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Original poster

quick advice - 9yo wanting to skip breakfast

20 replies

PeaQiwiComHequo · 14/01/2019 08:15

I've always been of the opinion that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

9yo is very in to computer games (Wii & Minecraft) - this is relevant.

He usually gets his own breakfast and eats alone (reading a book usually) while I get ready upstairs. if he has eaten breakfast and got dressed and ready to leave by 8am he is allowed TV or a computer game until it is time to go (8:30)

On Friday when I came down I realised he hadn't eaten breakfast but had faked evidence of breakfast (little bit of milk in the bottom of a bowl) but hadn't eaten. he had forgotten a spoon and there was suspiciously no cereal scattered on table & floor. we had a very serious talk about lying. he had done it so that he could have time on the Wii. at 8:20 he decided he was hungry after all and had a bit of breakfast and all was well.

Today he has refused breakfast again but at least he is being honest about it.

(1) how worried would you be about this?

(2) if he doesn't discover any hunger should I make a packed breakfast to take to school or is it better to let him discover what it's like to have low blood sugar at school?

OP posts:

pinkhorse · 14/01/2019 08:17

Don't let him on the wii etc in the mornings before school. I only let my ds on at the weekend otherwise we'd probably end up in this situation.

JollyGiraffe · 14/01/2019 08:18

He does not need to be playing computer games before school.

If you stop letting him do that, he'll probably eat his breakfast as he is hungry, just thinks computer games are more important. He is clearly too young to make these sorts of decisions for himself, so until that time you need to decide for him.

crumpet · 14/01/2019 08:20

Screens in the morning a big no in this house. Also very clear that rushing a meal to get on the screen/not finishing for same reason simply means that screen time is removed/reduced. And I do follow through each time.

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LovingLola · 14/01/2019 08:21

Can you change your routine so that you can have breakfast with him in the morning?

AnotherOriginalUsername · 14/01/2019 08:24

if he has eaten breakfast and got dressed and ready to leave by 8am he is allowed TV or a computer game until it is time to go (8:30)

But he's not eating breakfast, so no computer or TV

Sirzy · 14/01/2019 08:25

If his only reason for skipping is to play games then I would stop games in the morning or at least go back to the no breakfast/no games

Minniemagoo · 14/01/2019 08:28

Don't schools recommend no screens before school? well ours does anyway.
So I would knock that on the head.
I was ill last year, off work, had an op and was bed bound for 6 weeks etc and dc had to get their own breakfasts (11 and 9) after Dh got them up and then he went to work. They definately ate less, and I got lots of 'not hungry'.
Am better now and up, back to work and they are back to having proper breakfasts with me.
Maybe you need to be up with him. Possibly offer different breakfasts, cereal can be monotonous if the same one every day (DS had scrambled egg on toast this morning).
Could you change around your morning schedule, get up and have breakfast together and then he can read 8-8.30 when you get ready.

heartshapedknob · 14/01/2019 08:30

I would either make breakfast a necessary part of the morning before screens, or rule them out in the morning altogether.

If he’s genuinely not hungry then a banana or yoghurt would do, assuming he’s eaten well at the evening meal he’s not going to faint before break time.

4forkssake · 14/01/2019 08:31

Breakfast on a school morning would be non negotiable in our house. My DS isn't really a breakfast person & at the weekend/hols I'm not too bothered if he just grabs some fruit or a banana when he's hungry, but school days it's toast or porridge. Also no computer games on school mornings.

If you're wanting to use the incentive of getting dressed quickly & watching tv/playing games only if he's ready, maybe you could hide the tv/computer remote until he proves he's eaten his breakfast. No breakfast=no remote.

notangelinajolie · 14/01/2019 08:33

Change your routine so that you eat breakfast together.

fessmess · 14/01/2019 08:33

My two started to not want breakfast at about this age. They're teens now and never eat it. I tried, I really did but they don't want it.

fatpatsthong · 14/01/2019 12:24

Dd2 has never loved breakfast. She has it on school days but only cos we make her.

I would second no screens pre school although am a hypocrite as mine get 10 mins of tv if all done. But dh is a sahp so he can sit down and breakfast with them as I run around getting ready.

Does he like what he has? Dd has discovered a love for Greek yoghurt rather than cereal or toast for example . Could you vary what he had?

DianaPrincessOfThemyscira · 14/01/2019 12:55

Personally I would just tell him you’re taking the wii remote into your room and he is not allowed in the morning. If he still persists with not wanting breakfast I would make sure to have a stack of bananas for eating on the way to school.

Also make sure he’s not just bored with the cereal. My three go through phases - we’re on a Cheerios rotation at the moment but I’m sure soon they’ll refuse to eat them and want porridge or something!

steppemum · 14/01/2019 13:02

I have 3 kids, one is veyr much not a morning person and has always struggled to eat as soon as she got up. If she went by her body clock, she would wake later and be up for at least an hour, if not two before food.

I sort of recognise this as I don't usually eat breakfast until later, and never feel hungry first thing.

So, over the years I have tried lots of different breakfasts for her, including breakfast bars. basiclaly anything that worked. I also offered to give her a roll to take in to eat at playtime, but she refused.

So, if he really does struggle, I woudl say try anything, dd1 ate chocolate croissants through most of her primary years, picked it up as she left the house, and ate it on the way to school.

But it sounds to me as if you have a screens issue, not a breakfast one.
If your rule is - if you are ready then... then enforce it. Proper breakfast eaten, or no screens.
But personally I would lose those screens before school completely

macnab · 14/01/2019 13:21

My two kids are not interested in breakfast most days, I gave up trying to force them or worry about it. They take a packed lunch to school and can eat at their first break. However, they are not allowed screens (TV or computer) at all in the mornings. I would stop the screen time and not worry about breakfast. If he's hungry he'll eat it but lots of people don't like breakfast - it's not necessarily the most important meal of the day!

babysharkah · 14/01/2019 13:23

Personally I wouldnt force the breakfast issue, the most mine are interested in is a small yogurt or a piece of cheese. No chance they be getting computer time before school though.

InAPreviousLife · 14/01/2019 13:33

My eldest has grown increasingly fickle about breakfast and it probably started when she was 9 or 10. I don't push the issue because it just encourages sly behaviour.

However we are a strictly no screens house before school. No phones, no tablets, no TV, no game console. Absolutely nothing.

If they get ready on time and without fuss they can earn an extra 15 minutes of screentime after school but never before.

Maybe a similar approach would work for you PeaQiwiComHequo

Believeitornot · 14/01/2019 13:34

We don’t have computer games before school for this very reason! Ds would claim he wasn’t hungry and also get up earlier than normal.

All games are banned before school now.

Nedzilla · 14/01/2019 14:06

I wouldn't have any games before school. It just encourages them to wake earlier, eat earlier or miss breakfast and then a battle to leave on time.

However I would still be having breakfast with a 9 year old rather than expecting them to sort and eat alone. I think they can make their own breakfast if you like, but an adult should be around to join them or have coffee at least with them. Its time for them to relax with adult, and talk about any issues etc. its a bit miserable eating alone every morning

Macaroonmayhem · 14/01/2019 14:08

No screens in the morning here til everything is done - everything being...

Breakfast
Wash
Teeth
Dressed
Bag packed

Going on anything before everything is done means you lose all screens for the day.

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