My 5 yr old does not want to go to pre-k classes so he starves himself, we are lost with options?

Question

He starts kindergarten in Sept. so now in the summer for a 4 week period we enrolled in pre-k classes. He used to go to a preshcool/daycare 2 days a week and now he has to go 5 days a week which I can understand is a big change for him, but to starve himself to prove a point? We took him to our pediatrician and to the local children's hospital and they told us everything he is doing is in his head.

He will not eat unless my wife is with him for some odd reason. If my parents, my brother or even if I am with him alone he will not eat period until my wife comes home.

Answer 1

Kids that young really don't have the capacity to strave themselves. He will eat when he is hungry, just make food available to him for when he is hungry.

He probably is going through kind of like an abandonment thing, he thinks his mom is abandoning him when he has to go to school five days a week. just be reassuring that everything is going to be find and that going to school is making him a big boy. When he starts his classes i am sure he will have so much fun it wont matter to him anymore.

Answer 2

Back in the old day you would hold the kid back a year because emotionally he is not ready. Wait until he is 6. You dont' need a doctor for that.

Answer 3

Let him not eat he'll come around. When he gets to kindergarten there will be so much going on that he will forget that he decided to starve himself. Could just be a little seperation anxiety from mom.

Answer 4

i know it sounds weird but he wil eat when he gets hungry, try leaving food around in places so that he thinks he is sneaking it without you knowing if your stressed, as for kindy maybe speak to the kindy and ask if its possible for you to take him once or twice b4 he actually starts so he gets use to it and feels comfortable. its a big change but honestly he wont starve its all for the attention as horrible as it sounds, try just talking calmly to him and get your wife to assure him she will be home and if he is a goodboy and eats she will come home soon :)

Answer 5

Soundes like he is trying to manipulate you guys!!!  I would ignore it; he will come around.

(I realize it is easier said than done...)

Answer 6

stand your ground he'll eat if he gets hungry enough if ur wife is getting home past meal-time she should tell him m-t is over