Home

Need some advice with picky kids

Posted By: Wolfdog91

Need some advice with picky kids - 02/19/24 04:08 PM

Ok how do y'all deal with kids that are picky ? Now usually I'm of the deal , your gonna get hungry eventually and just eat whatever.. and no I'm not trying to make them eat sardines and ramen or something kinda gross.. Well heres the deal. My little nephew doesn't seem to get hungry. I've seen this kid go a day or two and not eat if there was something he didn't want.....which usually means poptarts or McDonald's tired plenty of food in the house just decided he's not going to eat whatever and it's just like a whatever deal for him. Actually think he's on some medication to help with his appetite. He's also a bit of a drama queen and will act like your trying to make him eat a bug or something if you ask him to try something new so crazy kid is 9 and in the boy scouts so he's been trying to hang out with me more and more when I'm home ( was the cool uncle the other weekend and took him fishing for his second time ever. Let him pick out his own rod at Walmart and took him to some of my lil secret spots and had hike tearing up the bream. Apparently he's been talking about it ever since) but I just dont have too much of a tolerance for his pickiness especially at his age. Id love to let him be my shadow but don't want him fainting after a lil woods walk or fence building because he refuses to eat.
So ,advice ?
Posted By: Providence Farm

Re: Need some advice with picky kids - 02/19/24 04:13 PM

It's simple. Eat whan it's time and what we are having or stay home and don't get to do the fun stuff. And no complaints. Time for him to man up. I'm guessing no dad in the home and mommy spoils him?
Posted By: Sharon

Re: Need some advice with picky kids - 02/19/24 04:21 PM

Don't you know what the old southerners always say ?

Eat what's on your plate or go hungry.

Not even animals will play drama queen when they are hungry.

The less you pay worried attention to him, the quicker he will learn to grow up and stop that spoiled child stuff.
Posted By: Wolfdog91

Re: Need some advice with picky kids - 02/19/24 04:33 PM

Originally Posted by Providence Farm
It's simple. Eat whan it's time and what we are having or stay home and don't get to do the fun stuff. And no complaints. Time for him to man up. I'm guessing no dad in the home and mommy spoils him?

Dad is honestly a great guy, just works two jobs and is barely home. Mom, lotta helicoptering won't let the boy be a boy. And. O before someone starts it's not lgbt super liber crap but, Like they have a half acre fenced in back yard and thinks she has to be out there swathing him like a hawk so alot of times their cooped inside . Scared to let him get hurt....
Posted By: Wolfdog91

Re: Need some advice with picky kids - 02/19/24 04:36 PM

Originally Posted by Sharon
Don't you know what the old southerners always say ?

Eat what's on your plate or go hungry.

Not even animals will play drama queen when they are hungry.

The less you pay worried attention to him, the quicker he will learn to grow up and stop that spoiled child stuff.



Like I said the kid doesn't seem to get hungry, legit worried about him just pass out or something. Think he's 75lbs soaking wet . Would prefer not to go in depth but apparently he's gone a while without eathing and just seemed like he was in fazed so the usual tactics of just waiting till he's hungry...doesn't work
Posted By: OhioBoy

Re: Need some advice with picky kids - 02/19/24 04:36 PM

Sounds like you need a campfire when your fishing and start eating some fish. Play into what he's excited about somehow maybe?

If someone like that would let you blindfold them and then give them things to taste that may help.

Sunday school once they had us try guacamole and everyone like it but the lesson was not to judge something by the way it looks. If you do something like that maybe make it sweet or something. Make sure its yummy.
Posted By: danny clifton

Re: Need some advice with picky kids - 02/19/24 04:36 PM

Quote
Mom, lotta helicoptering


you cant fix that
Posted By: Donnersurvivor

Re: Need some advice with picky kids - 02/19/24 04:36 PM

Have you tried to let him help cook? Cook a simple meal with him, mac n cheese, hotdogs over a campfire, whatever. See if he cooks if he'll eat.
Posted By: OhioBoy

Re: Need some advice with picky kids - 02/19/24 04:38 PM

If you can't wait until he gets hungry to eat maybe you should wait until he's done eating before you go fishing. Change up the equation.



