How can I make my child eat?

[Neelu23]

My daughter is 3 1/2 yrs old. She is not interested in food and I have to make her eat forcibly every day. I am worried about her weight gain. She weighs 27 pounds and doctors say she is on the curve and should be ok. She looks weak at times but really active. One thing that I noticed though is when she is with other kids she eats fast along with them. But at home, she keeps the food in mouth forever and I have tell her to eat fast for each spoon. I am really getting stressed out these days and can't find a way to make her eat. At school she eats very little. Please advise what should be done. Your help is much appreciated.

[margypops]

Why do you need her to eat fast some children are slow .Forcible eating is not a good idea as it will have the reverse effect and that is what is happening, set her food down and let her get on with her meal, you eat yours, say nothing no haggling no demanding she eats faster,The Doctor thinks shes okay so relax and dont make mealtime a problem eating can be fun,  

[sunshine1976]

A healthy child will not starve themselves.
Keep track of what she eats everyday for a week.  I think you'll see she is eating enough.  
My son (4 years old) is what I call a grazer.  He eats small portions over a long period of time.  He is required to sit at the table with the family at meal time but not required to eat.  What he does not eat is put away until he's hungry.  I have learned not to offer a snack until he has eaten a resonable amount of his meal.

[Angelinthemorning]

I agree with both post...Don't force her to eat.  I do the same thing as sunshine, put the "real" food up until my dd says she's hungry then she can have that b4 any snacks.  My dd is 2yr.  One day, she'll hardly eat anything but a few grapes, the next, she can't get enough food.  Children go through unique growing spurts.  Some days they don't require as much as the next.
Forcing her will get bad results now and possibly later in her life.  Kids who are told they have to eat everything on their plate tend to keep this mentality their whole lives.