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Forum -> Parenting our children -> Preschoolers
My 3.5 Year Old is ALWAYS Hungry



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chabadnikit




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, May 13 2012, 8:12 pm
So I'm not sure if this is normal 3 year old behavior... or growth spurt or something but my daughter walks around all day saying she's hungry. If she wakes up at night she says she's hungry too. She is a big girl ka'h and actually is off the charts in both height and weight so I'm not really sure what to do. She usually asks for sweets but I try very hard to give her only healthy snacks. Her pediatrician considers her "obese" according to the charts so I've been trying to keep her on a healthy diet. If I weren't trying to get her to eat healthier maybe this wouldn't be as frustrating. Anyone else have or had this problem with their kids?
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baba




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, May 14 2012, 12:50 am
My dd(3) is actually very thin, but she also always asks for food and eats a ton. Since she's always been like this I've been very careful as to give her healthy food. I've tried to teach her that there are times when we eat and there are times when we have a food break. So sometimes I simply tell her there's a food break and now she accepts it.

Also, could it be that she's thirsty? Especially if it's in the middle of the night. I would continue to give her healthy food and try to stick to meal times with some snack. In our house, sweets are only for after dinner as a reward and only something small. Nothing they get all day long, whenever. She's still small and if you can get her into a healthy eating habit now, you're really going to help her in the long run.
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asp40




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, May 14 2012, 4:26 am
I had a similar issue, but my DS was already almost 8yrs old. He had always been a big eater but was thin. Suddenly, he gained a lot of weight and I noticed he was eating all of the time. We saw the doctor and did some blood work and when it was determined he was perfectly healthy, I started limiting his food.

If we had dinner and he wanted more and I thought he had enough, I would offer carrots or an apple, and that is all. He had a fit for a few weeks, but then figured it out. In about 6 months he slimmed down and my doctor was amazed. It turned out that he had a very difficult school year and was confort eating.

Sometimes as parents we do have to say know. Give her plenty of healthy foods and then water, no juices or sodas. We do sweets on Shabbat only or Birthdays and once in a while during the week, but that is rare. I grew up with a weight problem and still struggle and I do not want that for my kids, so I work really hard to keep them on a healthy track with weight.
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chani8




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, May 14 2012, 5:32 am
When I have a kid saying, I'm hungry, too much, I try to make them check in with their body by asking them, are you sure you're hungry? Maybe you're thirsty, tired, in need of a hug?? Let's try a drink, a hug, and then go to sleep, and in the morning, if you're still hungry, you can eat a big breakfast.
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merelyme




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, May 14 2012, 5:34 am
You've had her tested and ruled out diabetes and other possibilities, right?
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Ruchel




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, May 14 2012, 7:47 am
Yes. We calculated that my then 2 and half yr old ate more than me daily.
Now she's 5, still loooooves to eat, but is very tall, very active, normal weight Very Happy
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ora_43




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, May 14 2012, 8:16 am
It can be normal.

If medical problems have been ruled out and she looks like she's a normal weight (I'd ignore the charts, since they don't take muscle mass or natural build into account), just let her eat when she's hungry. One of my dds, like Ruchel's, ate more than me for a while as a 3-year-old and now she's a perfectly average height and weight.

Two other things though - notice when she's asking to eat to see if there's a pattern, eg. asking to eat when she's bored, or upset, or when your attention is elsewhere, to make sure it's not an emotional thing or just a fun activity for her. And if she's really hungry, she should be willing to eat healthy things like raw fruits and vegetables. When the dd I mentioned was in her always-hungry phase I would give her raw vegetables, pita with hummus, and hard boiled eggs, only simple food, nothing she'd eat just for the enjoyment.
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Ruchel




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, May 14 2012, 8:26 am
My kid is the type who loves "adult/gourmet" things like Asian shrooms or raw meat, so it's hard to know LOL
In her "favourite restaurant", an Asian fusion new cuisine, she ALWAYS orders the above... LOL LOL
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yOungM0mmy




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, May 14 2012, 1:27 pm
Yes, my 4 year old son is like this also. He is also allergic to eggs, milk, fish and nuts, and very picky, so is definitely low on protein, which I am sure does not help. He would happily eat plain pasta 10 times a day, so it's not junk food that he wants, but he is also on the 9th centile for his height and just over the 50th for his weight. He also gets completely hysterical when I say no. I started asking him if he's bored or hungry, but now he knows to say he is hungry Wink I am trying to explain to him that he must eat protein to keep him full for longer, so if I think he has had enough carbs for now, he has a choice of fruit or veg or protein.
I worry partly that he shouldn't be an unhealthy weight, and also that he should develop good eating habits, but as a "man" he gets slightly irrational when hungry, and I do not want to deny him when he really is hungry...it's a balancing act that always leaves me feeling guilty and frustrated...
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Arcy




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, May 14 2012, 2:29 pm
chani8 wrote:
When I have a kid saying, I'm hungry, too much, I try to make them check in with their body by asking them, are you sure you're hungry? Maybe you're thirsty, tired, in need of a hug?? Let's try a drink, a hug, and then go to sleep, and in the morning, if you're still hungry, you can eat a big breakfast.


I second that. sometimes, they need more sleep or are dehydrated... it's very common to think you're hungry when you're just dehydrated.... according to recent study, 70% of Americans are conically dehydrated. Soda's and teas actually dehydrate the body, as doe coffee.

when I'm tried I get terribly munchies, so I just go to bed or nosh on Pop corn if I other things to do and can't hit the sack yet.
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