to send my child to bed hungry?

[ladyfirenze]

dts 7 was offered snacks after school of raisins, apple and carrots with a glass of milk. He ate some raisins and turned down everything else. At five thirty he was served a roast dinner consisting of chicken, roast carrots and sweet potatoes, steamed mange tout and gravy. He sloped off for a poo during dinner and left his carrots and potatoes. I didn't push him to finish them, but I did say I thought he should. He's just got out of bed to tell me his tummy is rumbling and he's hungry. I've said he can have a drink of water and have sent him back to bed...... That's right isn't it.....

If your child uncharacteristically got out of bed to tell you they had earrache, you would do something about it. This child has woken up, or cant sleep, because he feels hungry. If it were me I would give him a milky drink and some toast or cereal and then let him go back to bed.

He hasnt been naughty, he hasnt committed any crime.. the poor sod is just hungry!

I agree with everything that ChippingIn said.

Why on earth would you want your child to eat food when they're not hungry and then when they are hungry, or make them clear their plate when they have had enough and then when they are hungry later, tell them they can't have anything to eat because they didn't eat earlier?

I don't get it.

What's the problem with giving him something to eat now? If it becomes a regular occurrence, then leave a banana or a piece of fruit on his bedside table so that he doesn't have to come down in the night.

And as for his twin brother eating all of his snack after school, what difference does that make? One wanted to eat it, the other didn't.

ladyfirenze You're totally right.

This happened to me before. I once gave my DS some food and a few hours later he shat it out and wanted more later in the evening.

I didn't give him any because:

1. I didn't want to;
2. It might have set a precedent with all my kids and;
3. He would have asked for more.

Beside which, he asked for something to eat in the evening when all my kids know I like to settle down with the Dairy Milk and Lambrini.

No, you go on and send him back to bed with a glass of water Hun. That's right, isn't it.

PS. Just like you, our rule is that dinner is served between 5:45 and 5:48 every day. One time, my DS was voiding the last meal and he missed his window of opportunity. Don't kids do the funniest things!

Why are people so fucking weird about feeding their children nowadays?

What to feed them, when to feed them, HOW to friggin feed them? (BLW? WTF?)

How would any of you feel about being forced to try to sleep on a rumbling, empty stomach? This is just weird and obsessive. Offer a slice of bread and butter or a glass of milk for heavens sake.

Presumably the OP will be back complaining the child is exhausted and foul-tempered after school tomorrow, due to lack of sleep?

Children want to eat for all sorts of reasons - not necessarily because they are hungry. In fact sometimes least of all because they're hungry, because quite honestly reading some of the scenarios on this thread, few could be. Unless he'd been swimming, football or whatever in between his final meal and bed, there's no reason he need more to eat.

They eat because they are bored, can't sleep, procrastinating over bedtime - you name it.

My response would be ' the caff is closed, come back tomorrow ' and 'back to bed'.

They sleep, They get up and have a good breakfast. No harm done.

Love love love the comments from all of you puritanical bitches controlled individuals who say that he should have to wait until morning.

Yeah, because none of you ever eat a snack on occasion (which is what the case with this lad) after dinner?

Oh right, you're adults aren't you... so that's ok?

Hypocritical fucking bullies!

oooh. do you know I just re-read and noticed what time he got up at. Ok, offer him a banana, or bread and butter.

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Bamboo - can you see my hula hoops?

No Huw, I only saw the empty packet; just after OPs hungry lad stole them and scarfed them down.

Those undisciplined, greedy late-night eaters!

As I have already said, in my opinion, parents are off - duty to an extent, once the DCs are in bed, barring any illness or emergencies. Nobody here seriously expects to have to do much for their children once they are in bed!

YANBU OP, I wouldn't give my DS food after he had gone to bed, he would be up every night asking! I frequently eat at 6, and manage to survive 4 or 5 hours without food before going to bed. I don't really see the problem with it!

Tutting at all the middle class people thinking 5.30 is too early for tea. 5.30 - 6 is normal for tea, eating dinner at 9 is just creepy.

Highfives Lapsed Pacifist and DamnBamboo!

The OP is wronger than a wrong thing, not to offer something (bread, cereal, whatever) when her son is awake several hours after bedtime and stating he is hungry.

Well, the OP will have the answer seeing as he got up hungry and was given a glass of water 2 hours ago...did he go back to sleep? Or keep asking for more food? If he went back to sleep on the glass of water, I'd suggest he wasn't hungry in the first place.

Parents are never off duty Rainbow

Dear god!

You sound positively Victorian to expect your child to go to bed hungry, clear their plate when they're not hungry.
In any case 5.30 is too early for the last meal.Give him some supper!!

feck feck feck. Bamboo is in my house....

Huw

Dinner at 9 is creepy? Has anyone told continental Europe? And creepy in what respect? Are we dining on slugs, and snails and puppy dog tails?

would you deny yourself something if you were hungry (unless watching weight, even then can have a low fat snack)

i think giving him a piece of toast and some milk would have been fine, its been a few hours since dinner

" I disagree that it's not an issue, as the OP has done more than enough for her DC today, so why should she have to do anything else once they're in bed?"

What a completely should destroying, depressing message.

Oh gosh, all the arguments for giving him something here are completely mad.

Comparing hunger with earrache? I'm sorry but they are completely different things. He is not ill! He is not going to need emergency treatment as a result of his rumbling tum, believe it or not!

Comparing it with an adult snacking in the evening. An adult is awake in the evening for several hours after children go to bed usually - so therefore more likely to snack. Most adults do not get out of bed all through the night to graze and eating is usually done iin the day! If an adult is also in bed by 7pm then, no I doubt they would be snacking after a 5:30pm dinner either.

And, as for being hypocritical bullies DamnBamboo - I hope you don't set your children any rules or bedtimes, bathtimes etc unless you follow suit too! I also hope you don't mind your children having as poor language as you do and being unable to express themselves properly without using such extremeties, because we can't have you being a hypocritical bully too can we!

And by the way - I suggested OP did allow the child to have something to eat. But I don't need to find an excuse as to why she should. It's more a case of feeling a bit sorry for him and purely stating what I'd do in the same situation. There's no other reason so I don't know why people have to pick and find some extreme problem with something so simple.

Bamboo, we all value our evenings/free time, don't we? None of us like to be disturbed without a good reason once the kids are in bed. Anyone who says otherwise is not being truthful.

For gods sake he normally goes out like a light at 6.30 he was still awake at 8.30 asking for food , likely he will be asleep now as he will be exhausted doesn't mean he wasn't genuinely hungry earlier.

O.k. hands up.

How many of you -eat a relatively low complex carb dinner, which is what the OP gave her boy and which for many reasons, including calorie content, I raise my eyebrows to-- don't have a cup of tea, maybe a biscuit, a piece of fruit, a rummage in the fridge which results in a small piece of cheese, left over meal from earlier, a mouthful of yoghurt?

How many of you routinely dont' eat a thing from 5:30 until breakfast?