Originally Posted by Wolfdog91
Originally Posted by Sharon
Don't you know what the old southerners always say ?

Eat what's on your plate or go hungry.

Not even animals will play drama queen when they are hungry.

The less you pay worried attention to him, the quicker he will learn to grow up and stop that spoiled child stuff.



Like I said the kid doesn't seem to get hungry, legit worried about him just pass out or something. Think he's 75lbs soaking wet . Would prefer not to go in depth but apparently he's gone a while without eathing and just seemed like he was in fazed so the usual tactics of just waiting till he's hungry...doesn't work
Posted By: danvee

Re: Need some advice with picky kids - 02/19/24 04:42 PM

I had a dog years back all he ate was lettuce one day a neighbor of mine saw my dog feasting on a big bowl of lettuce. My neighbor stated his dogs would never eat lettuce. I replied back, mine didnt eat if for the first 30 days. He wont starve to death just make good food available, he will eat it.
Posted By: ~ADC~

Re: Need some advice with picky kids - 02/19/24 04:43 PM

Originally Posted by Donnersurvivor
Have you tried to let him help cook? Cook a simple meal with him, mac n cheese, hotdogs over a campfire, whatever. See if he cooks if he'll eat.


Good idea. Leave the sardines out of the ramen, he'd probably eat that too. Let him help cook them bluegills too. Fillet them and call them nuggets.
Posted By: Sharon

Re: Need some advice with picky kids - 02/19/24 04:46 PM

Good ideas here.

Well, if it may help your worries, ask if he gets dizzy, ever. He should tell you if he does.

If he wouldn't mind you taking his BP with a machine band, that reading could help you see how low the numbers might be. If they are too low for him, you can then monitor him with those readings on occasion.

If he is used to being coddled , your good concerns could well just "feed into" his trend for getting attention.

See if there's anything he really likes. And goes for to eat if it is available. You could run an experiment on how much and often he eats when his favorites are presented.

But don't let him see that you are wanting to find that out. If he is just enjoying the coddling attention, he will play you.
Posted By: Wanna Be

Re: Need some advice with picky kids - 02/19/24 04:47 PM

Not your kids so nothing will work. Let parents parent him.

My kids learned early, don’t eat and you go hungry.
Posted By: Dillrod

Re: Need some advice with picky kids - 02/19/24 04:48 PM

Just keep restricting or eliminating his options.
At 9 yrs old maybe it's time to let him make decisions and experience results.
If you are friends enough, you can set down with him and explain his company is very much desired.
End with the importance of healthy food being a very important part of it.
#1 Being able to enjoy the never ending adventures outdoors
#2 How it's really restricting the level of adventures because of poor eating habits.

He's 9 yrs old and capable of understanding if you can communicate it too him.
If you are Text buddies, offer him some learning links at his level of comprehension.

Just remember the best memories in life are usually not the easiest tasks given.
Posted By: WI Farmer

Re: Need some advice with picky kids - 02/19/24 04:49 PM

I agree with OhioBoy. Change it up. Be honest with him and say you’ll go fishing or whatever else you may be doing after he eats so he won’t be fainting on you or getting sick feeling from not eating.
Posted By: The Beav

Re: Need some advice with picky kids - 02/19/24 04:52 PM

Too many cooks In the kitchen isn't going to help this kid. He will most likley grow out of It.
Posted By: imiller

Re: Need some advice with picky kids - 02/19/24 05:24 PM

my opinion... most parents now give their kids too many options. see it alot in our friends and their kids.
on the other hand i have no children so who am i to judge i guess.
Posted By: GREENCOUNTYPETE

Re: Need some advice with picky kids - 02/19/24 05:25 PM

My youngest is a very picky eater

well sort of , doesn't like ground meat , sausage and a little seasoning is too much seasoning.

I buy cheap roasts for nearly the same price as hamburger or toss them a big hunk of whatever downer cow I shot on the cutting board and tell them to make whatever cuts they want from it and package and label them up

they like bread and now make sour dough every other day
they always liked rice and noodles and potatoes

really likes brussels sprouts
and they like chicken.

I used to before they were an adult living at my house make an attempt to make 2-3 meals a week that appealed to them and let them cook stuff for themselves when I was done in the kitchen.
now that they are an adult living in my house I make whatever I feel like for supper and they make what they like.



