eating Ages & Stages

N8S MOM · 07-23-11, 06:57 PM

Nate has never been a big breakfast eater. If he has nowhere to be in the morning, he can go hours without eating anything. This summer has been insane because he's been sleeping in late. Usually he doesn't eat breakfast until 10:30 or 11:00. Then of course that makes for a late lunch. Dinner is usually the same time every night. For example, today he had pancakes at 11:30. It's 4:00 right now and I'm having the hardest time getting him to eat his lunch.

My question is: do you make your children stick to an eating schedule, or do you just let them eat when they're hungry?

3Princes · 07-23-11, 10:18 PM

Meals are, for the most part, served at a specific time. Since I have 3 kids though, we decide what is for each meal. The kids can choose to eat as much (within reason) or as little as they like, but there's no food until the next meal.
Josh is a way bigger breakfast eater than Matthew. Josh will eat everything given to him, and sometiems even ask for more fruit. However, at lunch, Matthew typically eats more.

Patience · 07-24-11, 12:56 AM

In the summer we don't have a real set time nor do we have any set in stone meals.

The kids have been getting up around 8:30 and they have cereal and juice usually then. DD is a big breakfast eater, DS hasn't been as much. He is then WAY more hungry at lunch and I'll usually give him a bit more than DD. He also is a better lunch eater as in eats a wider variety of foods. DD is a string cheese, or cheese sandwich and some fruit and yogurt. That's it.

Dinner is typically between 4-6 depending on when we ate lunch and how much or little we ate.

My two still have a bedtime snack. Something little but they still "need" it. LOL!

N8S MOM · 07-24-11, 05:25 PM

Thanks. I'm hoping once school starts, and we're back on a normal schedule, this eating thing will take care of itself. I've already told him that once school starts, he will need to wake up early enough to have a nutritious breakfast. We are going to start adjusting his sleep schedule this week because he starts school August 10. This week we will be putting him to bed by 8:30 for a week and then the week before school, it'll be the normal 8:00 bedtime. Wish us luck

MrsPook · 07-24-11, 06:53 PM

That sounds like a good plan to me!