Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Eat the damn Crumpet

85 replies

Paddleslowly · 29/01/2015 08:29

My ds is a very fussy eater and I'm at my wits end with it. Now that he's in year 7 he doesn't want breakfast at home but wants a cake at the school cafe in the morning. He has gone from "I don't like milk" on his breakfast to "I don't like Rice Krispies" and any other cereal you name it I have brought it. The box goes into the bin as he takes one mouthful and doesn't like it.
So I reach a compromise and ask what would you like. "Urm I like crumpets n Nutella" great I say so I buy them and he is fine. But this morning he created a drama "I don't like crumpets" and proceeded to take 15 minutes to eat half of it! Apparently he doesn't like the make of the crumpet, don't know why as I but the same packet.
I really don't like him to leave the house without some sort of breakfast in him. For a treat once a month I have said he can go to the cafe but I'm not happy about it. What can I do it's so frustrating I just would like him to eat the crumpet no drama

OP posts:
Original poster
Paddleslowly · 29/01/2015 13:26

Coming thru your letter wrapped up nicely! Think I might just leave him to get on with it. At least I know that I have done all I can to help him have breakfast. It's just the Friday kfc battle I need to deal with

OP posts:
SteamTrainsRealAleandOpenFires · 29/01/2015 21:57

Tell him what's available for breakfast, if he doesn't eat, then tough he goes without.

MiddleAgedandConfused · 29/01/2015 22:18

Much as every mum hates the screen based addiction our kids have, removal is a fantastic disciplinary wotsit.

Bad attitude = removal of screen.

FightOrFlight · 29/01/2015 22:31

Tell him to get his own breakfast. He's 12 so should be capable of toasting a crumpet by now. If he decides not to eat then that's his choice, don't get into a battle with him - you already know he's yanking your chain.

Is the Friday KFC battle because you can't afford it?

If Social Services get in touch again ask for a referral to Dietetics.

PUGaLUGS · 29/01/2015 22:37

Am sorry but you are just going to have to leave him to it.

I have two teens - one nearly 18 and one 15. I also work in a secondary school.

You are pandering to him, he is old enough at 12 to sort himself out.

FamiliesShareGerms · 29/01/2015 22:45

Were they Warburtons crumpets? They're grim (and I love a crumpet!!)

kwerty · 29/01/2015 23:01

If you can afford it, I wouldn't stress about the KFC on a Friday. We had pizza every Friday for years in our house as it was quick and tasty and allowed everyone to eat and run to their various orchestras, cadets etc. Once a week is fine.

Noodledoodledoo · 29/01/2015 23:13

Could you use theKFC as a reward 5 days of something eaten no fuss before school then a KFC in a Friday?

SallySolomon · 29/01/2015 23:41

paddleslowly you could be me! I've got an 11 yr old ds who has always been a fantastic breakfast eater, but lately it's a struggle to get him to eat breakfast some mornings.
We've always got loads of choices - from toast, porridge, 2 or 3 different types of cereal, fruit, yogurts, to crumpets.
Some mornings I'm nagging the hell out of him to get something to eat before he sets off.
He'll eat something, but with reluctance. I always put a cereal bar/occasional bag of crisps or piece of fruit (something easy to transport) in his bag for break as he says he's hungry by breaktime. Can you do that?
I let him have money to take to the cafe once a week too for a bagel or bacon roll or whatever he fancies.

musicalendorphins2 · 30/01/2015 04:40

Can you make friend chicken at home yourself, to encourage him eating? If you google kfc recipe, thee are quite a few. Try an oven baked one perhaps (my mother used to make it that way and it was really good), and maybe he can even help prepare it. Good luck! Oh, I am not sure if you only offer typical breakfast foods for breakfast, but I would allow him to eat anything he liked for breakfast. Does he like leftover baked potatoes sliced then fried up with onions and a little seasoning?