I would teach the kid to cook a few of the things he likes
I would start with a few ways to fix brim

this is also the kid that is my designated breader for fish , loves fried fish , will cut clean , dredge and bread so I of my middle child can fry. works great for me if they bread , other fries and I can supervise and drink beer.

the adhd meds kill appitite

involve him in the food process the more from start to eating you can the better he is likely to get and if he isn't better at least he can make it himself

pancakes are a great place to start
old bread pancakes are easy and use up something most people have sitting around partial loafs of bread like the heals.






Posted By: Yes sir

Re: Need some advice with picky kids - 02/19/24 05:35 PM

It's a parenting issue not an uncle issue. You ain't going to fix it as an uncle no is it your job.
Posted By: Guss

Re: Need some advice with picky kids - 02/19/24 05:57 PM

Duct tape.
Posted By: rex123

Re: Need some advice with picky kids - 02/19/24 05:59 PM

Fix it say there it is eat or not. If you don't eat we don't go fishing or whatever. He won't pass out or starve to death. Sounds like he is use to having things his way with mom and dad and now it's your turn.
Posted By: FL cracker in AK

Re: Need some advice with picky kids - 02/19/24 06:35 PM

Let him help cook the food. When I babysit my nieces and nephews, and especially for my own kids, they love being invited to help cook (I make it fun.), and by cooking they not only have ownership of what we're having, the smelling the whole time it's cooking, it wakes up their stomachs and makes them ravenous, has worked on picky eaters in the past. Has also introduced a lot of kids to the magic of cooking. I'm a breakfast or grilling guy when I cook.
Posted By: salemtrapper

Re: Need some advice with picky kids - 02/19/24 06:51 PM

My son takes medicine that kills his appetite, you flow with the punches with him.. some days he eats some days he doesn't.. if this is the case he will eat when he gets hungry, and fainting shouldn't be a problem unless he has sugar issues I would think... Cameron, if he does work or uses a ton of energy he wants to eat. Maybe this is a problem mom and dad doesn't make him work up an appetite. Maybe uncle wolfy can change his habits.
Posted By: Ohio Wolverine

Re: Need some advice with picky kids - 02/19/24 06:59 PM

What I did with my youngest daughter, was if she didn't like something , I wouldn't offer it to her again.
I would make meals like usual, and she took what she wanted.
I would eat everything, and one day she was watching me eat broccoli and cauliflower , didn't offer her any.
She watched me eating it, and said that looks like little trees ( broccoli ) and asked if she could try it.
She eats almost everything I eat any more.
I didn't force her to eat anything, I would just eat and let her make up her own mind.
If you try to make them eat something , they will resist you .
Let them decide for themselves , or go without. I never made her try anything , just let her curiosity get the best of her.
Posted By: jbyrd63

Re: Need some advice with picky kids - 02/19/24 07:01 PM

He will eat. Let him be picky . Most kids go thru that.
Posted By: salemtrapper

Re: Need some advice with picky kids - 02/19/24 07:06 PM

Our kids also, if they don't like what we make they make their own.. but they also have to clean it up. So most of the time they don't want to clean an extra mess on top of thier usually chores.
Posted By: west river rogue

Re: Need some advice with picky kids - 02/19/24 07:12 PM

If he is hungry he will eat. Kids go thru phases growing. Sometimes they eat alot sometimes almost nothing. It is what it is.
Posted By: Law Dog

Re: Need some advice with picky kids - 02/19/24 07:33 PM

A 5 year old can run a household just to do it. I see a lot of modern parents dancing to the child’s tunes.
Posted By: Carolina Foxer

Re: Need some advice with picky kids - 02/19/24 07:36 PM

Sometimes its more about having control over something where they get a say or a choice (whether or not they eat, what they eat, what they want to wear for clothes, etc.). One approach is to let him make some choices: give him 3 options for dinner (all of which you are fine with), and let him choose which one he wants. If he says no to all, say ok, provide a plate with whatever meal is decided on, and if he chooses not to eat so be it. Also, having him help get involved in preparing it and cooking it could be helpful. And then you praise the heck out of him for how good it tastes. That positive reaction can help get him more interested.

