Unfussy child will not eat breakfast

nanokitten

I find I don't get hungry untill I am properly awake (the cold air going outside often wakes one up and kicks off the appitite), how about a decent hot shower / wash with a nice cool flannel, some good loud rousing pop music to dance along to, as they're geting ready lap of the garden to wake everyone up and get the old juices flowing first thing.

JoolzS

Maybe he simply doesn't want to eat breakfast.

I haven't eaten breakfast once during my entire adult life (once I was in control of my own eating). I hate eating anything within about two hours of waking up. Perhaps your child has a similar hatred.

Perhaps you could provide him with something he could eat on the way to school, or during his break. It's pointless forcing something on anyone within half an hour of them waking up.

Julie

mioliere

I hope you can sort out the breakfast thingy. I know my DS2 (now nearly 28 years old and a Dad himself!) would get really grumpy if he was hungry but, as soon as he ate, he was a little angel. Perhaps you could make out a little menu for him to choose his breakfast from? Write a selection of, say, three choices, with a tick box next to each one. I also like the smoothie idea, as well as the tokens. If all else fails, a banana on the way to school will at least make sure he eats something.

Woofles

I think some people are breakfast persons and some aren't. I'm in the latter category, have to be up and awake at least one to two hours. I'm feeling peckish now but I know if I tried to eat I would struggle and leave some if not most of it another hour and I'll probably down two slices of toast.

The banana is a good idea only remember the hand wipes and bag for discarded skin.


Just remembered, I liked a banana sliced up thinly and covered with milk and just a tad of sugar sprinkled over, actually I still do.:o

valk_scot

You've had a lot of good suggestions, both as to behavior and edibles. me? I think it's down to behaviour modification.

First off I do take your point about DH's lunches...but you could make the children's ones the night before and have all the prep work done on DH's, no?. I have the lunchboxes lined up on the worksurface with all the non-chill items in them, plus the sandwich fillings and yoghurts etc on the same shelf in the fridge ready to grab.

I wouldn't add to your time stress buy actually cooking anything for DS, not if you don't for the other kids or DH anyway. Too much special attention going on here.

Get the kids to sit down to eat breakfast together. NO TELLY till after this. He has to sit down too, whether he eats or not. His choice.

No extra snacks to make up for things. Hungry? He should have eaten.

No extra fuss and attention for not eating. Saying he's hungry on the way to school? "Tough" would be my response to moans.

With three kids all extra attention from mum is worth getting I would think! He's got you in a groove now fussing around him and running your morning and menu plan round him. Just make sure thare's stuff he will eat (this does not translate as top favourite, btw, just a normal range of items) that requires little effort on your part and won't spoil if kept. Then step back about it. If he doesn't eat till snack time it's not the end of the world.

Oh and make sure your other kids get a word of praise for eating up. Otherwise they'll be joining in the no breakfast routine in the morning too so they can get noticed as well, argh!

thriftlady_2

valk_scot wrote: »

.

First off I do take your point about DH's lunches...but you could make the children's ones the night before and have all the prep work done on DH's, no?. I have the lunchboxes lined up on the worksurface with all the non-chill items in them, plus the sandwich fillings and yoghurts etc on the same shelf in the fridge ready to grab.

I actually make the packed lunches while I'm cooking the evening meal. I know that will horrify some people but I honestly have never had any complaints from OH or the kids about stale tasting sandwiches. Obviously I put them in the fridge. If I didn't do this I'd never have time to make a good breakfast and OH leaves so early he'd end up making himself a cheese sandwich every day:rolleyes:

Breakfast doesn't have to be traditional breakfast food-it can be anything you like. Leftovers from last night's supper often provide yummy breakfasts.

I do sympathise with your son though, I'm not a breakfast eater really. I make myself eat it because 'it's good for me'. I don't think it makes any difference to how I feel though. That said I'm thankful my kids all love their breakfasts.

MrsCook_2

valk_scot wrote: »

You've had a lot of good suggestions, both as to behavior and edibles. me? I think it's down to behaviour modification.

First off I do take your point about DH's lunches...but you could make the children's ones the night before and have all the prep work done on DH's, no?. I have the lunchboxes lined up on the worksurface with all the non-chill items in them, plus the sandwich fillings and yoghurts etc on the same shelf in the fridge ready to grab.

