9-year-old son is a picky eater and his father is tired of preparing special meals, so he teaches his son how to cook: the father is criticized

by Mark Bennett

October 31, 2022

9-year-old son is a picky eater and his father is tired of preparing special meals, so he teaches his son how to cook: the father is criticized
Advertisement

In young children, eating disorders can arise from the very first years of life, immediately after weaning. Consider those who do not to eat vegetables, for example. This is a problem that must be addressed by the child's parents with the right medical support. A man told his story on Reddit forum to get opinions from users regarding the eating disorder of his 9-year-old son: the boy eats only food that he does not need to chew. This situation has persisted for a long time and has forced this dad to act. But his action attracted criticism from his wife and from some Reddit users.

via Reddit

Pexels / Not the actual photo

Pexels / Not the actual photo

"My 9-year-old is a pretty picky eater," the man explained on Reddit. "He eats next to nothing. This all started when he was about five. He came home from kindergarten without having touched his lunch, other than a bit of yogurt and applesauce. We took him to the pediatrician, who said we needed to consult a dietician. While we waited for our medical insurance to be approved, we tried a few things to get our son to eat properly," the father continued. One day, the child's parents realized that he only ate foods he did not have to chew, such as mashed potatoes or soup.

The parents went along with this, preparing the child only "liquid" food. Having reached the age of 9, however, the boy does not seem to want to change his diet, like doctors and parents had hoped he would. So, the father, tired of having to prepare different meals all the time, decided to teach his son how to cook.

Advertisement
Wikimedia / Not the actual photo

Wikimedia / Not the actual photo

"I started taking my son into the kitchen with me and teaching him how to use a blender and other cooking utensils. Now he makes his own food most evenings while I cook a proper dinner. My wife, on the other hand, still makes him special meals. She says I went too far making him cook his own food. I supervise him and help him with whatever he needs. I think he needs to know how to cook his own food, because there is no way that the people around him will do this for him in the future," explained the father. The mother of the child, however, is not very happy with how her husband's approach: the purchase and preparation of food should be, in her opinion, something that a parent should always do for a young child.

The father asked Reddit users for their opinions on his action, and received answers that made him think twice. Most users did not criticize him for teaching his son to cook, but for not being able to deal with his eating disorder. These parents probably need to do more for their child if they really want to fix this problem. What do you think?

Advertisement