Fussy kid

[Jasmyne]

I've got a child that refuses to eat almost all meat (processed meats are the exception), potatoes, and pasta. He's 8.

Said child will also eat more vegetables in a sitting than most children will in a week.

"Real" meat can be coaxed into him periodically, but it's rare. He'll eat cheese, peanut butter, but not eggs (you have to hide them in food, like in pancakes). Anything involving a sauce or a gravy on his plate will make him shudder involuntarily.

The doctor says the kid is among the healthiest he's seen, but my family is on my back about catering to the boy.

If he's healthy, and he's not eating junk, why does it matter if he won't sit down to an old-fashioned meat-and-potato dinner?

Am I out of line, or does my family need to back off?

 

[natural1]

As long as he is getting protein I see no problem with it. He sounds like a vegetarian. The doctor thinks he is fine. I would go by the doctors word not your family. Who knows their child better than mom, dad, and the doctor.

 

[Jasmyne]

You're right, the child lives as a lacto-ovo vegetarian (meaning egg and dairy are included in the diet). There's texture sensitivities too: oatmeal will make him gag, so will cream of wheat.

I have a hard time NOT catering to him when all he wants for dinner is a big bowl of steamed cauliflower and broccoli, a few slices of cheddar cheese, and a slice of buttered bread. It's hit all four food groups, and it's a lot healthier than some of the stuff I eat on a daily basis.

The up-side is that I can take the boy to any restaurant and cut him loose on the salad bar: he'll be back and forth a few times before he's done.

 

[boobah]

I have an 8 year old who is a vegetarian. We noticed she was not eating her meat and we kept trying to get her too. Eventually she told us that she wanted to be a vegetarian, she was afraid to tell us. Now we know why she won't eat meat so we find other ways to help her get enough protein.

 

[wanderingherb]

If he's healthy, and he's not eating junk, why does it matter if he won't sit down to an old-fashioned meat-and-potato dinner?

Am I out of line, or does my family need to back off?

You are right. Let me tell you about my daughter. She was this same exact way. She always complained red meat hurt her stomach. We never forced her. Years later, we find...her system is sensitive. In fact she had an allergy to some red meats. Also, we get a lot of fresh shrimp. She was the one in the family that would not eat it. Her husband took her to dinner about 6 months ago and she had shrimp. She ended up in the hospital. She's allergic to shrimp. I had no idea. We always wondered, but we never forced the issue as the doctors said she was doing fine. She now is a vegetarian yet she does eat fish and chicken occasionally. But for the most part she's vegetarian. It works for her.

So you are not necessarily out of line! Yet, to some, you may be. If this behavior is caused other than "food" then its different. You are the mom and you have to do what you feel is right. Just keep an eye on health through your practitioner.

Wanderingherb