On Tue, 22 May 2007 20:15:22 -0700, Caryn Nadelberg
> wrote:

>We have been having our son try things at least once. We've noticed
>that the more he is around other kids the more resistant he is to even
>try something, saying it is gross or yucky before he has even tasted it.
>
>But we still do insist on just a bite. He can even spit it out if he
>needs to. Then we leave it. Sometimes he will eat more, sometimes not.
>
>We don't want a picky eater so we do try to offer him different things
>and take him to different places. He seems to be able to eat something
>most anywhere we go.

When my son was little, we had the 3 bite rule. Chew and swallow
three bites (they could be little), then if he still didn't like it he
don't have to eat any more. Years later, he told me he used to hate
me for doing that because I was often right.... it *did* taste good,
but he didn't want to admit it.

My daughter is three years younger and she had a different attitude
toward the three bite rule. She would take one look and decla
Whatever *that* is.... *I don't like it*. Period, end of story. We
were lucky to get her to take ONE bite of something she decided she
didn't like the sight of. She never was a big eater, so hunger wasn't
a factor. If she didn't like it, she wouldn't eat it, didn't care
when she ate next and there was no whining about being hungry an hour
afterward.

Both kids grew up to enjoy a broad (and very healthy) range of food
and both are great cooks, so I don't think I failed in that respect.

My grandson is different from your son in the sense that it seems like
the more he's around other kids, the more likely he is to eat
something he doesn't usually want to try. Our job is to expose them
to different textures (a biggie), flavors and styles of cooking.
Everyone is entitled to likes and dislikes, but they need to be based
on something more substantial than unfounded opinion.

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