Breakfast

[Three0fivepointfour]

I’d appreciate any ideas for reakfast for a 13 year old who finds it difficult to get going in the morning.

She finds it really difficult to get eat first thing so I started buying breakfast bars of various sorts. She’ll also eat Greak yougurt with fruit. She’ll drink a glass of fruit juice. School say they’re not a proper breakfast.

What IS a proper breakfast that’s also realistic for a child who doesn’t get a break until 11am?

If she likes yoghurt and those bars, maybe Bircher muesli pots/pot of granola with yoghurt on top? You can prep them on weekend or night before, as small a serving as she wants, or even buy them and she can take those to school to eat a bit later.

My dd had school anxiety. Its hard to deal with and schools are often unsupportive.
Fruit, yogurt and a cereal bar seem like a decent breakfast. School should definitely not be making up reasons why she's ill.
I would take her to the doctors as a first step. There's no easy answers though

My 12 yr old has a chocolate pancake or yogurt plus a glass of fruit juice and a vitamin tablet.

I cannot get him to eat anything else at all.

Thank you all, and a big thank you to you Janaih.

My breakfasts aren’t as rubbish as I thought and I’m hungry now!

There is no easy answer and this has been a long process already. The transfer to secondary was always going to be an issue and covid didn’t help. I think we’ve chosen the wrong school but it is what it is. For now.

My lot aren't really breakfast eaters, not since they were 6/7 really. Some kids (and adults) just don't need much in a morning. I'd let her have whatever breakfasty-type food she fancies tbh. I always have croissants/fruit/yoghurt in the house so if someone's hungry when they get up that's likely what they'll grab.

It’s awful trying to eat something when you have anxiety that makes you have nausea. Your poor DD!

Could you try something like a smoothie with chia seeds etc and some complan (for nutrients)? And maybe some ginger tea if she feels like it? Also if she starts feeling sick at school, could she have a ginger sweet, which also is a little sugar boost (I have some from H&B).

I would build on the yoghurt and fruit idea. There's nothing wrong with that but make sure it is full fat Greek yogurt as the full fat version will make her feel fuller for longer. Also try adding a sprinkle of nuts and seeds for added protein which will also help her feel fuller for longer.

@Three0fivepointfour

Thank you all, and a big thank you to you Janaih.

My breakfasts aren’t as rubbish as I thought and I’m hungry now!

There is no easy answer and this has been a long process already. The transfer to secondary was always going to be an issue and covid didn’t help. I think we’ve chosen the wrong school but it is what it is. For now.

Not many weeks of term left now thank goodness. You could chat to her about potentially trying another school?

Ah I sympathise. I was very similar at that age. How about added a big tablespoon of toasted seeds to the full fat yoghurt? Or how about overnight oats again with seeds sprinkled on them just before she eats? My eldest loves this. He’s not a massive breakfast fan but he HAS to eat as he’s super sporty and does a ton of physical stuff everyday does NOT take after me

Op my youngest is like this and never liked breakfast much she will however frink a smoothie. So we did banana chia seeds oats and some frozen berries and thst set her up for the day well. Her secondary school never minded this.. would that be a possibility

Greek yougurt with fruit isn't a bad breakfast at all. Like a pp, I'd suggest maybe adding toasted seeds/nuts for bulk, flavour and a bit more fat and protein. I think you need a proper meeting with school to talk about this in the context of her anxiety problem, so they can support her better. They sound a bit clueless and I think they need a kick up the arse about it.

Hi OP, I am sorry your daughter is going through this. My daughter is in year eight and suffers from anxiety quite badly, she sometimes has panic attacks and tics. Her school have been amazing and have put in place a variety of adjustments for her to support her to be at school a much as possible (her sickness absence is high but slowly improving). These steps have allowed her to be more confident about going to school and staying at school, because she knows she has options whilst she is there if her anxiety becomes bad. So a supportive school can make a real difference. I am sorry to hear your daughter's school aren't being very helpful and think your idea to possibly move your daughter is a good one if there is a better option for her. Sending sympathy, it's really hard!