But yeah, generally, they all go through ups and downs of what they will or wont eat, and I wouldnt sweat it too much.
Posted By: Scott__aR

Re: Need some advice with picky kids - 02/19/24 07:39 PM

Can't help you much, my kids pretty much ate everything; but, ketchup was the fifth food group.
Posted By: Yellowbelly

Re: Need some advice with picky kids - 02/19/24 09:24 PM

With my boys I do a few things. Number one anything outdoors fishing trapping etc is earned with them having to be responsible that includes eating what momma cooks. One other trick I've learned is teach them to cook and ask them what they want to cook with you. It seemed to help my younger one.
Posted By: yotetrapper30

Re: Need some advice with picky kids - 02/19/24 09:31 PM

Originally Posted by Yes sir
It's a parenting issue not an uncle issue. You ain't going to fix it as an uncle no is it your job.


I agree with this. It's the parents job to correct his eating habits. As long as his parents don't object, just swing by Micky Ds on the way to your outdoor adventures and get him his Nugs. Problem solved.
Posted By: Cragar

Re: Need some advice with picky kids - 02/19/24 09:38 PM

Could be a blessing in disguise to be trim at that age. I was , weighed about the same , was picky over what I ate.

I have maintained a trim & lean body ( but not underweight ) my whole life. Ate like a horse in my 20's and 30's

I've made many a overweight person mad/ jealous unintentionally.

Staying underweight is a problem many wish they had. Being overweight and trying to lose is much harder.
Posted By: GREENCOUNTYPETE

Re: Need some advice with picky kids - 02/19/24 09:43 PM

baked mac and cheese is was always a favorite with my kids , still is

1 box med shells
1 stick butter
6 cups whole milk
2# shredded cheese med or sharp cheddar is good , you can to mild to wild on this
salt & pepper

pre-heat the oven to 350
in a big skillet I use an 14SK toss in the stick of butter turn on the burner heat to low let the butter melt turn off heat as soon as melted.
toss in the box of shells stir the shells around in the butter a bit
add 6 cups milk , stir the pasta around do it is covering the bottom of the pan evenly.
shred and add a pound of the cheese
salt , pepper OR season with Tony Chachere's (to taste)

bake in the oven uncovered for 25 minutes
stir it up , then add the second pound of shredded cheese
check it again in about 15 more minutes it might take 20 or a touch more depends on the oven when the cheese is browning your done.
Posted By: 330-Trapper

Re: Need some advice with picky kids - 02/19/24 09:45 PM

Meat
potatoes
vegies

one portion each of what's cooked

he wants to come over ...that's the Rules

or No Adventures
Posted By: Providence Farm

Re: Need some advice with picky kids - 02/19/24 09:46 PM

As stated ADHD meds can affect hunger.

My mom was a single mom. We lived in a bad area I couldn't go outside unless she was home and was a.picky eater . What cured it? A new baby sitter that we called.Sargent Peterson. " At my house I do the cooking and you eat what we eat or you starve. Let's say I had never been talked to like that and never said another word about food and are what was on my plate.

Mom is the problem, and the ADHD drugs don't help. My kids eat what's giving to them for some reason and we don't drug our kids..heck even my cats eat broccoli.

Make it know if he wants to hang out with you he eats what you eat when you eat period or doesn't go. He will eat what's offered and save the picky for momma. Don't cater to him he will be better for it.
Posted By: houndone

Re: Need some advice with picky kids - 02/19/24 10:33 PM

Different but along the same lines.my son was extremely picky at a young age.try to get him to eat different meats,potatoes,vegetables,fruits.would rather go to bed,get punished then eat.took him to the doctor numerous times couldn't find anything wrong with him.try to force him to eat hamburger pork chicken,fish we would literally throw up.he loved bologna sandwiches for about 5 years and finally got sick of them.he switche'd to eating French fries.he would eat your typical junk food.lunch and dinner/supper was ff and about a half gallon of milk at each meal.he loved the smell of me grilling out and in fact would cook his ff on the grill after I got done grilling.i wanted my kids to at least try it once and if they didn't like it I would not force them to eat it.everybody has different tastes
Posted By: KeithC

Re: Need some advice with picky kids - 02/19/24 10:46 PM

Originally Posted by OhioBoy
Sounds like you need a campfire when your fishing and start eating some fish. Play into what he's excited about somehow maybe?

