Food Issues

So, Josh is 4.

And a half.

And he has whiddled his food choices down to maybe 5 or 6 things: bread, cereal, mac and cheese, chicken nuggets, spaghetti noodles, and taco meat.

This is not an exaggeration.  This is it. 

Thanksgiving, he ate a roll.  Christmas, nothing. 

How does this even happen?  Because I KNOW I didn't start off feeding him only these things.  He did at one time eat food that was found in nature.  But, then, he turned two and his personality emerged as one of extreme stubborness and before I know it, it's been 2 1/2 years. 

So, as any good mother would do, I scared him.  I took him into the doctor's and plopped him down on the examining table and told the doctor exactly what is going on.  How he can go DAYS without eating.  We have tried not allowing him to eat anything else at night if he doesn't eat his dinner.  We've tried taking away the Wii and computer privileges.  The other night, Josh watched Wade and me play Wii for 2 hours because he didn't eat his dinner.  I eat fudge in front of him.  I give his sister his M & M's.

The kid is a freakin' stone.  Doesn't waver.

And the (child-less) doctor had some good ideas--in theory.  But he did say something that resonated.  He said "looks like your kid is more stubborn than you."

Yes, yes he is.  And there are some who would've thought this was an impossibility.

But then the doctor went on to say how "you need to not let Josh see you eating these foods. And you certainly shouldn't be making them for him every day."

Excuse me?  Do you think I eat mac and cheese and chicken nuggets?  And no, I don't make them for him EVERY DAY, because that would be irresponsible, now wouldn't it?  And while we're at it, he sees me eating plenty of healthy food options--fruits and vegetables and whole grain toast.  So, the issue isn't necessarily MY eating habits, is it?

Up until now, I've been pretty staunch on not fixing Josh his own dinner.  He is given the option of eating what we're eating or not eating at all.  And he usually (read: always) takes the latter option.  On occassion, I will fix him something he *likes*.  It's how my mom brought me up and it's nice for your kids to not regale you as some fascist leader.

Usually.

But now, we're going to have be more fascist-like.  Which does not fit either one of us very well.  But, food issues start getting scary when your kids move into adolescence, and I know some adults with some serious food issues that affect their every day living.  Like one guy won't eat anything but hot dogs, Little Cesears Pizza, and Bologna.

And this is not an exaggeration either.  This is his diet--by-products of animals and cardboard?  When he and his wife got out to eat, he just watches.  Now that they have three kids, the kids are picking up on this, and they too are eating this way.  And now she's starting to because it's just too hard to make that many different meals. 

Can you guess where this is leading?

I know that my four year old is not alone in his aversion to food, but I'd like to stop it from escalating into a serious issue come adolescence and adulthood.  Hence why we went into the doctor today. That, and he's complaining about being tired (which is most likely a vitamin deficiency or anemia--since, you know, he doesn't eat--but wouldn't I feel bad if it was something serious).  And we'll have the requisite blood work done to rule out all those terrible things so we can focus more on mking the kid eat. 

So for those who find themselves in the same boat, here's the suggestion by the doctor:

1.  Take an item of food you want your child to eat.  We're going to start with an apple.  Pretty basic.
2.  Offer this to him BEFORE he can have anything else to eat. 
3.  Tell him that he must try the apple before he can eat ANYTHING else.
4.  When he refuses and runs to his room and slams the door, put the apple away.
5.  When he re-emerges, complaining that "he's so hungry he's going to die" offer him the apple again.  Tell him that he must try this before he can eat anything else.
6.  Repeat this 10 times.  Stretch over days until you arrive at 10 times.
7.  The end.

I didn't have the foresight to ask, then what?  The (reminder: child-less) doctor seemed to be pretty confident that after 10 times Josh would miraculously start eating apples. 

Yeah, I'll let you know if we have any luck.  My hope is that the doctor visit and subsequent trauma that was the blood draw will scare Josh enough into eating.