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My son says he's hungry all day every day
I have an issue with my 6 yr old son wanting to eat all the time. He will take me down for food. He will have 3 eggs and 2 pieces of toast with butter on them for breakfast. Then demand that he is starving and needs more food. It always turns into a battle with him over food.
He is active. He rides his bike and will play at the park for days. He does sit around the house alot cause he wants to do what the adults do at all times.
He weighs 75 pounds and about 4 feet tall. Dr told me to control the food intake and let him grow into his weight but he cries that I am starving him all the time when I try to make him wait for more food.
We do have fruit in the house and he does eat that. But he will eat more than a grown man at dinner and still be hungry.
He is getting ready to go to his dad's house for the summer where they give him anything he wants all the time since they don't see him long. He always comes back from his dads house another 10+ pounds heavier.
Please tell me what I can do, thanks ladies.
He is active. He rides his bike and will play at the park for days. He does sit around the house alot cause he wants to do what the adults do at all times.
He weighs 75 pounds and about 4 feet tall. Dr told me to control the food intake and let him grow into his weight but he cries that I am starving him all the time when I try to make him wait for more food.
We do have fruit in the house and he does eat that. But he will eat more than a grown man at dinner and still be hungry.
He is getting ready to go to his dad's house for the summer where they give him anything he wants all the time since they don't see him long. He always comes back from his dads house another 10+ pounds heavier.
Please tell me what I can do, thanks ladies.
I wonder if you try to get him to drink more when he saying he is hungry and has already eaten a decent amount of food for his age and energy level. I know what its like to have a child that has food issues and gets angry I have dealt with the oppersite to you children that dont want to eat but if it's a behaviour issue and not really a hunger issue the theroy is the same to some degree. Children need to meal times to be regular and some children need more than 3 meals a day but thoes children need to eat the same amount of food but more often. Instead of 3eggs and toast for breakfast I would try 1 egg and toast and maybe a glass a milk then a fue hours later a snack then a fue hours later lunch etc give him 6 meals in the day. I have had 2 children that prefure to snack all day then eat a decent meal in 3 sitting's. My other 2 children prefure to eat 3 meals a day. Also dont get angry and dont give in make things clear an obvious even do a up chart if that the only way to make him understand how much his body needs. Find fun ways to distract him from food. I would keep food compleatly out of site in the house at least unless its meal time. I would really talk to him about how food is for energy and too much can cause us to become unhealthy if we are not carfull you can do this in fun ways for children or in words they understand. In the end your are the parent and if he suspects for even a second that you are scared that he really is hungry he will question his own feelings of hunger and be likly to go with what he sences from you and not his own body. Children pick up on our fears and maniputale us big time it there survival mechinisim. If they did not do this they would not cry as baby or ask for anything as a child but it our job to be firm and let them know it's fine and they wont starve to death if they don't eat right now.
I would get him checked out medically as well but no matter what is causing the problem you are still his mum and you need to remind your self and him that a grumbly tummy dose not kill people if he's weight is find then he's fine. I really think once you show no fear and you show him firmness about food intake he will improve he may never get over the hunger feeling if its medical but he will learn to cope if you teach him how to cope with it NOW. The older he gets the harder it will be to teach him good eating habbits. I have a 10y that only wanted to eat sandwhich's she now eat's lots of other foods she now on medication that makes her hungry and she's learning not to eat even thoe her tummy wants her to eat. As a mum this is hard when your child insist she hungry but in the end I'm her mum and it's my job to help her understand that she cant just over eat it's not good for her. If she's not ready to cope with not over eating then it's my job to make sure she cant get to food she should not be eating. Nothing is put in food cupboards unless I want my kids to eat it. She get's so desperate some time I busted her eating straight sugar some time. I just sit her down and explian if she want me to keep bying sugar so we can use it for things it meant for she needs to stop eating it. She does not want to punish other people in our house so she has backed off from eating it. It has taken months I have even not gotten sugar for a while if they go threw it too fast so my kids can learn that I mean what I say when I say it. You have to mean what you say you have to give firm direction and rules and follow threw with the rule's. It may hurt to see you child unpset now but what will you feel if he stay's over weight or gets worse and goes on to be a bad eater all of his life I sure you'd rather a little pain right now over a life time of pain later. Find the strength inside to fight this fight now while you still have the abilty to gain control and teach good eating habbit's.
Take care.
I would get him checked out medically as well but no matter what is causing the problem you are still his mum and you need to remind your self and him that a grumbly tummy dose not kill people if he's weight is find then he's fine. I really think once you show no fear and you show him firmness about food intake he will improve he may never get over the hunger feeling if its medical but he will learn to cope if you teach him how to cope with it NOW. The older he gets the harder it will be to teach him good eating habbits. I have a 10y that only wanted to eat sandwhich's she now eat's lots of other foods she now on medication that makes her hungry and she's learning not to eat even thoe her tummy wants her to eat. As a mum this is hard when your child insist she hungry but in the end I'm her mum and it's my job to help her understand that she cant just over eat it's not good for her. If she's not ready to cope with not over eating then it's my job to make sure she cant get to food she should not be eating. Nothing is put in food cupboards unless I want my kids to eat it. She get's so desperate some time I busted her eating straight sugar some time. I just sit her down and explian if she want me to keep bying sugar so we can use it for things it meant for she needs to stop eating it. She does not want to punish other people in our house so she has backed off from eating it. It has taken months I have even not gotten sugar for a while if they go threw it too fast so my kids can learn that I mean what I say when I say it. You have to mean what you say you have to give firm direction and rules and follow threw with the rule's. It may hurt to see you child unpset now but what will you feel if he stay's over weight or gets worse and goes on to be a bad eater all of his life I sure you'd rather a little pain right now over a life time of pain later. Find the strength inside to fight this fight now while you still have the abilty to gain control and teach good eating habbit's.