If someone like that would let you blindfold them and then give them things to taste that may help.

Sunday school once they had us try guacamole and everyone like it but the lesson was not to judge something by the way it looks. If you do something like that maybe make it sweet or something. Make sure its yummy.


I think the cooking over a campfire is a fantastic idea.

Keith
Posted By: trappingthomas

Re: Need some advice with picky kids - 02/19/24 11:10 PM

Wife is picky but my youngest was the toughest. Does not like mashed tators, roast, most pasta, hash browns, etc.. But she always wanted to do what I was doing. trapping, fishing, working in yard etc.. She started watching what I ate. Next thing you know she is asking for pulled pork, bbq ribs, cheese burgers, etc. As she got older she ate less and less of the things I liked (she never really liked them just copying me) but started eating the other foods she would not before.

That said you can't fix the young lad if mom is overprotective and gives in all the time. Period!
Posted By: trappingthomas

Re: Need some advice with picky kids - 02/19/24 11:12 PM

Originally Posted by KeithC
Originally Posted by OhioBoy
Sounds like you need a campfire when your fishing and start eating some fish. Play into what he's excited about somehow maybe?

If someone like that would let you blindfold them and then give them things to taste that may help.

Sunday school once they had us try guacamole and everyone like it but the lesson was not to judge something by the way it looks. If you do something like that maybe make it sweet or something. Make sure its yummy.


I think the cooking over a campfire is a fantastic idea.

Keith


Agreed but I would not start with fish. Maybe hotdog on stick or a hobo's dinner in the coals. Of course smores!
Posted By: 52Carl

Re: Need some advice with picky kids - 02/20/24 01:03 AM

You are his uncle. Are you the "cool uncle" in his eyes?
KIds tend to hang on every word of their "Cool Uncle", as opposed to listening to the same old crap from their parents and siblings.
Use that to your advantage. Take him to do cool stuff, then sidle into some of the things which he would be benefitted by if he would take the time to listen and try. You may be the only one who has his ear.
Posted By: Cragar

Re: Need some advice with picky kids - 02/20/24 01:26 AM

Originally Posted by 52Carl
You are his uncle. Are you the "cool uncle" in his eyes?
KIds tend to hang on every word of their "Cool Uncle", as opposed to listening to the same old crap from their parents and siblings.
Use that to your advantage. Take him to do cool stuff, then sidle into some of the things which he would be benefitted by if he would take the time to listen and try. You may be the only one who has his ear.

X2
Posted By: jalstat

Re: Need some advice with picky kids - 02/20/24 01:40 AM

Dad would say four years in the infantry in ww2 and you’ll eat no questions asked
Posted By: Wolfdog91

Re: Need some advice with picky kids - 02/21/24 02:02 AM

Originally Posted by FL cracker in AK
Let him help cook the food. When I babysit my nieces and nephews, and especially for my own kids, they love being invited to help cook (I make it fun.), and by cooking they not only have ownership of what we're having, the smelling the whole time it's cooking, it wakes up their stomachs and makes them ravenous, has worked on picky eaters in the past. Has also introduced a lot of kids to the magic of cooking. I'm a breakfast or grilling guy when I cook.

Id really like to get him to help with cooking. I've tried before but and his momma is so dang over protective. Worried about him cutting himself or if I show him out to cook an egg or something (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman) som how manage to burn the house down. Can't do much around her honestly. Gf was the same till I sat he down and had a really deep talk with how life is as a guy and how he's gonna have a really hard awakening one day if they dont stop babying him. Especially if he goes to public school. But now that j get him away from the house I can actually do something with him. And helping him with boy scouts is a perfect excuse now. Will say though pretty worried he's gonna puke or something when he sees what food looks like before it cooked raw chicken and the like because when she does cook they mom doesn't like them in the kitchen.....mean while my parents had me in there working like a dag slave laugh
Posted By: Wolfdog91

Re: Need some advice with picky kids - 02/21/24 02:06 AM

Originally Posted by 52Carl
You are his uncle. Are you the "cool uncle" in his eyes?
KIds tend to hang on every word of their "Cool Uncle", as opposed to listening to the same old crap from their parents and siblings.
Use that to your advantage. Take him to do cool stuff, then sidle into some of the things which he would be benefitted by if he would take the time to listen and try. You may be the only one who has his ear.


