Reply to Four year old won't eat meals- so exhausted with the struggle

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[quote=Anonymous]DD has always required coaxing to eat food off her plate, no matter what I make, and I try to make foods that she likes. It's not that she is picky and doesn't like the food- she just barely picks at it and would rather do anything- literally anything else- sing, tell stories, prat fall off her chair. And she therefore takes FOREVER. We had birthday cupcakes for my son's 2nd last night, and took so long waiting for her to take just 3 bites of food that we finally gave up and she didn't get a cupcake with us (she eventually got one 30 minutes later). I'm not forcing her to finish her plate, or even trying to make her try every food on her plate. I just want her to have a bare minimum of food so she doesn't starve. At school she is the same way- her lunch box always returns 1/3 eaten, and she complains that there isn't enough time to eat (there is absolutely enough time to eat). Her one good meal is breakfast, which she eats most of, probably every other day, I assume because she is hungry from the night before.

I am exhausted by this constant struggle and I don't know how to break this cycle. It triggers me unlike anything else- every meal is just a series of threats, cajoling and bribery and nothing works. Last night I snapped a little and threatened to tell Santa she was being naughty and she wouldn't get presents (which, yes, I realize was insane). It didn't work anyway.

I already know I am doing this wrong, and I also don't want to be this parent. All advice welcome.[/quote]

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