26 Month Old Son Mainly Wants Milk or Chocolate Milk

The good news is that he will eat if you sit down with him. Children who eat with their parents sitting with them tend to eat better nutritionally, improve their conversational skills and eventually do better in school. Honestly, this has all been shown in research. So perhaps this is one part of the solution to continue doing. All my best.

I was given some good advice a while ago, when my son wouldn't sit to eat. No drinks between meals, other than water. Then, at mealtime, set food in front of him in the order of importance. For example, my son is usually starving by dinner time and begging me for milk or a snack, so I steam the veggies first, and put those on his plate while I finish making the rest of the meal. He will eat them, even though they aren't his favorite, because he's really hungry and they are there. Then, I bring the rest of dinner over and everyone else sits down. Then, after a few more bites, I bring his milk over.

Of this routine, the part that really makes or breaks it is the 'water only' between meals. Without that, the rest of it did not work for me. With that, it works well.

If he is drinking 4 large drinks a day, he might not be too hungry.

I used to serve the veggies on a dish as an "appetizer" just as I would set the table. Then, we would all sit down to chat and eat even if it lasted for 10 minutes.

Young children should be sitting and eating, even if it is for a short time. The adult is the role model for setting up this routine and eating healthy. If it's a consistent routine, then it will work out just fine over time.

If your son gets into the habit of having too many liquid meals, it will be more difficult to potty-train him when the time comes.

My daughter always made her children eat their food before they were allowed to drink. They didn't necessarily have to finish it all before getting anything to drink, but they had to eat a significant amount and then they would get permission to have a sip. They could not really drink (as opposed to sipping) until they were done eating.

I also like the idea of watering down the milk. That way he won't get full on it and he will still want some food.

My daughter asks for chocolate milk all the time. I only give it to her after she has eaten her food. I also limit it to two sippy cups a day. She is also on the tiny side but she eats well.

At his age, milk does not give him all the nutrients that he needs and should not be his appopriate food source. If he's not eating food, I sure wouldn't give him chocolate milk. Why wouldn't you sit down with him? Don't you have family meals together? At 2 years old, he should be eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner, sitting at the table with his family. When my kids were two, the meals that they ate at home were eaten at the table with the family, not separate "feedings." At that age, they should be eating like real people, not like babies.

Milk is as much a food as a drink. It's got a lot of protein, which in any form makes us all feel more full. So he's basically eating milk, and filling up on it. Rather than water it, which I would be concerned might turn him off it when you do want him to like it (just not in place of food!), I would do as someone suggested and restrict milk to when he's at the table, after he has eaten food. No milk between meals. And his snacks are tough if you need him to gain weight but also want him to have some appetite for meals. Snacks could be water plus something with a little protein (soy nut butter or peanut butter on apple slices or whole wheat crackers for instance--and nut butters are high in calories in small amounts, so that helps with the caloric intake).

Is the Pediasure something the doctor recommended you do? It is like a milkshake and very sweet and filling, so that likely is killing his appetite for regular food, yet if he does need the calories....Talk to the doctor about working out a plan to get enough calories into him with less milk and possibly less Pediasure. (But just throwing butter on everything like I've sometimes seen suggested... Please, no, if you value his heart!).

I had some kids at different stages that would drink rather than eat and so they got the food in front of them, then when done or nearly done they got the drink. Stick to it and they eventually get hungry and eat. Don't give a lot of drinks like milk in between meals, water is best. They eat when hungry.

Plan out for his meals to be spent sitting down with you or Dad so that he eats better. It's so much better for his development in all areas, not just getting him fed, as someone already mentioned. Eating is a social event and a bonding event. It's a time to teach manners and other skills. He's still so little that eating on the run can't possibly be appealing or even good for his digestive system... it's not even good for adult digestive systems. If he's eating alone or "on the run" then of course he prefers liquids to solids.

Family meals get everyone eating. Have him "help" with the simpler parts of food preparation or let him watch you prep meals. My daughters, even the one that food is a major issues for (due to Autism-related issues) enjoys watching and helping me cook and if she's invested in the meal she's more likely to eat a couple of bites. I also always try to include something in the meal that I know she'll eat, although that can be hit and miss with her particular food issues. We have to be flexible with food for her or she wouldn't ever eat, and she's on the small side, but we encourage family meals and getting her invested in her meal.

I think the problem is that he's getting all of his calories from liquids, so he's not hungry for solids. Make him eat "real" food before he can have milk/Pediasure. Give him water (not juice) with his meals. Tell him that if he is still hungry once all the food on his plate is gone, then he can have milk.

Yes, one of my kids went through the same phase. I started watering down her milk to the point it was all water with a splash of milk for color. She soon realized she was more hungry and began eating more dinners with us at the table.