Take care.
COMMUNITY LEADER
You've been given some excellent ideas.
As Elaine said: once he's had his meal, only let him have fresh fruits/veggies - preferably veggies, since they have less sugar/calories. If he's really still hungry, he will eat them. If he refuses them, then I'd say he's using food for another reason besides nourishing his body. Could he be using food as an emotional crutch?
Make sure he has plenty to keep him active; activity will keep his mind off food, and of course, if he's sitting around with adults and they are eating, he's going to want to eat also. Encourage him to go play while the adults are visiting; or get the adults up to move around as well.
It is unfortunate, that his father lets him have whatever he wants; that's not setting a good example for him, nor is it healthy.
As Elaine said: once he's had his meal, only let him have fresh fruits/veggies - preferably veggies, since they have less sugar/calories. If he's really still hungry, he will eat them. If he refuses them, then I'd say he's using food for another reason besides nourishing his body. Could he be using food as an emotional crutch?
Make sure he has plenty to keep him active; activity will keep his mind off food, and of course, if he's sitting around with adults and they are eating, he's going to want to eat also. Encourage him to go play while the adults are visiting; or get the adults up to move around as well.
It is unfortunate, that his father lets him have whatever he wants; that's not setting a good example for him, nor is it healthy.
It sounds like this has become a habit you need to break him of. I agree with the comments here. Only keep healthy whole foods in the house, eat slow, drink plenty of fluids. Talk at meal time about how you are enjoying the food and how good it is for you. Talk about the days events and make it a real enjoyable event, something for him to look forward to. Not just the eating part but the event as a whole.
My son for a while was eating until he was sick. I have taught him over the past 3 years to stop when he was full. He is now pushing himself away from the table every night with a few bites left on his plate. What really helped him was to know that I would put his leftovers in the fridge for later. He never asked for them and I would toss them the next day but it really helped him stop when he was full.
If he has gotten used to eating a lot his belly will not be full from a regular amount of food. It will take a while for his stomach to shrink. Is there a possibility his body started this as an answer to the failure to thrive?
I feel for you with the relatives. Most of the time they don't take these kinds of concerns seriously and don't want to put up with the nagging and fits over food. Maybe you can work on this after his visit. People really don't realize what kind of damage these food issues can create in the long run. It's good that you are recognizing and addressing it.
Good luck.
My son for a while was eating until he was sick. I have taught him over the past 3 years to stop when he was full. He is now pushing himself away from the table every night with a few bites left on his plate. What really helped him was to know that I would put his leftovers in the fridge for later. He never asked for them and I would toss them the next day but it really helped him stop when he was full.
If he has gotten used to eating a lot his belly will not be full from a regular amount of food. It will take a while for his stomach to shrink. Is there a possibility his body started this as an answer to the failure to thrive?
I feel for you with the relatives. Most of the time they don't take these kinds of concerns seriously and don't want to put up with the nagging and fits over food. Maybe you can work on this after his visit. People really don't realize what kind of damage these food issues can create in the long run. It's good that you are recognizing and addressing it.
Good luck.
He might also not be getting enough fluids. Check how much he is drinking and ensure he doesn't drink caffiene pops which can dehydrate him. When you are thirsty you often think you are hungry.
we went through this with our 6yr old grandson, we made sure that his meals were ample for his age, then the only snacks he gets is fruit or veg with a ice cream treat at weekends,often he will eat a meal and say he is hungry, so we say he can have carrot sticks or a piece of fruit, his reply is "Im not that hungry" and off he goes to play,
The other thing we noticed was that when he says he is hungry he as usually rushed his food down, so we have to keep reminding him to eat slower,
these things worked for us, so they might work for you to
The other thing we noticed was that when he says he is hungry he as usually rushed his food down, so we have to keep reminding him to eat slower,
these things worked for us, so they might work for you to
It started when he was about 4 years old so about 2 years ago. Before that he was failure to thrive. They have ran test, no diabetes or thyroid issues. It's hard to take him to a doctor. His dad's insurance does not cover much so i have to pay alot out of pocket.
It does sound like it could be a medical issue. Has he always had this issue? Or did it start in the last year or so?
On the other hand I am wondering if its a growth spurt type of thing? I am sometimes shocked by what my kids can eat when they are on a growth spurt. Honestly they can out-eat my husband! So long as they stay within a healthy weight, eat healthy foods, and stay active it should be fine.
On the other hand I am wondering if its a growth spurt type of thing? I am sometimes shocked by what my kids can eat when they are on a growth spurt. Honestly they can out-eat my husband! So long as they stay within a healthy weight, eat healthy foods, and stay active it should be fine.
It sounds like he may have a medical problem causing this. I would insist on him getting a complete physical and to test him for diabetes and thyroid issues. You might also want to discuss whether he has a mood disorder that is affecting this.
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