hi. My little one is doing exactly the same thing. He's 18 months old. It's driving me to dispare! It all started about 10 days ago when he was I'll for a few days. He won't eat a thing apart from ready Brek, toast and yoghurts. I've lost my temper with him a few times as it's so frustrating and a waste. I can't offer much advice really as I'm struggling myself with him. I have been giving him normal meals and if he leaves it he leaves of. If he doesn't eat much during the day I give him weetabix before bed. Sorry I can't be any help. X x

[Ginger_Kitty 10]

Thanks all so far

 

I'm trying to not give in to his 'i want my favourite', he gets his fav meal (the fishfingers thing!) once a week, twice if he's lucky, the rest of the time he's offered what we have...

 

We offer the breadsticks or even rice cakes as a 'savoury' to see if he really is hungry, if he eats it then we have our answer...

 

I'm not getting overly stressed about the lack of eating, he's always been on the chunky side and its not going to hurt him. I'm just not good at coping with the screaming I guess that harks back to my really bad PND time

 

I guess I really just needed to know that this is a phase and it'll pass... eventually... In the meantime we're offering a bit more for his lunch (used to be just sandwiches) to make up for the nutrients he's missing, then a bit extra milk instead of tea (if he completely refuses, like tonight!) and then his usual supper and bedtime milk.

[Skippy06 10]

My daughter did this but only for about a week - I decided to leave her to it if she didn't eat her dinner she went without but I didn't make her anything else either.

She still tries it on now I think she does it to test me half the time as she will ask for something then refuse to eat it and demand something else.

[Ginger_Kitty 10]

Thanks

 

Well, i decided to be tough... he had 4 spoons of tea last night then refused, oddly refused pud too, so that was it, no more...

 

sadly my grandma had other ideas and then fed him biscuits and chocolate gateau!!!! ah well, I guess we try again tonight!

[gina2007 10]

Thanks

 

Well, i decided to be tough... he had 4 spoons of tea last night then refused, oddly refused pud too, so that was it, no more...

 

sadly my grandma had other ideas and then fed him biscuits and chocolate gateau!!!! ah well, I guess we try again tonight!

 

Dont worry yourself. Charlie does this all the time. He now knows he has to eat some/all of it, otherwise we 'think' he isnt hungry. Then he doesnt get anything else. But now, when his tea is done, he will eat it all up, knowing he gets a frube or banana after. It takes ages, but it happens. We just offered him his tea and he point blank refused, we'd leave it, til his head was in the fridge, and offer him his cold tea again. Did this for 3 days and he now eats with no tantrums. We played a game also, put his fave show on the t.v and pause it after the opening, ask him to eat half his tea and he'd be able to watch it, he did that then after 5min, back in the highchair, tv paused and he'd the rest! Then his afters while watching tv, its worked for us. X

[lizzzbur 10]

I hate to say it but reading this thread has made me feel better because my 20 month old does exactly the same thing!! She has always been a brilliant eater but for the past few months tea time has been a battle.

I put it down to her wanting to be independant and feed herself and I have found that if I leave her to it and let her try to feed herself she does alot better. I also try to only give her pudding if she does well because she always manages to eat that.

Its a different story for childminder and grand parents though!! Its just us she messes about for.

[*Peaches* 10]

Both my older lads have been through this, and I'm just waiting for the 3rd. Its all to do with persaverance (sp?) and a battle of wills unfortunately

[Ginger_Kitty 10]

Or fishfingers every night

at least fish isn't all bad....

 

 

Edit: i'm not going to feed him FF everynight... maybe just some