Child starving herself

[ebhappydc]

Lol that's because they aren't living on air- they are living on grilled cheese or peanut butter sandwiches at home! Lol.

I had one older sibling tell me her mom didn't like when I fed the kids peppers or tomatoes. I said oh? Why is that? She said it's because his diapers get so stinky. This is the boy who only eats peanut butter sandwiches at home. Oh well I said. Good grief.

Wow. Not eating veggies to ward off stinky diapers!

I don't get how a lot of kids who grow up on hotdogs and KD, as did the kids in my neighbourhood (not mine - just occasionally), are functioning fine? How does that not affect them - they all look okay to me. But I wonder how they'll be when they're older and their body's building blocks were basically fillers and sodium... I guess the vitamins they add to processed food somehow helps.

[5 Little Monkeys]

Lol, that's funny because I will sometimes ask what they had for breakfast because their child's morning poop was stinky!!! I had an African American family whose child also always had smelly ones....I never did find out what caused it. If I remember right, mom said they ate a lot of curry dishes.

There was a family from India in the last centre I was at and he always smelled so spicy!! It was horrible haha....but I'd never expect them to change their eating habits because of that lol

[Fun&care]

Lol, that's funny because I will sometimes ask what they had for breakfast because their child's morning poop was stinky!!! I had an African American family whose child also always had smelly ones....I never did find out what caused it. If I remember right, mom said they ate a lot of curry dishes.

There was a family from India in the last centre I was at and he always smelled so spicy!! It was horrible haha....but I'd never expect them to change their eating habits because of that lol

Lol I lived in a very multicultural neighborhood a few years back and some cultures defitnetely have distinct "scents"! I think they cook with a lot more spices than we do.

The DCG in my original post, on top of eating processed food, has always been a really big "milk girl"...she drinks a LOT of it from what I can tell. In fact, she used to drink so much of it as a toddler that her poops were always very whitish (gross I know). I always attributed it to the overconsumption of milk not that I could prove that for sure! I think she has learned to fill up on milk and then only eat a few select foods.

[kindertime]

The DCG in my original post, on top of eating processed food, has always been a really big "milk girl"...she drinks a LOT of it from what I can tell.

I apologize in advance this is so long...

Well, yes, I think that would be a clue too. Milk has calories and can be quite filling. I am a big believer in milk for everybody, but I think by the age of two keeping in line with the food guidelines (2 cups/day) is best. That includes the milk in the cereal too. I limit milk when we are eating, they can have more if they clean the plate. But they only get 1/4 to 1/2 cup at each sitting, that's 3x per day because I figure they will be getting some at home too.

Slightly off topic, but it seemed to me from the OP that the dcps might feel they are "winning" too. There will always be people who are in competition with you. You might not even know it, either. But if you are good at something, someone, somewhere will be jealous. If you are good at getting dcks to eat veggies, for example, and the dcps aren't, they may feel they are "losing" to you. So to compensate, they stuff her full of 'fun food." You also don't know what they are saying at home. "Oh, you don't like fun&care's lunches? Well you don't have to eat them."

Slightly more off topic, I have been surprised a couple of times over the years when parents are surprised that I care about their kids. Me, "I will miss him when he leaves for school." DCM, "Really?!?" Well, yah! That's why I do this. That's why I spend a lot of "off" time cooking healthy meals, why I don't use a lot of chemicals in my home, why I live this job every day.

Fun&Care, I believe you wrote the OP because you really do care and it's hard when the parents won't help with that. So, then there's nothing you can do about them. All you need to worry about is you.

Have you tried the opposite of ignoring the problem? And by that I mean focus on food? Talk about it all the time, read books about nutrition, look at grocery flyers, plan the menu with the kids, get them to help choose and prepare foods. In other words, make everything you do about understanding healthy food. You could have vegetable day, or fruit day. Buy 1 of each of 10 fruits or veg and they each get to try a small piece. Make a chart of who likes what and who doesn't. The don'ts get a marker X and the likes get a sticker. I'm sure the Health Canada food guide site will have some resourses that might help too. Do they have printable coloring pages?

