Eating Disorder? Or just stubbornness?

[Skysue]

I think that if we make eating to become emotional than these kids tend to get stressed out and just plain won't eat. If it were my daycare I wouldn't offer fruitloops. Offer the child only healthy options and have a reward if they eat all there lunch.

My daycare kids get to have a glass of chocolate milk ( babies and toddlers excluded) at quiet time if they eat all of there lunch. My extremely stubborn eater looks forward to this treat but knows she must eat all of her lunch. I don't compromise this with any of my kids. A few have gone without but it was there choice and It gives them a sense of control.

I don't get emotional if my picky eater takes one bite of her food its her choice. I also have narrowed it down to 5 things she will eat for lunch and yes I make her a separate lunch from the rest of the group but 99% of the time if she picks it she will eat it. All choices are healthy, I know some of you would never do this but for me I have realised that if I try and force her she just gets so upset and shuts down.

This gives her since of control but with healthy options. She's usually the 1st to ask when do we get to have some chocolate milk.

P.S Before some of you cringe we don't eat sweets except for on chocolate chip cookie Friday. I love giving my kids something to look forward to at the end of the week.