Do you make your teen breakfast every day?

[Nopenousername]

Child will turn 13 next month but despite being constantly asked to help out around the house, will only do bare minimum. I had mostly wfh for the last 6 years so always made breakfast, lunch and dinner. I am now looking to change jobs and everything I have applied for so far it’s mainly office/field based. Child is capable of making eggs, sandwiches, simple meals but will not get up early enough to prep own breakfast and lunch. I don’t want them to eat sugary cereal and they insist on eating breakfast such as eggs, halloumi, toast or home made smoothie bowls which takes a lot of time in the morning that soon enough I won’t have (I just have a black coffee myself). Should I insist that they start getting up 20 mins earlier and start making it themselves?

Put the ball in their court. Explain the situation (I won't have time to make your breakfast. No, I wont) and ask them what their plans are.

[If you dont buy sugary cereal, it won't be there for them to eat.]

Of course op. You are not doing a 13 yr old any favours whatsoever by waiting on them hand and foot. I have provided one meal (dinner) a day for my dds since they were about 10 and they get the rest themselves. If you don’t want them to eat sugary cereals (or other junk) the easy solution to that is to not have sugary cereals in the house. At 13, you don’t need to babysit them through insisting they get up 20 mins earlier, you just need to tell them you’re not doing it any more when you start going out to work, and leave them to it.

Obviously a teen should make their own breakfast!

My ‘of course’ was to your second question, not your first!! Which are the opposite so responses could be confusing!

They'll be fine with toast and marmite, peanut butter, whatever. A yogurt, some fruit. There are plenty of options that aren't home-made smoothie bowls. (Why are you doing this routinely? Weekends only as a reward - if you do xyz today, I'll make you fancy breakfast tomorrow.)

My teens rarely had breakfast and they are fully functioning members of society

The demonisation of breakfast cereals on here is crazy. Yeah, if teen is going to start getting up 20-30 minutes early to cook and clean up from their halloumi and eggs then great. But surely a bowl of Weetabix or bran flakes solves most of these problems.

Negotiate your way to a compromise.
Jointly make breakfasts for the freezer each weekend, so they can heat them in the microwave. Experiment with recipes till they find something they like. Gradually withdraw.

We’ve had cooked sausages in the freezer ready for breakfasts, egg burritos, breakfast muffins etc.

A big muffin tin. Line the cups with wrap, sprinkle in breakfast things like ham, tomato etc. Cover with whisked egg and bake.
Tortilla wraps filled with sausage, egg, cheese combinations.

Protein for breakfast is really good- it’s a mood boost. Something to do with serotonin. Mine always had cooked breakfast, but I didn’t always make it.

I stopped making them breakfast and lunch when they were around 9.

I started by putting breakfast stuff out on the table. My 3 DDs always get ready at different speeds and dd1 leaves earlier for different school so it’s not a case of family sit down together for breakfast. I then moved to “help yourself from the cupboards”. We’re up sorting lunches while they do breakfast. They did do their own lunches briefly but it was basically chocolate so I had to take back control. Mind you, breakfast right now is chocolate weetabix or co co pops 🙈 🤣

No, but neither of mine have been keen breakfast eaters, both more likely to walk out the door with a banana. Not great I know!

We do try and enforce breakfast when exams are on, and that I would prepare.

I was making my own breakfast without supervision from about age 8. At 13 I was home alone all day in the holidays and responsible for two of my meals plus snacks and I would cook dinner once a week as well.

The only time I ever got breakfast made for me was my birthday, Christmas or if my mum was in a very good mood 🤣

Lunch can be sorted the night before, or presumably bought at school. Breakfast - explain you will be leaving the house at x time and they need to get themselves ready, and then leave them to it!
Even if you don’t need to, leave the house before they do so you just aren’t around for last minute strops.

Don’t insist they get up at a specific time. Do ask them if they want you to check they are up/buy them an alarm clock etc.

Our teens need to be out the door at 7.30. This would not happen at all (let alone food) without assistance from us—though my husband leads the charge on this. If it was just me I’d have left them to it long ago and would likely have been in serious trouble for them repeatedly missing school. Any days when they do not need to be out early they see to their own food apart from evening meals.

No I have a decent choice of breakfast foods and they decide what they want and sort themselves. I work from home so if they’re at home too I’ll make a quick lunch for us all but if I’m busy they’ll grab something.

the op didn’t talk about weetabix or bran flakes, she spoke about sugary cereals. Which are essentially biscuits. So, yes, obviously the op can purchase non sugary breakfast cereals instead.

Nothing wrong with bananas for breakfast❤️

My ND 13 yo is capable of making breakfast, lunch (and at a push) dinner, and mostly put the dishes in the dishwasher.

Work up to you new routine. Toast is fine for breakfast, a sandwich is fine for lunch. Don't keep cereal in the house if you don't want them to have it.

If your teen runs too late to make their own breakfast for a few days, they'll survive and get themselves organised (eventually!).

I’ve not made breakfast for my DC since they were about 8! DD is 13 and either has a bit of toast, some granola or if she has enough time will prepare overnight oats the day before. DS who is 11 has toast or weetabix. None of this requires my input.

@tiramisugelato I'm the same with my children.... everyone is out at different times so breakfast is self service 😁😁 my eldest (20) will do croissants for everyone at the weekend though ❤️

I tended to make them breakfast before school as they were more likely to eat. In your position, if you don’t think your child will actually get up earlier, you/they could make things in advance like overnight oats, breakfast burritos which can be frozen and then just warmed in the microwave, chia pudding, flapjacks etc.

Yes, because we need to leave at 7.30am and if I didn't, he wouldn't eat anything. I'm not letting him go to school without having eaten. He has wholemeal toast, farm butter, jam/marmalade and fruit. And water.

He cooks in the evening though. Fridays and Saturdays are his evenings to cook.

Mine make own breakfast, and yes, would do eggs and things if desired.

I make them lunch, as im doing mine anyway, so its much more straightforward. They will be on their own for lunch next week tho, as its half term and im working.

My kids fend for themselves for breakfast and lunch and we make a large healthy dinner of which there are usually plenty of leftovers.

It's not unusual for them to have leftover spaghetti Bolognese or lasagne for breakfast.
We are all quite sensitive to blood sugar issues so have come to realise that a decent protein breakfast helps a lot with this.
Other options are usually omelettes or bacon and egg sandwiches.
We do have sugary cereal in with whole milk to go with it.

Teens made their own breakfast and lunches and cooked an evening meal once a week.

If you're having a cooked breakfast then you could share that job too.

DD hardly ever ate breakfast and DS was up after I left the house so I couldn't have cooked breakfast for them if I'd wanted too.