I think I would try to get her 'into' food, first before giving up. And BTW, I hated vegetables when I was a kid but now I love them. So there is always hope!

[Fun&care]

I apologize in advance this is so long...

Well, yes, I think that would be a clue too. Milk has calories and can be quite filling. I am a big believer in milk for everybody, but I think by the age of two keeping in line with the food guidelines (2 cups/day) is best. That includes the milk in the cereal too. I limit milk when we are eating, they can have more if they clean the plate. But they only get 1/4 to 1/2 cup at each sitting, that's 3x per day because I figure they will be getting some at home too.

Slightly off topic, but it seemed to me from the OP that the dcps might feel they are "winning" too. There will always be people who are in competition with you. You might not even know it, either. But if you are good at something, someone, somewhere will be jealous. If you are good at getting dcks to eat veggies, for example, and the dcps aren't, they may feel they are "losing" to you. So to compensate, they stuff her full of 'fun food." You also don't know what they are saying at home. "Oh, you don't like fun&care's lunches? Well you don't have to eat them."

Slightly more off topic, I have been surprised a couple of times over the years when parents are surprised that I care about their kids. Me, "I will miss him when he leaves for school." DCM, "Really?!?" Well, yah! That's why I do this. That's why I spend a lot of "off" time cooking healthy meals, why I don't use a lot of chemicals in my home, why I live this job every day.

Fun&Care, I believe you wrote the OP because you really do care and it's hard when the parents won't help with that. So, then there's nothing you can do about them. All you need to worry about is you.

Have you tried the opposite of ignoring the problem? And by that I mean focus on food? Talk about it all the time, read books about nutrition, look at grocery flyers, plan the menu with the kids, get them to help choose and prepare foods. In other words, make everything you do about understanding healthy food. You could have vegetable day, or fruit day. Buy 1 of each of 10 fruits or veg and they each get to try a small piece. Make a chart of who likes what and who doesn't. The don'ts get a marker X and the likes get a sticker. I'm sure the Health Canada food guide site will have some resourses that might help too. Do they have printable coloring pages?

I think I would try to get her 'into' food, first before giving up. And BTW, I hated vegetables when I was a kid but now I love them. So there is always hope!

I am the opposite on the milk issue, because of my own personal experiences with it. As a teenager I had bad acne and one day a naturotherapist told me I should stay off dairy and sugar and sure enough, acne vanished. Fast forward to me having my first child. He developed baby acne at the age of one month. He was exclusively breastfed, when I quit dairy...bam acne gone.

I know I am going off topic a bit but just wanted to explain that I don't share the same feelings on the milk issue and in fact, I've noticed that the kids I've had who drink less or no milk are less picky than the ones who drink moderate to excessive amounts. I can remember as a 12 month old, parents would send two 8oz bottles for her to have at daycare, she had one before coming and at least one after and would wake up at night so they would give her another. That's excessive to me, tried suggesting to cut back but they wouldn't budge. I know that has played a huge part in her becoming so picky.

Thanks for the other suggestions. I might give them a try. I always emphasize the importance of eating our veggies because they make us grow big and strong etc and try and drill it into their heads lol.

[kindertime]

I completely understand on the milk issue. I grew up on a dairy farm. Drank milk straight from the cows, (well not really, but close.) I still drink it everyday. But...when it comes to intolerance, I treat it like anything else. If your body can't handle it, then no, we'll do an alternative. I've had kids here who get constipated on Homo milk. The doctor says no, that's not the cause, but...give them 2% and they're fine. So, why argue with sucess. As far as this DCG is concerned, she's getting way more than she needs and so of course it's filling her up. Good luck!

[Dreamalittledream]

Now if only I could get past the kid holding food in his mouth!!!

. Oh Imso feel your pain on this! I have one too (my first!). I've had her for 2 years and she stopped recently for about 3 months and now has gone back to it! I am soo soo sick of sweeping the food from her mouth before every single nap...eww. I've tried reward, tiny portions and now just don't react at all. Let me know if you find the solution!