Breakfast time chaos - what do you do?

[LaLoose]

Hello everyone,

My DTs are now 19 months old and, despite what you might expect, I still can't nail breakfast time. Here are my problems:

1. The playroom (where they are pre-breakfast) is two floors up from the kitchen and dining room (where their highchairs live).
   
2. The kitchen is not within sight of the dining room and said highchairs. There is nowhere in the (very small) kitchen to feed them.
   Therefore, I can't help spoon in cereal and fruit (and watch for spillage), then serve toast etc, without leaving them unattended while I make the toast etc. This is bad for so many reasons, first of which is that they can climb out of their highchairs. So they come with me to the kitchen while I make toast etc, while trying to raid the kitchen cupboards. The whole process involves much screaming, near-A&E experiences, and takes about 45 minutes. So, what do you do? Talk me through the logistics of your morning routine, please - I need help!

[LaLoose]

Thanks for this, but if they are presented with a smorgasbord of different courses (ie cereal and toast both on the table simultaneously) they a) won't eat the 'good' stuff (fruit, milk) and b) get confused by the choice and end up not eating anything at all. I've always had to hide elements of other meals behind the furniture. But I can't do it with toast, as they also won't eat cold toast(!)

[Egg]

Oh god it's bad enough when the table is the kitchen! I do find I never get to sit down and eat my own breakfast as I am always getting up and down to get juice/toast/more cereal etc etc. If they can get out of their highchairs and it is dangerous for them to do so, probably best to move them out of the highchairs to avoid an accident (we have Tripp Trapp ones so just took the baby bit off the front so they could get up and down easily without killing themselves in the process).

I think it sounds like your easiest option is to serve the cereal/fruit etc, everyone finishes this, then they come with you to the kitchen while you do toast, and you invest in some cupboard locks...

[accessorizequeen]

oh god,sounds a nightmare! I have similar problem in that my kitchen is not within sight of my dining room so I spend all my time whizzing between the two. My two have just turned 2, they can't get of their highchairs yet (not far off, they preferred to do cots first).

In your position, don't make toast and give them cereal they can feed themselves. Like mini oatibix with small amount of milk so can't get too soggy etc. Set the table the night before with bowls, spoons, cereal boxes etc. Get the milk, take them in the dining room. If they need something else to eat, have fruit cut up in the fridge and take it along with the milk. I keep cups(beakers whatever) in the dining room along with a jug of water because I have 4 kids and I got sick of going back and forth. The aim is to avoid them being in the kitchen whilst you're preparing food, at least for this meal, or leaving them to escape the highchairs. Do their highchairs have trays btw? If they do, and you can take the trays off and move them in front of the table, prob. a good time to do it. Pretty sure I did that at 19/20 mo as they were getting more independent.
I hate hate hate doing anything in the kitchen with them, it's the size of a postage stamp and they always pull a drawer open against my knees whilst simultaneously screaming for food. Argh. Can't wait to move house.
In our house we have toast mid-morning, when everyone's happily playing in the living room with stairgate shut.
Hope things work out.

[kickarsequeensbonfireburnup]

I'm with accesorizequeen on this one, Always prep the night before, cereal only and toast later if needed. use trays to transport the food and Never forget your cup of coffee!

Good Luck!

[OpheliaBumps]

I have a separate kitchen and dining room too, it's a pain, but I do have a couple of tips.

I have one cupboard without a child lock on it, all the light pans/tupperware/sieves etc go in there so they can empty it to their heart's content while I prepare the food. Every other cupboard has a child lock, so I know they can't poison/concuss themselves while I'm busy cooking.

Mine have cereal with banana for breakfast, and toast an hour later (this is their nursery routine, and I have adopted it on non-nursery days). Some days they have toast as a lounge picnic (on a rug to catch crumbs), some days they go in their highchairs.
If I need to leave the room during breakfast I slap some banana slices on their tray to keep them busy.

I use lidded pots for pudding - so I can put it on the table while they're eating their main course. That way they can't see what it is and then refuse to eat their main course

[LaLoose]

These are all brilliant - thank you! I can now see a way forward!

[1stMrsF]

Definitely they need to be feeding themselves (AQ there's not a day goes by that I don't thank the Lord that I did BLW and you were very encouraging at the time - thank you!) I go in and out of the kitchen/dining room while they are eating to get more food etc. and they don't try to climb out/throw things/gouge each other's eyes out if they are focussed on eating. Try Shreddies and mini shredded wheat as well as mini weetabix. I also have them up at the table.

Mine are spoon feeding themselves now (from 17/18m.) The cleaning up is absolute hell for a few weeks as they drop everything, but they get the hang of it very quickly and porridge or ready brek (mix with yoghurt to make fruity and creamy) is a great texture for learning. When they are screaming for food I give them a bowl of fruit (something like chopped banana, or clemantine segments, or berries or melon cubes or a combo) and then go make the cereal.

It's better now, but I did used to prep everything on a tray the night before and it was really helpful at the time.