Hi mums,
I have a 7 almost 8 year old daughter who is the fussiest eater. Always has been. I'm a single mum and have been since she was 9 months old. Her father and I have her one week on one week off currently. Long story short, breakfast, lunch, tea time I absolutely dread and I hate getting angry at her. She's always been like it. I've tried reward systems and getting her to try little bits of things. It ends up being a nightmare. I blame myself for being a lazy mum in her early years.... Time to fix it. I need some help, advice on where to go next. Nutritionist? I don't know. I'm in Adelaide. Thanks mums!!
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3 Replies
Unfortunately taste preferences are learnt in early childhood and can be difficult to change.
What is your child fussing about? Sitting for a meal? Doesnt like a lot of foods? What does your child enjoy?
(Im studying nutrition at uni)
My youngest is like this. She'll ask for something for dinner and I'll make it for her then suddenly "I don't like it anymore" once dinner time hits. I've found that the only thing that works is if I don't say it's dinner. I'll just say it's a snack. So I will say "do you want a snack?" then she will eat it. Not sure why it works but it does.
Depends what is causing it. If she's fussy about colours/types/textures/food touching/smells it could be sensory and you'd need to seek assistance from a paed/OT. If she's simply fussing then it might be attention seeking, she may be struggling with the lack of control in her life - she is being shuttled between yourself and her father week on week off she might be looking to exert some control. Look past the fussiness and find out what's causing it. It's a symptom of a deeper issue.