Lately my 3y/o never wants dinner, she eats great all day but come dinner she doesn’t want, HELP!!!
I’m stuck between do I make her eat her dinner or do I give a yogurt or fruit or cereal instead? I’m tired of fighting with her.
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I make sure dinner always includes something my three year old likes. If she tries to leave the table without eating much, I repeat all the options and ask her to think about whether her "tummy is full" because we're not eating again until breakfast. If she's hungry later, I'll pull out leftovers or a sandwich, but remind her that's why we eat at dinner.
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So you give her alternative of food to eat if she doesn’t want her dinner..
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I don't offer alternatives during dinner. If my daughter wants more food later, its pretty much what we had at dinner unless there aren't leftovers. Every kid is different though. Mine is usually a big eater, so if she decides to be picky one night, I know she'll make it up later. Our problem is more that she figured out she can stall bedtime by saying that she's still hungry, which is why we make a big deal about eating at dinner.
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Kid go through phases with food and growth. If she is eating enough calories and a balanced diet through out the day let her eat the amount of dinner she wants and don't force it. Serve her smaller portions to manage both of your expectations. Encourage her to listen to her body and and decide when her tummy is full. If she wants a snack after dinner offer leftover dinner until bedtime or another healthy filling food. If her bathroom schedule lines up with dinner time or bedtime it could be the reason. She may not feel like eating until she empties her tummy.
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Is she eating a snack too late where she's not hungry at dinner? I kind of followed the if they are hungry, they'll eat. If they didn't eat dinner, there's nothing else. If they say they are hungry, they get what was for dinner. I always try to have something that I know they'll like though so they'll eat a bit. My kids are older now though and they are just picky so it's what's for dinner or nada!
