RainSong
Well-Known Member
First, let me say I already feel like I'm the world's biggest screwup here. I can't sleep right now thinking about this, and am almost in tears typing this. Now, you all know Nathan is my angel...
The first problem is... food. He doesn't eat much variety. Lunch, breakfast, dinner, it's been the same thing for months now- and it's mostly junky foods. He won't usually try new foods- he may come over, point, even take some- and then he usually throws it on the floor without eating it. He lives off PB&J, Water, some strawberry or chocolate milk and occasionally juice, grilled cheese, goldfish crackers, chips, peanut butter toast or peanut butter ritz crackers and fruit breakfast bars. Sometimes he'll eat stuff like yogurt, too, but he gets burnt out on it and takes ages to get back to wanting to eat it. He started eating early, started self-feeding early, and started refusing foods early. This is my biggest problem, really- How the heck do I get this kid to eat more? He does get vitamins and calcium supplements now, but I am really really at a loss. Peer pressure would be nice, but I don't know anyone (aside from Nootka, and she doesn't live anywhere near us) that has little kids. We have finally got him on JUST a sippy cup not too long ago, and finally got him to drink flavored milk from cups, straws, and his own sippy cups - usually not tons, but more then he used to. We offer fruit with lunch and dinner, but he rarely eats it.
Second problem? Plates and bowls. He doesn't use them- we've never much given them to him. So... do we just start doing it now?
Third... Potty training. He's mostly dry in the mornings. Rather, a little wet but nothing major except a few times a month- it depends on what/when he drinks at night, goes to bed, etc. Usually if he goes to bed late or we're out late, he's very wet. He knows WHAT the potty is. I don't know how to get him to connect it with bodily function, however. He's seen us use the toilet, but still doesn't quite get that he needs to use it, too. He doesn't tell us if he is wet or dirty- he does repeat us if we say he's one or the other.
And... well, when do you switch to a toddler bed? He's still in his crib, has only gotten out once (and he fell out, that time)- he doesn't even try to get out as far as I know. Oh yea... He's not napping in the afternoons much anymore... should he be? He gets up at 7-7:30am, we usually put him down for a nap about 2pm, but he doesn't always sleep. When he DOES sleep, he sleeps for an hour, comes downstairs, and sleeps for another hour or two on us. His bedtime is 9pm. Any advice?
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So yes. We love him to pieces, but now I'm worried I've really gone and messed things up. I've been more worried about his lack of talking (Now we can't shut him up
), his lack of using the sippy cup (then his lack of milk drinking), etc. For a long time we worried he wasn't eating enough, so when I found stuff he WOULD eat... I clung to it. That's how we got to what we have... three unchanging meals a day... for months. But my friend says it's all junk food (and a lot of it is, now), and my mother went nuts about him not using a plate tonight.
Bad timing, too. I can't handle it with grace today, and I don't know how to change any of it- so here I am, unable to sleep and almost sick. Honestly, I feel rotten- I worry that I'm not doing good by him, and sometimes wonder if he'd do better elsewhere- which tears me up. Some of it's the money - affording clothes and food and diapers and the like is sometimes hard. Some of it's just "Am I doing things right? Have I screwed up- and thus, screwed him up?" ... honestly, I'm scared to death I HAVE screwed up- he's getting a lil bit chubby now, instead of being very skinny.
The first problem is... food. He doesn't eat much variety. Lunch, breakfast, dinner, it's been the same thing for months now- and it's mostly junky foods. He won't usually try new foods- he may come over, point, even take some- and then he usually throws it on the floor without eating it. He lives off PB&J, Water, some strawberry or chocolate milk and occasionally juice, grilled cheese, goldfish crackers, chips, peanut butter toast or peanut butter ritz crackers and fruit breakfast bars. Sometimes he'll eat stuff like yogurt, too, but he gets burnt out on it and takes ages to get back to wanting to eat it. He started eating early, started self-feeding early, and started refusing foods early. This is my biggest problem, really- How the heck do I get this kid to eat more? He does get vitamins and calcium supplements now, but I am really really at a loss. Peer pressure would be nice, but I don't know anyone (aside from Nootka, and she doesn't live anywhere near us) that has little kids. We have finally got him on JUST a sippy cup not too long ago, and finally got him to drink flavored milk from cups, straws, and his own sippy cups - usually not tons, but more then he used to. We offer fruit with lunch and dinner, but he rarely eats it.
Second problem? Plates and bowls. He doesn't use them- we've never much given them to him. So... do we just start doing it now?
Third... Potty training. He's mostly dry in the mornings. Rather, a little wet but nothing major except a few times a month- it depends on what/when he drinks at night, goes to bed, etc. Usually if he goes to bed late or we're out late, he's very wet. He knows WHAT the potty is. I don't know how to get him to connect it with bodily function, however. He's seen us use the toilet, but still doesn't quite get that he needs to use it, too. He doesn't tell us if he is wet or dirty- he does repeat us if we say he's one or the other.
And... well, when do you switch to a toddler bed? He's still in his crib, has only gotten out once (and he fell out, that time)- he doesn't even try to get out as far as I know. Oh yea... He's not napping in the afternoons much anymore... should he be? He gets up at 7-7:30am, we usually put him down for a nap about 2pm, but he doesn't always sleep. When he DOES sleep, he sleeps for an hour, comes downstairs, and sleeps for another hour or two on us. His bedtime is 9pm. Any advice?
---
So yes. We love him to pieces, but now I'm worried I've really gone and messed things up. I've been more worried about his lack of talking (Now we can't shut him up
Bad timing, too. I can't handle it with grace today, and I don't know how to change any of it- so here I am, unable to sleep and almost sick. Honestly, I feel rotten- I worry that I'm not doing good by him, and sometimes wonder if he'd do better elsewhere- which tears me up. Some of it's the money - affording clothes and food and diapers and the like is sometimes hard. Some of it's just "Am I doing things right? Have I screwed up- and thus, screwed him up?" ... honestly, I'm scared to death I HAVE screwed up- he's getting a lil bit chubby now, instead of being very skinny.