I guess I am . His other uncle is kinda (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman) and looks at kids like a lot of people look at annoying pets. That being said when I'm around apparently he acts a lot different and listens better according to my gf and sister in laws.might just take a few more trips till he starts lookin at me like the cool uncle lol
Posted By: yotetrapper30

Re: Need some advice with picky kids - 02/21/24 06:05 AM

So, if I'm understanding this right, this is a kid of your girlfriends relatives and not your kin?

As I said earlier, I still don't think it's your place to try to fix his eating habits. But if you insist...

I'm a picky eater, always have been and will be. Now, I may not literally starve myself to death but I bet ya I could fast for better than a week before eating most veggies. Because what non-picky eaters don't understand, is it's better to be hungry than eat something that will make you throw up or gag.

But, that's probably not the case with the kid in question, he's probably just spoiled. Nothing wrong with forcing him to try one bite. If the threat of going to bed hungry doesn't do it, the threat of taking away his phone/tv/game/boy scouts/whatever probably will. If he tries a bite of something and pukes or gags, well, duh, don't make him eat that again. If he tries a bite of everything and says he doesn't like any of it, well fine.... he did what you asked. Just thank him for trying and let him be hungry. There are thousands of other foods to let him try the next day.
Posted By: Jingles

Re: Need some advice with picky kids - 02/21/24 02:06 PM

Does he have allerdies?? Had a grand daughter that was a picky eater found out that certain foods made he sick, stomach aches, nausea, headaches . Found out allergic to gluten and dairy products.
Allergies have since " disappeared and now is an eating machine
Posted By: upstateNY

Re: Need some advice with picky kids - 02/21/24 02:14 PM

Originally Posted by Wolfdog91
Originally Posted by FL cracker in AK
Let him help cook the food. When I babysit my nieces and nephews, and especially for my own kids, they love being invited to help cook (I make it fun.), and by cooking they not only have ownership of what we're having, the smelling the whole time it's cooking, it wakes up their stomachs and makes them ravenous, has worked on picky eaters in the past. Has also introduced a lot of kids to the magic of cooking. I'm a breakfast or grilling guy when I cook.

how he's gonna have a really hard awakening one day if they dont stop babying him. Especially if he goes to public school.

What school does he go to now if not public school?
Posted By: 52Carl

Re: Need some advice with picky kids - 02/22/24 03:21 AM

Originally Posted by Wolfdog91
Originally Posted by 52Carl
You are his uncle. Are you the "cool uncle" in his eyes?
KIds tend to hang on every word of their "Cool Uncle", as opposed to listening to the same old crap from their parents and siblings.
Use that to your advantage. Take him to do cool stuff, then sidle into some of the things which he would be benefitted by if he would take the time to listen and try. You may be the only one who has his ear.


I guess I am . His other uncle is kinda (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman) and looks at kids like a lot of people look at annoying pets. That being said when I'm around apparently he acts a lot different and listens better according to my gf and sister in laws.might just take a few more trips till he starts lookin at me like the cool uncle lol

Spending time with him will benefit you as much as it will him. I have done a lot of that in my time. Little league baseball, football, basketball, Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and 4-H Rifle Team.
I always found that I was drawn to kids who didn't excel right out of the gate. I figured that the kids who were natural talents didn't need me all that much.
I never talked down to kids, or show anger or raise my voice. I spoke to them on their level. I pulled them along rather than push them. That tends to lead to a buy-in on their part. After a while they would hang on my every word, just like how a kid does with his favorite uncle. I gave everyone a nickname. Put some thought into each one of them. They ate it up.
There is nothing that I find more rewarding than to see a kid finally get it. I'll never forget the smiles on their faces and neither will they.
Many of the kids are from broken homes or their dads are away from home in the service, and their moms want them to have a male role model in the kids life. These kids, though problematic at times, are starving for someone to work with them and be praised when they do something praiseworthy. I miss those days.
© 2024 Trapperman Forums