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Food Drama: SS5 is having a crying fit over a ham sandwich right now

Madam Hedgehog's picture

Sobbing, crying, running nose. The works.

It's a ham-freaking-sandwich.

BM has convinced SS5 that he has food issues and can't handle normal food. He can handle pop tarts, cake, cookies, corn dogs.

Anything that is bad for him and microwavable.

But a ham sandwich is TOO MUCH. This kid is about to turn 6 and has a food range of about twelve items.

This has been going on for as long as I can remember, and I am completely sick of it. Every meal is a battle and then a melt down. His two year old brother will eat anything (seriously) but now he's started taking his cues from SS5 and refusing to eat normal food.

DH and I just decided to plan out a menu for the week ahead of time and then stick to it no matter what. We will see what happens.

Any suggestions?

Comments

Whateva's picture

I feel for you! Something similar happen with one of my SO's kids, if the child is hungry and food isn't put in front of her ASAP, watch out! pretty pathetic actually. Oh the kid isn't over weight or obese either..but is definitely a food driven child, actually it is pretty amusing to watch.

SisterNeko's picture

I give you my sympathy and I await suggestions. I have the same issue with SS4. He will eat, Burger king, McD's, pizza, french fries, Mac and Cheese, jello and maybe a few other items. I am a GOOD cook but he refuses to eat anything that I make. I have started refusing to make food special for him. I always try to have one thing that I know he will eat but I put EVERYTHING of his plate. He will eat that one thing and on rare occasion try something else if he gets bored awhile playing with his food. Then cries later because he is hungry and I refuse to give him junk food he if doesn't eat dinner.

Am I too hard on him?

And it's not like I make weird stuff, just normal food. Fired chicken, steak, hamburgers, mashed potatoes, fresh veggies, ect.

I know he does it because BM just fixes him what he likes instead of making him eat what the 'family' is eating. So I don't feel too bad because I know he eats at her house, just not well.

I have broken him from pushing the plate away if there is something on there he doesn't want.

It's so bad he love chicken nuggets but only if they are fast food. I MADE chick nuggets and put them in a McD's box and he still wouldn't eat them.

Madam Hedgehog's picture

oh yeah. I hear you. SS5 threw a fit last week because DH made macaroni and cheese from scratch rather than from the kraft box. Same with chicken nuggests--they have to be from McDonald's or Burger King or a restaurant.

You are NOT too hard on him. SS is going on 6 in a couple months and I can't believe we are still fighting over this nonsense. We should have jumped on it earlier and really made sure it stopped. He even tries to dictate what we can buy at the supermarket, and as we're shopping tells us what he will and won't eat.

It's insane. I was eating pretty much everything by his age except tomatos, which I still don't really like, and he can't handle a typical sandwich. It's just nuts.

buttercookie's picture

I feel for both of you, this is a battle of wills, the kid will eat when he/she is hungry, Cut out ALL snacks until they can eat proper, If they start bawling excuse them from the table, when they complain they are hungry reheat whatever it was they threw a fit over, if they throw a fit again excuse them again, They will eat when they are hungry and they know they aren't going to get there way. Some kids are really stubborn you have to wait them out and i know its horrible watching a tantrum but thats why these kids do that and it gets worse if not nipped in the bud

Madam Hedgehog's picture

That's what we have decided to do. The other half of his ham sandwich is in the fridge right now. Last year, he threw a fit over a peanut butter sandwich (that HE REQUESTED) and DH told him he couldn't have anything else until he finished his sandwich.

He didn't eat for TWO DAYS.

During those two days, he cried, screamed, and made himself barf 3 times(while "attempting" to eat the sandwich). It was insane. He's gotten a bit better since then, but not much.

Siferra's picture

Ugh, I hate when they force themselves to vomit to try to get sympathy.

Even worse: My SS6 learned that behavior from BM. That's right, his BM only eats pizza, chicken nuggets, cheeseburgers and fries. She will force herself to vomit if she eats anything else. *eye roll*

Newstep's picture

We have food issues too. SD can shove down junk food by the truck load!! But as soon as normal wholesome food is in front of her she picks at it and then has a tummy ache. So predictable and so annoying. Then she claims she needs OTC meds to make her feel better. She is taking cues from her mother who wont eat food without taking something before and after eating.

hismineandours's picture

Soo many food issues. I've always had the opposite problem with ss. He has to eat constantly. As soon as he arrives at our house. And typically every hour or so that he is here. Doesnt even matter what he eats-it just has to be something. I think he has worms.

Madam Hedgehog's picture

Yes, we get the sick stomach routine too. It's just endless. They will literally request something and then refuse to eat it. A week ago, SS2 requested toast, then said he didn't want it. I told him he had to eat it before he could have anything else, so he crumbled it up and threw it on the floor.

I served him another piece of toast, which he eventually ate, but it was ridiculous to have to go through a three hour stand off with a toddler over a piece of freaking bread.