That is so true. I have learned that with Riane.

Now Xandra is not a picky eater. She eats much more the Riane does at times. But the other night she threw us for a look and would not eat what was on her plate and the last few days it has been hard to figure out what she wants to eat. It has been a lot of cheerios.

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Stacey, I totally agree that you gotta serve them what they like now and then! Leo likes most things, but if he's going to eat a "grown up" meal with us he often doesn't want it. I try to put at least one thing on his plate that I know he'll like if that's the case. Even so, he often ignores that one yummy thing-- I guess because it's surrounded by yucky things.

I also worry about Leo waking up hungry if he chooses not to eat dinner, but we've never had that problem (yet!) Like I said though, he seems to eat a TON most of the time, so I guess he has reserves in there!

Haha, Kalene, I'm sure you're a fabulous cook!

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Beth
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I worry about Kian eating enough too since he started eating "big people" food. It was so easy to measure when it was purees and cereal. I still usually feed him one puree veggie or fruit with cereal per day, and most days he has some yogurt as a snack.

Yesterday for breakfast he ate a large biscuit all by himself. He will also inhale a big blueberry muffin all by himself. Meats we have a harder time with, although he likes those little chicken parmesan patties you can buy in the frozen section. He seems to love pasta just like his mom and dad. And he has cheerios on and off all day long. I think he's getting enough although I would like to see him eat a little more.

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Mary Beth - 31
DH - 30
Baby Kian - 3/24/07
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If his iron levels are low start giving fruits/veggies. It sounds like hes getting mostly starches (breads, bagels, cereal, etc) and those are also fillers. They dont have a great volume of nutritional value and they fill kids up twice as fast. I also dont offer a drink until his meal is 1/2 gone or he appears to be getting full so he doesnt fill up on fluids. we know hes well hydrated though so i dont worry about that.

In your shoes, id offer a banana or something instead of toast. Apple slices with cream cheese are really good too. Grapes (whole or cut in half, you know your child best).

Like Beth, we offer what we are having or you dont eat. The only difference is that if I make beans, chicken, rice and bisquits the kids dont have to eat every bit of it. Derek and Jordan dont like beans so i give them each 1 tsp of beans that they DO have to eat. And before they get seconds they have to eat everything else on their plates (Jordan is known for wanting another biscuit, 2 or 3 before touching the rest of the meal).

If I make something and they flat out dont like it I will offer them 1 alternative and that is it. If they dont eat then then OH WELL, like beth they dont eat. Derek is the one who will refuse (even though hes hungry and loves what we are having) only to tell us 10 min later hes hungry. Then i just tell him "too bad you didnt want to eat with us".

Typically we all eat at the same time but there are times that Derek and Caleb eat later than us. if they really arent hungry (I can typically judge if its genuine or not) then i do let them eat later but after a certain time Derek knows to not ask (once dishes are done and kitchen is cleaned for the night).

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