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Original poster

Solution for preventing DD helping herself to food

193 replies

Munder · 04/05/2019 18:51

She is clearly helping herself to food and eating it in secret. She's been getting noticibly bigger too :(

How do I fix this?

I'm considering locks for one of our cupboards in the kitchen.

She is allowed and snack when she comes home from school but her dad needs to go back to work in the office upstairs so can't monitor the kitchen all the time.

Help!

OP posts:

Baloonphobia · 04/05/2019 20:05

Not sure you can expect her to embrase exercise if you don't.

Baloonphobia · 04/05/2019 20:05

Aggh, embrace not embrase!

endofthelinefinally · 04/05/2019 20:06

Is DH's work time sensitive?
I used to get home around the same time as DC but then spend a couple of hours later on finishing admin, updating stuff on my lap top etc. As long as it all got done before midnight.

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Families

SolitudeAtAltitude · 04/05/2019 20:06

I had this problem at primary.

It was solved by giving kids a nice sandwich (2 slices of bread, cooked chicken, lettuce, mayo, or just a ham or jam sandwich) straight out of school (on a plate in the kitchen under clingfilm)

They were really hungry at 4pm. Then we'd have dinner at 7.

Still do this sometimes.

School lunches are tiny imo

Also: just don't get too many unhealthy snacks in.

foreverhomefornow · 04/05/2019 20:10

School lunches are really tiny. I work in a school and often feel kids must be starving on the amount they get. Especially if they refuse the veg or don't like the pudding option and get a few grapes.

We usually do a snack at 3.30 which is a banana and a treat, so something like a biscuit or a cracker and cheese, muffin I've baked etc

Then they can manage til dinner time at 530

If I left them alone they would eat the cupboards bare tho!!

OhTheRoses · 04/05/2019 20:12

Mine had a snack platter: strawberries, fromage fraise, baby bel, cherry toms and variations of that.

They then had supper at 6pm. Not massive meals. DD was 90th centile btw and slimmed down at about 13.

SleepingStandingUp · 04/05/2019 20:17

I don't do any exercise. We've no time in the evenings
So weekends? You say you work shifts but presume you or DH have them over the weekend so fany walks, swimming as a family, cycling.
Depending on income soft play (the larger ones so she can go round the big stuff and toddler can go in the baby bit), trampolining etc.

She needs to learn from example.

How does she get to school?

What do breakfast and dinner consist of?

BookwormMe2 · 04/05/2019 20:17

It sounds like she's definitely overeating because of boredom and not being supervised. If you don't want to send her to clubs, can your DH not oversee playdates with friends after school? At her age they can be left to play alone pretty much. But agree with other PP - she needs a more substantial, healthier snack than she's currently feeding herself. It would take your DH a few minutes to knock up a plate of pitta bread and hummus for example - he can't be so busy with calls he can't do that?

AGoodWench · 04/05/2019 20:18

My kids complained about plenty of meals, yes it would get us down. You have my sympathies!

They would also eat sweets and snacks in preference to quality food then again I'd do this myself too but I know how I feel afterwards. (Even so if I'm hungry and it's available I'd eat chocolate instead and I'm 50 so really old enough to know better !)

Putting the less favoured food in front of them when they are hungry can head off these issues. It takes changes in forward planning. If her dad has something savoury like soup on hand or a boiled egg, together with a plate of fruit that can keep her going till tea time. Or she could have an early tea if it's possible, say if it's a casserole.

Ditch the unsatisfying snacks.

Kpo58 · 04/05/2019 20:20

I think that you need to find out why she is snacking so much before you can decide what to do about it.

Is she doing it because she's hungry?
If so then dinner earlier

Is she doing it because she's bored?
If so she needs something to distract her

Is she comfort eating because of stress/anxiety/friends issues?

reefedsail · 04/05/2019 20:21

There are plenty of activities for 8yos in the 'after work' slot. DH and I are full time senior teachers. Between us, we get DS to sport Mon 7-8pm, Wed 6.30-7.30am, Thurs 7-8pm, Fri 7-9pm, most of the day Saturday (different, time consuming hobby) and Sun 9.30- 10.30am.

None of this happens during the '9-5'

EducatingArti · 04/05/2019 20:23

She may be feeling lonely in that hour and comfort eating. Eight is quite young to manage on your own if you know that you mustn't disturb the adult in the house unless it is an emergency.

