How do you introduce new foods?

[parkers]

I am at my wits end.. My partners 7 years old daughter eats the following - chocolate covered cereal, toast with Jam or Chocolate spread, sandwiches containing Jam or chocolate spread, M&S Fishfingers only, smiley faces, no bits yoghurt and any kind of chocolate, sweets and crisps..NOTHING ELSE !

I've found out that literally from birth her poor excuse of a mother fed her tinned macaroni cheese and not much else !! And has never bothered to make her eat anything else. My partner is also hugely to blame as as soon there are tears she gets her own way.

It is driving me insane, that a child dictates to it's parents even the brand of fishfingers it will eat.. My partner cannot see the damage that he and his ex have and are continuing to do....

[parkers]

Hi Elled, thank you very much for that. I will set the recorder... We just don't know what to do, I have taken on board what everyone has said, but as you have been told as long as they are not underweight then there isn't much that can actually be done.. We will continue trying, just a shame her Mum can't be bothered.. SHould be interesting viewing.. Thank you

[tntmoz]

I think Padders was right on. No fussing over it, it's just the way it is. I would have a private talk with your husband when you are alone and remind him how much you love his little girl also and want the best for her. Let him know you understand how hard it is for him to see her upset and that while you don't expect him to take a hard line, will he allow you to help her change her habits at home? You can't do anything about her mom's house and reminding him how much damage he's doing is obviously not working so maybe he'll work with you by letting you mother her when she's with you. How about putting down a very small portion of her "normal" food and the rest is your healthy food then she eats what she wants but there are no seconds on the junk. No fighting-- just "Oh, your full? ok you can be excused." (even if thats not what she's saying!) Make it no big deal. Other than that who does the shopping? Maybe you need to not buy the junk. If it's in the house there is always a choice.

[parkers]

Hi tntmoz, As far as the shopping is concerned I won't buy the 'junk' I will buy the yoghurts that she eats and the 100% Cod Fishfingers, but I will never buy crisps or chocolate. Unfortunatly I don't usually get home until gone 6.30pm, whereas my partner collects Amy from school usually about 4pm, and then will feed her when he gets home, so it can be quite difficult for me to be there when she has her dinner. I said at the weekend that when she is with us next week that I will put her together a plate of 5 or 6 different things, so, something that she likes and then some new things.

Her Dad just cannot see past the tears, it is so frustrating for me as I know that she knows that, so she plays on it ! Although he would swear blind that she wouldn't possibly play him and her Mum off against each other ....?! I think alot of the problem is that she goes to a very small private school (35 children). She will only be there for another year, and I have made sure that she goes to a mainstream school as I think that kids being kids will put a certain amount of peer pressure on her in the playground/canteen and she will naturally start eating different things ?! Who knows.... I just know that they pair of them should be ashamed of themselves for what they have allowed happen by never giving her proper, decent, fresh foods ever in her life !!