I wouldn't add to your time stress buy actually cooking anything for DS, not if you don't for the other kids or DH anyway. Too much special attention going on here.

Get the kids to sit down to eat breakfast together. NO TELLY till after this. He has to sit down too, whether he eats or not. His choice.

No extra snacks to make up for things. Hungry? He should have eaten.

No extra fuss and attention for not eating. Saying he's hungry on the way to school? "Tough" would be my response to moans.

With three kids all extra attention from mum is worth getting I would think! He's got you in a groove now fussing around him and running your morning and menu plan round him. Just make sure thare's stuff he will eat (this does not translate as top favourite, btw, just a normal range of items) that requires little effort on your part and won't spoil if kept. Then step back about it. If he doesn't eat till snack time it's not the end of the world.

Oh and make sure your other kids get a word of praise for eating up. Otherwise they'll be joining in the no breakfast routine in the morning too so they can get noticed as well, argh!

pmsl! i usually say " no sympathy, you had a chance to have something to eat earlier and its too late now"

kazmeister

Hi nuttybabe

I do sympathise with you as I know how it feels, you want to do the best for them but they dont want to go along with it and it ends up a battle ground (well it does in this house!!)

I would give my son a choice, he can either have whatever is being eaten at breakfast that day or he can choose to have a muffin or breakfast bar on the way to school if he feels happier with that.

I make breakfast muffins which are delicious and nutricious and will see him through the morning (might need to reduce the spice for younger children) and breakfast bars.

Recipes below

BreakfastMuffins. Just dont tell the kids whats in them.

Oven 180C
175g SR flour
50g porridge oats
140g light muscavado sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
175g stoned prunes chopped up really small
85g pecans
6tbsp sunflower oil
1 egg
150g natural yoghurt
1 tsp vanilla essence
2tbsp milk

Tip all dry ingredients into a bowl and mix.
Beat oil, egg, vanilla, yoghurt and milk then very lightly stir into dry ingredients until just mixed.(sometimes use fromage frais or any yoghurt thats OOD in the fridge :rotfl: kids never know!)
Spoon into muffin cases (7 - 10) or more if you use the mini ones
Bake 20 mins or until risen and golden.


Really easy breakfast bars
This was the other one.

Makes 12 Takes 10 mins + 20 mins in oven

Oven 180 (Fan 160)
100g Butter
100g Muscovado Sugar
4 tblsp Golden Syrup
100g pack Pecans
350g unsweetened Muesli
1 medium ripe Banana mashed

• Butter/Line 18 x 28cm tin or 22cm sq
• Melt butter, sugar and syrup on low heat stirring until sugar dissolved. Cool slightly.
• Chop half pecans. Tip muesli, banana and chopped pecans into the pan and stir well.
• Spoon into tin and press down until firmly packed.
• Scatter with the whole nuts and press lightly into mixture.
• Bake 20 mins or until muesli turns dark golden and edges start to crisp.
• Leave to cool in tin.
• Loosen edges and cut into 12 bars.
• Keeps up to 5 days in a tin :rotfl:

Hope this helps
Kaz

MrsCook_2

thriftlady wrote: »

I actually make the packed lunches while I'm cooking the evening meal. I know that will horrify some people but I honestly have never had any complaints from OH or the kids about stale tasting sandwiches. Obviously I put them in the fridge. If I didn't do this I'd never have time to make a good breakfast and OH leaves so early he'd end up making himself a cheese sandwich every day:rolleyes:

Breakfast doesn't have to be traditional breakfast food-it can be anything you like. Leftovers from last night's supper often provide yummy breakfasts.

I do sympathise with your son though, I'm not a breakfast eater really. I make myself eat it because 'it's good for me'. I don't think it makes any difference to how I feel though. That said I'm thankful my kids all love their breakfasts.

i do the packed lunches the night before as well. there are folk who freeze their weekly sandwiches at hte weekend and take a pack out through the week for the day.
it really does count down on the time in the morning. all i have to do is get the four bags lined up and stand back and toss each item in hoping i get the bag!:rotfl:
ds 2 does his own lunch now and again the night before , he is 8 in nov.

CRANKY40

My ds wakes up at 6am, but isn't redy for breakfast until 8am.

I think muffins are a good idea for yours. You can put one in his hand as you leave the house, and he can eat it on the way to school. He can have a drink of water when he gets to school. Scotch pancakes are cheap and easy to make and are also very portable.