[nia82]

We have been working on this for a while now... It is mostly about eating, but also staying with me when e.g. at Target...<br>
First, DS doesn't do it ever with DH. He just "behaves".<br>
When I ask DS to go in the car seat, he freaks out. No matter how nicely I explain the situation or ask him to help me buckle him in, it can get as bad as him biting and scratching me. The worst is the eating behaviour. I do offer him choices, and I know he likes the foods. He loves them with DH. He will not eat, not by himself, not eating from me, but he will eat from any other person than me (even a 3 year old friend recently, he will eat from him, but not me). It is extremely frustrating. The situation usually spirals, because DS is hungry, I offer, he refuses, throws a huge fit, and that usually leads to screaming sessions of 60-120 minutes. Hugging, talking, just staying 3 feet away from him - nothing works. NOTHING. The fit will not end unless I give in to his demands, which is a breadstick or cracker or nursing all day long (which is accompanied by lovely scratching and pinching and scratching). He must hate me despite my best efforts to give him AP parenting. I'm mentally exhausted, feel like a failure and I am starting to think something is really wrong with DS emotionally.<br>
We know he has no allergies or any other issues. We know he is extremely spirited though. If anyone experienced something like this, please let me know what you did and how you survived this.

 

[ssh]

Have you tried just keeping food available so your DS can eat whenever he gets hungry? For example, we always have grapes, small tomatoes, cheese, triscutts, garbanzo beans and various other foods for our DD to just get herself if she's hungry. She can also work the spigot to get herself filtered water. If you don't want him to have a specific food stop buying it. It's easier (with less conflict) to influence a child's diet by just buying stuff you want them to eat.<br><br>
We nursed on demand until my DD weaned herself at almost 4. But I didn't let her scratch or pinch. I just said "owie", stopped nursing and said "I can't give you milk if it hurts.". Then I'd try again. Sort of a 'be gentle if you want milk' rule. I don't know how easy it'd be to implement for you now. I always stopped nursing if it hurt.