Unfussy child will not eat breakfast

Bronnie

Will he drink a milky drink, hot chocolate or similar? It really wouldn't merit a big deal to me, there's more to do in the mornings than fret about kids 'formally' having breakfast.

A banana / home-made flapjack / bit of toast in his hand on the way to school would be fine. As long as he's got something wholesome in his tummy to start the school day.

ricardido

I would probably start small.. offer small pieces of food and build it up.

By forcing the issue you could create a distinct fear or dislike or eating early in the morning - which you dont want!

RachelW1987

My OH never eats breakfast. He has something at about 11 o'clock but it has to be muffins/soda farls/bacon and egg sandwich or something like that.

He says he feels sick if he eats to early. Onlytime he eats cereal is for supper (he's a strange one)

Maybe your wee one is the same. Don't know what to suggest, maybe when he gets a bit older he'll decide he wants to have some breakfast. Boys are awkward souls lol

tessasmum

Just to add my thoughts briefly - I have a DD who eats little all day - hardly anything in the morning, a small lunch, and then she will eat several snacks and a proper meal in the evening, and then sometimes something just before bed. She's fit and healthy and comes to no harm on this regime - of her own making. I just make sure that she eats plenty of fruit and veg instead of crisps and biscuits as snacks. Good luck!

paulwf

nuttybabe wrote: »

Hi All

I want him to eat breakfast because it will help him concentrate in school

This message gets perpetuated by cereal companies in their endless TV advertising and also in "news" articles that are usually based on surveys by...you guessed it, cereal companies. If you are used to eating breakfast every day then going without will make you irritable, but for me breakfast makes me feel sick and sluggish. Breakfast doesn't have to be a big deal, let him have some if he wants and if he doesn't put loads of snacks such as raisins in his lunch box so he can grab them when he is hungry.

flippin36

My son is a bit the same. It takes him a while to come round and get an appetite. At the weekend it can be 10am before he's eaten his breakfast. I talked to school and they let him have a little snack later, when he's ready (thankfully they are understanding). I'm sure your son is not the only child. I know its hard not to worry, its in our nature to nourish our kids.

My sister never ate breakfast as a kid, and even now (at 40) she doesn't eat a thing til lunch and she's quite healthy.

Hope that helps a little

ubamother

My boy at 5 didn't recognise hunger pangs for what they were - had instant physical tantrums that came out of the blue instead of simply saying I'm hungry! Had all sorts of medical checks before we worked it out as the tantrums were potential very self-harming. Happiest 9 year old alive as long as foodstuff is regularly introduced to his stomach! Perhaps he isn't recognising hunger immediately, but sitting with food in front of him starts the hunger process off so by the time everyone's done and he's had nothing he is recognising hunger and telling you so! While I'm a big fan of positive rewards and behaviour modification do make sure he is actually hungry when you need him to me - would feeding him his last evening food half an hour earlier help make him wake up hungry?

nuttybabe

Hi all

Thank you so much for your replys. Just to let you know this has been going on since he started nursery when he was 3. (he is 5 now).

I have tried rewards but that just upset him that he wasnt getting any,sticker charts had the same response no matter how many weeks we did it, timer but when the time is up he just grabs his bowl when I try to and everything spills.

So at the moment I let him choose his breakfast and got him up earlier today and even though he did eat it, it took a while and I had to keep nagging him to eat it. We all sit down together with no tv or radio. If he doesnt eat his breakfast he gets nothing until lunch (except he gets a morning snack at school).

So as getting up earlier didnt work I am going to give him a choice ofbreakfast at the table or something when we leave. And on weekends I will let him wake up a bit before making his breakfast and do something different like the eggs and he can make his own egg cups (great idea).

And I will definatly make the breakfast muffins and bars. Even if just for me.

I will also make lunches the day before (and nottell dh until he notices!!!)

Thanks again everyone, I really do appreciate all the replys.

sal

the_cat

Have you tried making him a smoothie?

Yogurt, banana, a little fruit juice and any other fruit (berries?) you fancy

I am like him, in that I struggle to eat until I have been up for an hour or two but find on days when I have to be up and out early a 'breakfast drink' is more palatable

PollyFlinders_3

Having 2 dds with similar breakfast avoidance tactics (now 10 and 5) I really sympathise. My 10 year old can't eat within an hour of waking - so I make sure she's up by 7.00am to give her time to eat before school. The younger one wakes up and asks for breakfast everyday, then sits and stares at it. Drives me insane!

The things that work for us are allowing cereal without milk, accepting that a fromage frais and banana are an adequate breakfast (they are if they're getting a snack mid morning) and loosening up a bit on what is a "suitable" breakfast. I don't allow crisps, sweets or biscuits for breakfast, but other than that anything is OK. My older one loves sausage and beans in a tin or scotch pancakes (really quick to make) and the younger one will happily eat sliced meat, a handful of raisins or a bowl of stewed fruit.

Just one other thought - neither of mine like butter and complain it gives them tummyache in the mornings, so on the few occasions they will eat toast they just have jam on dry toast.

Hope you find something that works for you.