Boopeedoop · 04/05/2019 20:25

We used to have a treat tub. It had 7 treats in it. I let them control when they ate the treats, all on one day, one a day, whatever. They knew though that no other treats were available that week, until next top up day. No other treats were available in the house.
It's amazing how quick they learned to self regulate.

jellyfish70 · 04/05/2019 20:44

Maybe she could be upstairs neat your DH. Then he can keep half an eye on her. get lots of books etc that keep her busy.

jellyfish70 · 04/05/2019 20:44

next to

CIT80 · 04/05/2019 20:50

I would say she is hungry ! Mine always come home starving and always eat twice - either snack straight after school at 3:30-4 and then dinner 6-6:30 or dinner at 4 then snack around 7.
Just need to get her moving more or changing the snacks

Tidy2018 · 04/05/2019 20:52

Can you afford afterschool care rather than sports clubs? Mine are 8 and 10 and love it, and beg to be left until the end of the session. They are busy and active, with only ten minute slots on a video game. Rest of the time playing, and running about outside in good weather.

They seem to be hungry every two to three hours. Age 8 and 10. Breakfast over by 8, playpiece around 10.15, couple of hours later school lunch. 3.30 ASC provides fruit, crackers or similar. Into car about 5.30 with fruit or biscuit or small sandwich. Tea around 6.15 with tv. Then homework. Natural yogurt and berries about 8pm. Drink only water at home except for breakfast fruit juice. I think a tiny carton of milk at school.

I think it must be hard for her to be left alone when she gets in from school, even if it is for the best of reasons.

Ohyesiam · 04/05/2019 20:55

Limit her screen time to an hour a day

HavelockVetinari · 04/05/2019 20:58

She's on her own downstairs, dad is upstairs in the office. He works from home. He's on calls with colleague's a lot.

That's not acceptable for an 8 year old. She needs some kind of supervision and interaction after school.

Yes, do lock away snacks - but also think about better supervision. Can you find a local childminder?

Original poster

Munder · 04/05/2019 20:58

So yeh I get that 100 calorie snacks are far from filling. Let's say you eat an apple, you're not going to want another. Takes time to eat too. Whereas a 100 calorie blue riband (recommended on the program) is mostly fresh air and will leave you wanting more.

I don't know how much she weighs. She wears age nine clothes. She always has worn a year older than her age. She's taller than average also.

But the age nine t shirts for example look a bit nippit. Her little vest tops too, look like they are cutting in.

We will look to providing more healthy snacks. We always have bananas (she doesn't like these) satsumas, apples and kiwis as a fruit staple.

I've got sliced watermelon on the go also. She will eat fruit and veg but obviously if given they choice, refuses fruit.

OP posts:

Boopeedoop · 04/05/2019 21:02

You are giving her high sugar snacks. She would be better off with protein based snacks where possible. But also, she will probably get "puppy fat" as she's coming up to puberty age.

an1997 · 04/05/2019 21:02

Is there any chance she could go to a childminder until you are both finished working? This way she can only have the snacks you provide for her and she won't be alone or bored as she'll make friends and have things to do

titchy · 04/05/2019 21:05

I don't know how much she weighs.

So how do you know she's on the 90th centile then?

CountFosco · 04/05/2019 21:21

I think at age 8 I'd not worry about diets but encourage more movement/exercise (and that requires you to set a good example too) but also talk about healthy snacks and 5 a day. My kids are 11, 9 and 6. They come in from school starving and I encourage them to eat savoury snacks that take some time to prepare or fruit (we get through tons) so yes, there's lots eaten when they first come in but we don't routinely have biscuits or chocolate in the house. We eat tea late so not worried if they have a sandwich at 4pm. But my kids do a ton of exercise, e.g. the eldest has an activity monitor and she averages nearly 20000 steps a day and swims 3h a week on top of that. So, e.g. today she was playing a football match in the morning, then after lunch we walked into town (where she ate a burger at the food festival!), when we got home she played football in the garden for a bit. She'll be doing 2h swimming tomorrow plus whatever walking and playing she does.

DH cycles to work so get his exercise that way and I swim before work and do yoga at the weekends so the kids are aware we fit exercise into every day.

englishdictionary · 04/05/2019 21:21

She's on the 90th centile.

I don't know how much she weighs.

How does this work then?

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