ScrambledEggAndToast · 30/01/2015 06:11

My year 7 son refuses to eat breakfast. He always used to get it at my mum's or breakfast club when at primary school so have never had this problem before. Now, after a couple weeks of tantrums at the beginning of the year, I just don't bother. He has a large lunch with two rounds of sandwiches and can have one of those if he is hungry by the time he's cycled to school.

NeedABumChange · 30/01/2015 07:15

Why are you making breakfast for a 12 year old? Surely he can toast his own crumpets?

FrancesNiadova · 30/01/2015 07:30

How about a chat with the school nurse?
You can get her number from the school or the GP' s surgery.

(FWIW, my yr 8 is a brat with breakfast, crumpets have to be toasted just so & he'll also eat Aldi waffles with honey drizzled on Blush )

stormtreader · 30/01/2015 14:22

can you take a video recording of a few mornings worth of him being offered breakfast and refusing it? Youve got evidence then if SS do get involved again.

Purplepoodle · 30/01/2015 16:04

Could u compromise with him and day he eats something for breakfast everyday then u can have KFC treat day on a Friday.

landrover · 30/01/2015 16:47

Another compromise would be to say that he could have the cake at the school cafe (funded out of his free school dinners?) if he ate a reasonable breakfast?

IHaveBrilloHair · 30/01/2015 16:50

My 13yr old may or may not eat breakfadt, it's entirely up to her, I never do.
Leave him be.

BigBlackCatLady · 30/01/2015 16:50

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

FurryDogMother · 30/01/2015 16:57

Could you take him shopping for his own breakfast? Give him £5 a week (or better still the £10 top up money), and get him to choose what he wants at the supermarket. It'll start him off learning how to budget, becoming aware of prices, all sorts of good stuff - plus of course then he can't turn round and tell you you got the 'wrong sort of crumpet' :)

landrover · 30/01/2015 17:00

Furrydog, what a good idea!

Golightly133 · 30/01/2015 17:02

Had this with my daughter with evening meals bought complan if she didn't eat lunch/dinner I made complan. It worked she hated the taste of complan and it took all the discussion out of mealtime much more relaxed now Smile

BananaramaLlama · 30/01/2015 17:08

Why does he not eat lunch?

momb · 30/01/2015 17:10

Does he cook with you?

Tell him that you can't afford takeaway and anyway you are worried about how fatty it it but can he help you 'invent' an alternative?

chicken drumsticks coated in a little flour, pepper, oregano and cumin (I know, odd combo) then sprayed with oil and over roasted makes a lower fat KFC and he can get his hands all messy doing it!...then he can start on different flavours for other days: mixed indian spices and yogurt for a tandoori etc. Plain roasted for lunchboxes, whatever.

Serve the FaKeCs with hand cut coleslaw (shredded cabbage, sliced onions and grated carrot with mayo) and corn on the cob. You can even put a squitrt of BBQ sauce into a can of beans if that's what he prefers.

Start him on a 'you are growing up lets teach you how to make your favourite things' plan, and with a little luck he'll be choosing and cooking better options for himself.

RitaOrange · 30/01/2015 18:07

My DS2 couldn't stomach breakfast but he didn't do the shittyness either !
He doesn't like the brand of crumpets - boofucking hoo!

Provide bread, rolls or crumpets, ham, cheese, breakfast bars etc and let him get on with it.
Sounds like he has learnt this behaviour and is manipulating you.
Of course every teenager would like to buy their food and eat KFC everyday ( mine think its shit) but that's not real life.
Tough- you provide the food he chooses what he wants from a perfectly reasonable choice. THE END.

I always gave mine cash on a Friday for a bought lunch every week as a treat.

GretnaGreen · 30/01/2015 18:15

He doesn't sound like he has an eating disorder, he's just picky and likes cake. I was exactly the same. I can't think of anything worse than involving a dietician from his point of view. If he doesn't want available breakfast at home then that's his choice. He can't be that hungry if he won't eat a crumpet with Nutella.

I naturally broadened my range of food once I started seeing that friends ate a wide range of vegetables and salad food and I was the odd one out. He will sort it out over time. If the school thought he was malnourished they would raise it with you.