My son is turning 5 next month and he has a HORRIBLE eating habit. Back when he was an infant, I had him trying new foods every day. He would eat everything and it was great. Then when he turned 1, we had to move out of our apartment and move in with my Grandmother. During the time we lived with her she SPOILED him with McDonald’s kids meals. It seemed like every day she would bring one home for him. I tried telling her that I didn’t want him eating so much fast food, and all I would get was “I’m going to spoil my Great Grandson.” So she continued. Even when I would make him a meal, she would come home with one and we would have to save it for later or he would choose the McDonald’s meal and I would have to throw away the healthy food. By the time he was 2 he REFUSED to try new foods. He would only eat chicken nuggets and french fries with chocolate milk. He has always liked his fruits and I have never had any trouble feeding that to him, which I am relieved. Since we have moved out of my Grandmother’s, we have gotten him to try other foods, but not many. As of right now, he will ONLY eat chicken (any kind, and that’s a great thing seems how it used to be only nuggets), PB+J sandwiches (although he is VERY picky. The two pieces can NOT touch each other, and the Jelly HAS to be on the left side of the plate, and the PB on the right), PB and crackers, Goldfish, a ton of fruit, water, juice, milk, and of course the regular junk food he’s always willing to try. I have tried sitting him down with whatever I’ve made the rest of the family for dinner and telling him that he eats that or he goes to bed hungry. That’s how I was raised, that’s how my husband was raised, and pretty much my whole family was raised. I was scolded by my Grandmother for doing this because it was “Child Abuse” and she would call DCF on me if I did it again. Even though I know for a fact that she did that to her children…I just don’t know what to do anymore. I’ve talked to his Doctor and he told me to just give into his ways and put food into the McDonald’s packaging I would get and call it McDonald’s but that didn’t work. My kid isn’t stupid. But now he’s going to be going into Kindergarten and the school isn’t going to tolerate his eating behavior. I just don’t know what to do anymore. If anyone has any ideas, please, I’m all ears. Thanks.
