Forcing a child to eat?

Gold Member Joined: Nov 23 2004 Posts: 1045

Okay, the way I grew up my mother would beg, force etc. makr difft meals just to make her kids eat. My husband grew up like if you dont eat you dont eat, no forcing etc. which makes for a much more pleasent dinner. I get sucked into the forcing bec. I worry he isnt getting enough.
I am talking about my 3 yr. old not my baby Embarassed

Posted: Sun, Jul 24 2005, 10:16 pm Post subject:

usually children know when they are full and will turn their heads away when they have had enough. ihave read that overweight probs in children come from being stuffed-they loose their natural sence of when they are full.
dont forget that their stomachs are very small (I think the size of their fist). he will know when he is hungry or full. u can also fed him more often but smaller meals. I feed my daughter around every 3 hrs and if she isnt intrested then I save it for later.
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my next house will have no kitchen-just a vending machine and a big trash can!

Gold Member Joined: Nov 23 2004 Posts: 1045

Thats the last thing I want!!!!

The 3 hour idea is good, I will try that one.
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boy~8 yrs.
girl~6 yrs.
girl~4 years
boy~2 year
boy~2 weeks
KA"H!!!

Posted: Mon, Jul 25 2005, 9:23 am Post subject:

I have pretty much proved it that kids who are forced to eat r overweight. I have seen the difference between my fam and my dh fam.

I once debated this with a group of women. A child who does not finnish his supper is not being disresrespectful (as in "mommy made this so u have 2 eat it") kids r also people and they can B"H feel hunger.
I did have one kid that I had to limit her portions because she liked to eat, just didn't feel when to stop and then she would have cramps from overeating.
My kids r very picky eaters, but if I like a certain food it doesn't mean that they like it too. I try to cook s/t most of 'em like. I don't do diff. foods for kid who doesn't like that nights supper. My house is not a resteruant. They always have the option of eating toast for supper.

Moderator Joined: Oct 18 2004 Posts: 2659

I once read (sorry don't remember where) that a child's portion should be 1/4 of an adult's.

Posted: Tue, Jul 26 2005, 4:26 am Post subject:

I took my kids to the doctors because I was afraid they didn�t eat enough. anyway he told me that they were fine and not to force them to eat. Children know when they are hungry and they will let you know. Just make sure they don�t eat too much junk in between meals. Children, unlike adults, will stop eating when they are full and if you look at at a chart for a child daily intake it is quite small portions.

Gold Member Joined: Nov 23 2004 Posts: 1045

I know, I am coming to realize that I should just let go. BUT I feel that he he is too "busy" to eat, he wants to play etc. WHat if he doesnt like what I made? Then its another dinner....but my husband always points out when he is eating to prove that he will eat when hes hungry...

Executive Member Joined: Jun 27 2005 Posts: 471

I believe it depends on the child. I have a child that does not eat when he's hungry. if I let him eat however much he wants, then he will eat enough during the day so as not to starve but not enough to gain weight. its happened. he didnt gain weight. I was forced to put him on a high protien high fat diet and only then did he start to gain. what is important is this: if you know he will eat only half a cupful of anything, make sure the half cup of food he eats is from a high protien/ high fat/ high calorie source. make the calories count. and when necessary give him an incentive to eat. I found that my son would claim to be full, but when I gave him the option of eating for a reward (like he gets to go to the park when done) he would eat another plateful. and wasnt complaining of feeling overful.