Mine has coco pops on school days. It's crap but it's something at least and she does have it with organic milk.
She struggles at school too and I want her to have a calm start.

Thanks so much all. It’s exhausting for her and it would be nice to feel
like I was pushing at an open door.

I think you’re right. Breakfast isn’t the problem. I’ll try some of the suggestions but thinking about it I’ve tried some and we’ve settled on what works. I’ll try some again.

@Kracken would you mind if I pm you? It would be great to hear about what strategies have been put in place for your daughter. The school seem to think they’ve done their bit but they’ve a reputation for poor pastoral care and I can now see why. I really don’t want to move her and it’s obviously not as easy as that but it’s something we will always consider.

Have you thought about batch cooking/ freezing some oaty pancakes? My DD loves these and are tasty but also filling. Quick to warm and serve up from the freezer. I use a basic pancake recipe and add whole rolled oats (soaked overnight in milk to soften). A handful of blueberries, squashy banana or raisins make them extra nice too

I always hated breakfast as a child and teenager. My mum would try and feed me all sorts of rubbish in the effort to get me to eat something so your daughter’s choices are absolutely fine. I managed straight As GSCE and A level on those rubbish breakfasts too. I remember me and my friend both going through a phase of feeling sick in the mornings during teenage years so I think a sicky anxious feeling is common and maybe she can be reassured by that. Once you know a feeling is normal and ok sometimes it improves. Wishing you both well.

How about a plain and simple banana? It's something she could eat slowly on the way to school. The sugar in it might help. I'm not a breakfast eater either so my sympathy to her for this nonsense on top of anxiety.

Having seen first hand my brothers SD suffering from anxiety and how awfully equipped her school were about it, I just want you to know others go through this too and you’re not alone.

General message from school is “suck it up” “other kids have to deal with it” worded in a very polite “sympathetic” way.

Chunks of apple, dunked in peanut butter and dusted with cinnamon is a new breakfast in our house.

She was so angry with me when she got in from school. She was also angry at the staff member who rubbished her “breakfast choice”. It’s tough being a teen! I wouldn’t surprise me if hormones play a part in her feeling nauseous.

I chased up the GP and we’ve an appointment. I went and bought lots of your suggested breakfast type foods to tempt her. I love breakfast foods but can’t bear them first thing so I feel her pain.

I’m sorry for all the children going through anxiety.

@WorraLiberty

Why does she have to eat breakfast if she's not hungry?

That makes no sense.

I haven't eaten breakfast since I was about 11 or 12 years old. I'm 52 now and still can't eat it.

She should learn to feed herself by hunger, not by the clock.

Absolutely @WorraLiberty

That’s nature doing it’s thing. She will live longer.

Now a bit of scrambled egg with a couple of anchovies laid over, a thin slice of toast, a glass of grapefruit juice, then one is always ready to rock.

Bless her and bless you, that sounds so hard.

I had a breakfast suggestion if still appropriate. Meant to be like a version of a McMuffin but you line a cupcake tin with ham (I use cheap smoked salmon as I don't eat ham), crack egg in and bake for 10 mins. Cool then chuck in the fridge to be grabbed. Good protein hit and no effort plus do keep for a few days. Can eat as walking to school.

I find when my anxiety is high I search for the dopamine hit of sugary carbs which can turn into a bit of a cycle and I get blood sugar dips alongside the anxiety. Protein and fats don't have the same impact.

She’s sobbing. She’ll be so tired tomorrow. She’s in pain. She doesn’t want to move schools as she’d still feel ill but it would all be new.

I’m going to have to re-group and plan my strategy. You can’t have kids with a disability sobbing themselves to sleep because school staff think they can solve it by porridge.

Family of teachers so not teacher bashing. Just this school which has some amazing aspects to it. Apparently.

Greek yogurt IS protein and fat so it’s the perfect food!