Eating My Words

When I was a small child I never ate. This isn't just according to my parents; I distinctly remember never being hungry and the nightly battles that this would cause around the family dinner table. I always thought to myself that when I had children, I would never pressure them to eat because I would understand what they were feeling. Today, I eat my words.

Simon used to be the best eater as a baby. Up until he was about 20 months old, he'd eat anything I stuck in his mouth and large quantities of it as well. I was firm about keeping his diet healthy and varied and didn't shy away from strong flavours (like garlic, curry etc) or things that we don't normally eat (lamb, pork, etc.). I was of the opinion that if you expose them to as much as possible (avoiding allergens) within the first year or two, then they wouldn’t be picky, finicky eaters. Today, I eat my words.

My son hardly eats and it drives me absolutely insane. Maybe because I remember how this used to be a non-issue in our lives so I keep trying to figure out what went wrong. His favorite foods are Kraft Dinner and hot dogs, bread, pasta or crackers. From eating chicken with artichokes, curried eggplant and lamb stews to this crap.

Yes, he’ll eat some vegetables and meat etc, I don’t think he’s picky as much as he just doesn’t want to eat. Now, this wouldn’t bother me if he was a solid, good-sized kid. He’s visibly the smallest kid in his daycare class, his old daycare was very concerned with how thin he was AND his paediatrician was even concerned during his last check up. He’d actually lost a bit of weight between his 18 mos and 2 year appointments. He’s grown height-wise and is on target in that respect although he still looks shorter than his classmates to me. We’ve tried some tricks his Dr. gave us (add cream to his milk, give him Paediasure etc.) and hopefully they’ve worked some. She said it’s normal for children too not gain weight as quickly after the age of two and to show changes in eating habits. She just wants to make sure he doesn’t keep losing weight so we’re supposed to go back and have him weighed again. Easier said than done when I’ve already used upmy time off for my own medical leave and Rich gets docked for every sixteenth of a second that he’s not at work.

Last night we had to play party games to get him to eat his dinner. We bribed him with Teddy Grahams. One bite of chicken earned him one Teddy Graham. It worked for six bites and then he shut down. I managed to fork the rest of it in him while he sat, mouth gaping, in front of a cartoon later that evening.

The thought of having to turn every meal into either an all out brawl or a party trick with bribes and balloons exhausts me.

I used to say that “children will not starve themselves”. Sure, he’ll eat half a box of crackers to keep from starving himself but what is that doing for his nutrition? I’m eating these words today too. At least one of us is eating something I suppose.