Cherrio Diet

[5 Little Monkeys]

I would also suggest putting a few cheerios with the food you serve. I would start by putting them on top for a few days, then mixing them into the food so he has to "work" for them. This would also make them more covered with food and hopefully he gets a bit more into him other than just cheerios.

I wouldn't be worried about the other kids not getting cheerios but if your kids make a big deal out of it, do as playfelt suggested and give them a few. I am lucky that my dck's don't care (or maybe they don't even realize lol) that a couple of the others get different food. Sometimes they ask if they notice but I just tell them that "that's xxx's food and this is yours" and they don't complain about it.

[mickyc]

I agree. put them on top, start mixing them in but start cutting down on how much he gets. I would talk to mom and say although you understand the family has been through a lot you will be working towards feeding the child the same as the others and nothing else offered. My contract states that if the children don't eat what is being served that nothing else is offered and the child goes hungry. Right now I have an 11month old and mom is sending food but I have already started giving him the same as the other kids. In about a month I expect that he should be able to eat bite sized pieces of what I cook and not puree like is being sent.

[playfelt]

The babies in highchairs often get special foods including cheerios and crackers the big kids sitting at the table don't get because they are old enough to bite and chew. They have their own treats at times the baby doesn't get. So for me at 13 months would be in a highchair so need to share wouldn't apply.

Also if you are putting them onto food the others won't even notice unless they see the box so keep some in a non-see through container for baby use.

[Crayola kiddies]

I would not give him cheerios ...he already knows at 13 months that if he screams loud enough and long enough he will get cheerios ... no cheerios !!!!! put pasta on his tray and some fruit and if he throws it pick it up and say no throwing and keep doing that .....he will eventually eat ...but he is new there it is only his first week or so...... so let him adjust....I had one start in nov and he wouldn't eat or drink for me either ...as soon as mom walked in at the end of the day he grabbed a handful of food and popped it in his mouth and grabbed his cup and drank ....so I knew he was hungry and thirsty but he was out of sorts ....now he eats like a champ ...just give him time not cherrios !!!!!

[5 Little Monkeys]

How long has he been on the cheerio diet? I know some kids go through food phases where they only want one or two things and it eventually passes. To be honest, I even go through food phases!! lol

(thank goodness I haven't come across a child like that....yet!! haha)

[ttremble88]

So I did a little experiment with him this afternoon. After not touching his lunch and downing Cheerios, the kids had asked for the left over Valentines Day cookies that we had baked with snack. I put one on his high chair, and he devoured it. Which leads me to believe it is not that he is uncomfortable, he is just playing me and being stubborn. So I chatted with his mother tonight at pick up and she says that he eats fine at home and a variety of food. But in most cases, fruit are pureed. I asked her to give me an idea of something that he loves and she said sandwiches, apple sauce and cheese. So tomorrow, this is exactly what I am giving him. NO cheerios. He is either going to eat or not. But that is completely up to him.

[mickyc]

Good for you! He might go hungry for a few days but he will eat....eventually!!

[Rachael]

I don't cave into trantrums about food or anything else.

At interview I am really clear that I provide one meal without options and if a child decides not to eat it, then they will be extra hungry when the next meal time rolls around. I will neither force fed a child to get them to try something nor will I pander to picky eaters. This is the meal, take it or leave it.

If a child screamed for 10 mins about a meal I had provided, then the meal would be removed but I wouldn't give them the food items I know they wanted in exchange. I get it's really hard and disruptive but IMO, giving in just reinforces the behaviour.

Depending on age, I do have a two mouthfuls rule. If someone thinks they don't like something, they have to try two mouthfuls and if they still don't like it, fair enough. Again, they won't be offered an alternative since all of my meals have at least two items for a snack and three for a meal. They can eat the other things on their plates.

All that said, if a child really has a dislike of one item and it's out of character, I'll bear that in mind with future meal planning. I had one little boy who really didn't like peas. He'd eat any other vegetable but he truly disliked peas. For me, it's no big deal to plan to serve a different veg in that situation.

I would just offer a small portion of the real lunch. If he doesn't eat it, so be it. Sooner or later, with a busy environment, he's going to get hungry. It might be a heck of a rough ride for a few days since he's used to increasing the tantrum until he wins, so be prepared for an all out revolt on his part since that's worked to date and likely will continue to work at home.

I would also take the go-to Cheerios off the menu completely for the time being. If they remain, even as part of the routine go-to snacks, he'll realize that the next meal might just be the one he's hoping for and hold on for that.

Good luck. It's going to be a nightmare to break but will only get harder the longer it goes on so sooner or later, someone's going to have to deal with it head on.