Picky eater is parent's fault?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's the issue I see: how does your kid even know what all this junk food is? Pizza, chicken nuggets, etc were introduced by you. If the parents models bad eating it shouldn't be a surprise that your kid is following your example.

Even before age 2 my kid knew that we didn't keep junk food in the house and they didn't ask for it. Simple.

NP +1

My 2 and 4 year olds know what pizza and ice-cream are because they see them in books and sometimes educational programs include them too (in songs or lessons about shapes etc).

Neither of them have ever tasted one.

e.g. They will do trick or treating but trade candy with me for something healthy. They know candy isn't real food.

99% of children would prefer to eat junk. Junk food is made in factories by scientists who use chemicals to try to make food especially tasty and addictive (in addition to cheap and self stable). It's not a fault of the child that they'd prefer to eat junk food.

My kids eat nothing but good stuff (good quality meat, tons of veggies, lot of fruit and a small bit of good quality grains).... because there's nothing else coming. There hasn't been a precedent, so the thought of demanding something else wouldn't even occur to them. Sometimes they complain that dinner "isn't tasty" but I explain that's okay, it will help us all to be big and strong, and tomorrow there will be something different. I've given them junk food instead of dinner exactly zero times.

If your child is demanding junk, it absolutely is the parents' fault. I know it's not easy. Sometimes I'd freaking LOVE to stick some fish fingers in the microwave or to order a pizza. But feeding my kids nourishing food is one of my core roles of a parent, IMO.

Don't be too smug yet. I had a neighbor like you. We had birthday parties or get together and all the kids would eat ice cream and her kids were forbidden from trying even ice cream. Once they started elementary school they begged other kids for candy and treats. They would come over as older elementary school kids and want to look in my cupboards and always asked for food. I don't hover over my kids when they are in the kitchen and they are free to eat snacks and offer snacks to their friends. The kids whose parents severely restricted treats are the ones eating the most junk food. My kids eat a variety of food- healthy and not so great food. We have ice cream and other treats at home and my kids don't gorge and aren't obsessed with food.
OP, you kid is 2 and in the 5th percentile rank for weight. Don't make food into a battle. Let him eat his peanut butter and cheese sandwiches if he wants. Let him eat muffins. Kids naturally become pickier around 2 because that's when toddlers tens of thousands of years ago were weaned started exploring. Many poisonous plants are bitter so to survive toddlers taste buds get more sensitive at that age.

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10/14/2017 11:35

Subject: Re:Picky eater is parent's fault?

quote

Anonymous

This has nothing to do with parents. we have 2 kids. Both offered the same food. One is picky. The other will eat everything. Some people are just more adventurous.