Troubles with Feeding a Toddler
Drinking Warm Milk with a Straw. Photo taken on Jan 22, 2010. Click photo to enlarge photo.
I don’t know what it is about milk that Matthew had a hard time drinking it from a glass when he drinks everything else, water, juice, smoothie, from a cup even before he turned 1! He had always been drinking regular whole milk from a milk bottle, but I am happy to announce that it has been more than a week since the last time Matthew had his milk in a milk bottle. I have hidden the milk bottles away from his sight, and we have been using a regular glass or the sippy bottle with straw to drink his milk. Although, he didn’t exactly throw himself crying over his milk bottles, it wasn’t exactly easy to get him to drink milk from a cup/glass. At most times, he would still specify he wants milk on a bottle. I’d say ‘NO’, give his milk in a glass, and put a straw on it. And he is fine. Somehow, the straw made the transition easier for him. Also, the milk has got to be warm too. It’s easier and quicker for him to finish warm milk than cold milk.
About food, I got to be honest! I think I have to stretch my creativity when feeding him! He only eats – macaroni and cheese, noodles, plain pasta, bread, pancakes, cheese, eggs and that’s it! NO hamburger, hotdog, chicken, nuggets, fried chicken, fruits or vegetables, etc.!
At one time, I sneaked in a few green beans in his macaroni and cheese. Spoon-fed him while he was watching cartoons. I carefully placed mac-and-cheese on top of the spoon while hiding the green beans. Halfway He didn’t have a problem until he strategically spit out a few green beans to his hand, and told me – “Mommy, there’s dirt!”. I wanted to laugh about how he has caught up with my tricks but didn’t want him to see me laughing at his remark. I just told him “It’s not dirt, eat it!”. He didn’t want to eat anymore after that. If only the green beans wasn’t green but yellow, so it can camouflage itself better with the mac-and-cheese! If only green beans can take the taste of mac-and-cheese, maybe that would have worked!
5 Responses to “Troubles with Feeding a Toddler”
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Ate Cha, soon it will be my turn to write something about our kid… Hes turning 2 months in this Jan 29, and hes turned into a crybaby…
Oh well, like they said… Patience is a virtue
Take care
- Shamir January 25, 2010 at 8:41 amthat’s right sham, they do tend to test your patience. sigh!
- Charlotte January 25, 2010 at 9:19 amI know you can still be more creative with feeding him fruits and veggies. You will soon find a way to have him eat those.
- rose January 25, 2010 at 11:26 pmWhen did you start feeding him fruits/veggies? A bit of a moot question really considering we can’t turn back the time but it can be traced to that. Children are very smart, they know their taste buds well so it’s hard to trick them now if the foods we shove into their mouths are alien to them.
Ok now, so it’s not yet late, you can apply this rule for your next babe!
I started feeding fruits/veggies to Pristine since she was about 6-7 months old. I bought a food processor/mill mixer/blender to cut up the food into small pieces enough for her to eat and digest properly. I introduced one new fruit/veggie per week until she knows all the tastes. You can flavor it later but start with the natural flavors (no adding anything). She loved grated carrots, apples, pears, even kiwi(!), squash and all beans incl mongo!
For a toddler like Matthew, you can be creative with food, make stews, curry or white sauce with the veggies.
One more thing, are you eating together during the same time, on the same table? Children look up to the parents as examples. If they see mom and dad eating greens and fruits, then somehow they manage to follow suit (based on my experience).
Another rule in our house is that, we remind our kid that the house isn’t a restaurant. We eat what’s on the table and not order something to her fancy when she doesn’t like the food – the food is prepared with love by mommy and everyone should eat it. A bit frank but hey, it works. I just have to explain it once gently and lovingly. Thankfully, she eats everything – except cakes and cookies, macaroni, pasta, pizza! (we have the opposite problem!) If we eat out, an Italian resto is a bit of a problem. LOL!
It’s not too late yet, you can change things around to Matthew eating healthier options. Good luck with that.
Sorry for the long comment!!
- Grace @ Sandier Pastures January 26, 2010 at 12:44 amhahaha! this is so funny. i guess peanut outsmarts you sis!
- ading January 26, 2010 at 11:10 am