frustrated with my little "non-eaters"

I have a 2 and 4 year old. I have always had trouble with my 4 year old eating. Ever since he came off baby foods it has been a constant battle to get him to eat anything. And my 2 year old is following suit. Sometimes they eat most of the time they don't. A doctor they first went to told us to keep them at the table whether they eat or cry or not. This makes for a very unhappy meal time! I am constanly worried about them not eating, Somedays I am lucky to get them to eat one meal, they are both very small for their age, but they have very high energy levels. I suppose my question is how hard should i try? How much food a day do they have to have to stay healthy?

                                                  

[megochick101]

My son used to have a problem eating. Half the time he would only eat at most 1/3 of his food and then later complain he was hungry. I got tired of this and told him he had to have 3 bites of everything before he was allowed to do anything else(that learning process was NOT fun lol) I also decided to make him eat the food I gave him. If he didn't finish it at first then i put it away and if he wanted something else to eat i brought out the leftover food from earlier. If he wouldn't eat it again then he didn't get anything else. He had to eat what i gave him because i was sick of making special meals for him(he's 2 1/2yo) I'm not a personal chef and I'm not going through that **** lol

After awhile he got the point. He'll eat his(at least 3 bites) and then either finish it or go play if he's not super hungry. He will not get dessert or any other kind of food until he eats what he has, and that's that. It was really hard to stick to because he's very very good a temper tantrums(what 2yo isn't? lol) But if you stay consistent they will learn, it may just take awhile. Just keep giving them the same food. Until they realize mommy is not their kitchen slave and that mealtime is not playtime lol

Also just make sure to cut out snack foods as much as possible. Since they're not eating too much you want to get the healthiest foods in them that you can.