I Had A Major Throwdown With The Wife Over My Son's Diet

I have a two year old and going through same thing...wife and I talk about it a lot, she even agrees with me, but it comes down to what he will eat. I advised she ask doctor about it next trip in which she did.

He did not seem too concerned. He said its a balancing act between finding things he will eat that are still good for him.

This is our 3rd child and by far the pickiest eater, and loves junk. We give him Instant Breakfast for breakfast and WITH dinner (so he is at least getting vitamens).

When we give him good food he looks right us, smiling, and drops it onto the floor where my now fatter dog is waiting.

 

You're absolutely right...eating habits are taught and learned. Your child will eat what they know. My son never knew what soda or McDonalds even was until he was 6 and dicovered it through his friends.

We try to eat healthy in my house, my son is now 10 and when he has friends sleep over and we have fish for dinner...most of his friends won't eat it or have never had it before.

Sad, IMO.

 

i agree with the OP....my parents were both over-wieght and fed me crap all the time growing up...lots of fast food cas my mom hated cooking dinner....granite im not way overweight but i have always had that extra weight could stand to lose 20 pounds and still eat like crap cas thats what im use to.

Its hard to get into a healthy eating style when your older...if you do it when your young its 10 times easier cas thats what they know and are use to.

but since its lunch time i think il go get some McNuggets. lolz

 

THIS is why you are just fine. You may have eaten what you wanted but it probably wasn't as bad as fast food, which is very very bad for you. Your body had already gone through the developmental stages. It's not just about getting the right amount of good stuff, it's also about keeping out the bad stuff.

 

I was always curious what is the definition of fast food and what makes it different from non-fast food?

As far as the original post, I agree its the right idea to start them early, but I wouldn't get overworked about a 2 year old. Their tastes are not that developed and they are just now discovering things on their own.

I wouldn't let them eat potato chips and candy all the time, but chicken nuggets are probably one of the better protein sources that kids will generally eat. You aren't going to get young kids to eat broiled tilapia with asparagus and brocolli. As others suggested experiment with other things they may like. Try to work with fruits, applesauce, yogurt, green beans and other veggies. Graham crackers for snacks. Their tastes will change as they get older.

 

If hes hungry enough he will eat eventually.

 

I"m from your school of thinking however my daughter now 6 went through this.

Here is how I had to look at it. Is this a battle worth having with a 2yr old?

By making meal time something dreaded by all is doing no good for anyone. You, your wife or the child.

As stated before you can't reason with a child this young. Right now some nutrition is better than missing a meal. Right now your son is not eating because he doesn't like it, not just to rile your feathers. He doesn't know any better yet. Very impressive that you and your wife avoid conflict in front of him, that's how it should be. Most important thing to remember is that no matter how it goes down now when he is 17 this will just be a memory.

 

You're right. A picky eater is not a healthy eater. They tend to have other issues. Stomach and bowel problems. They tend to be sick more than other kids. I am all for making kids try new things if you don't then they don't know what they do or do not like. You also have to reintroduce it sometimes. There are things I eat now that I hated as a kid. My nephew will eat things now he would not just a year ago.

 

I sometimes have to force feed the first spoon...but after he tastes it, he will eat the rest on his own

 

I totally agree. Just cuz she's "mom" doesn't mean she automatically knows better. Look at Casey Anthony. Besides, "Dad" is a parent too, right?

Have fun when your pediatrician calls CPS in 5 years for child endangerment when your 7 year old weighs 150. No shit, my wife is a pediatrician and occasionally has to do that. Maybe that will convince your wife - teach the kid well now, or lose him later...

Yes, kids self-regulate their diet.

 

I'm with you 100%

 

I agree with you. Hell no you are not overboard. My wife is the exact same way. I do not let my kids get away with eating junk. My wife let's them eat ice cream and shit before super and she wants to know why im always drinking. It pisses me off too! I not gonna back down from my beliefs and the way I was raised. You shouldn't either. Keep your feet on the floor dude. Good luck!

 

I'd say you're right on target OP.....kids need to learn discipline at this early age. Focus on their independence should be later on at least by teenager time. Then they can do chores and earn their money for their wants and work toward getting out of the house before 35. Junk food has it's place as a seldom treat but certainly not everyday everymeal. That'll get out of hand habitwise and moneywise too. Coddling them will only ensure they aren't ready to leave the nest in any reasonable timeframe IMO. But...........all aren't of the same mindset so same thing may not work for all of them. I say hold your ground, come to some sort of compromise with the wifey that doesn't involve teaching the kid how to run the house and make mommy and daddy the servants. It's good for everyone in the long run even though it won't seem like it.

 

Serve him healthy food. If he won't eat it, put it in the fridge and serve it to him at the next regular meal time. No snacks.

Ask your pediatrician if you want, but no child has ever starved to death while healthy food was being served to them at every meal. He'll eat.

The "give them whatever they want" mentality is what makes people fat. Eating isn't primarily a pleasure activitiy, it is a sustenance activity. If your kid learns (as he already has) that eating is like TV, where you just change the channel until you find something you feel like watching at the moment, then all is lost. Aside from food allergies and youthful aversion to bitter things, your kid should be eating the healthy food you put in front of them, and that's just the way it has to be.

Down your wife's road is disease and fat. And we're not just talking a little childhood chubbiness. Your 2 year old now will be a 42 year old struggling to survive the heart attack that his diabetes has brought on.


ETA: Diplomacy still applies. If you can switch him from crap food to something healthier that resembles crap food, it might make the job easier (and you spend less time with him crying at the dinner table or crying because he hasn't eaten in eight or twelve hours while you win the battle of wills). Wants chicken nuggets? How about healthier grilled chicken breast strips on rice? Wants Goldfish? How about real cheese on whole wheat crackers?

 

Hi Jason:

we had the same problem with my son with wife letting him choose what he wants to eat & even today he is the pickiest eater at 14. Try some games with rewards of his favourite toy or thing to do. If all fails at least get him Flintstones chewable or gummy bear vitamins.

We all need 5 fruits/5 veggies everyday yet only 20% of the pop actually committ to it. I am a nutritionst by trade so if you need some help PM me

 

I'd say you are "right". I'd rather my son eat healthy or not at all. My son is 3 now and he has learned to eat what we put in front of him, or wait until he is hungry enough and the food is cold enough. IMO kids don't call the shots as to what gets put on the dinner table, the snack table or otherwise. I have a pet peeve of kids helping themselves to the fridge too. If my son wants a drink/snack he asks nicely, or he waits until he can ask nicely. He throws a fit, he sits in the corner until he calms down and apologizes. Still works...hopefully stays that way for a while longer.

Maybe talk to a "professional" with the wife. Like a nutritionist or child development professional of sorts. Hell, even do some online research. I've found "telling" my wife doesn't work as well as us "learning the facts" together. It's about his health, not who is "right" or who can hold out the longest. Hope you two figure it out, one of the many to come I'm sure.

Now, when is too young to start staying out with girls????

 

You are completely right. I am 21 years old and I remember my childhood pretty well. If I was not forced to do something then I would not do it. In his mind, he is going to believe mom will always say yes and dad say no. Therefore dads opnion will not matter. Child has to understand who the parents are.

 

i dont have kids, but intuitively i think this^^^ is super good parenting kung-fu.

we need to teach kids things, like reading, social skills, etc. proper nutrition knowledge is truly a "life long blessing". kids develop fat memory when they are young right?

 

Thanks for the responses, all

 

Talking with the wifey again??