Aibu to refuse snacks before dinner because ds didn't eat lunch?

[KissesOnKittens]

I'm truly on the fence so I don't know if I'll need my hard hat on....

Ds (10) is on packed lunches.
For breakfast he's had two weetabix.
Lunch was an apple, yogurt, 2xbaby muffins, a winder, a piece of cheese and a chicken salad wrap.

He's come home "starving" which isn't unusual. I ask if he's left any lunch and he said yes- the wrap, cheese, yogurt, and a muffin. He wanted to play football

So I'm not surprised he's hungry. He asked for a snack and I said "no" as dinner will be ready in less than half an hour which is beef stew, mash, dumplings and green beans.

He won't eat a decent portion of dinner if he has a snack. (He asked for choc brioche or a mars bar)

Aibu to make him wait?

Yanbu

Half an hour is hardly enough time for him to starve in.

It's half an hour. If it was longer than an hour then maybe feed him.

I don't know if today's lunch box was typical, but it might be the case that there's far too much choice. Of course he's going to eat the sweet stuff first given half a chance. In future I'd just put in the main item (sandwich/wrap/whatever), the yoghurt and a piece of fruit. If he eats it all consistently for a week I mught consider putting in a sweeter treat such as a single mini cake or a single biscuit bar or similar.

And no, YANBU to make him wait for dinner.

YANBU He should have eaten his lunch and dinner is ready very soon.

YANBU

why are you on the fence? I'd say it's a clear no to a snack if dinner is in half an hour, regardless of circumstances. A bit of hunger won't do him any harm and might teach him to eat his lunch in future!

You are doing the right thing to say no to snack 30 minutes before diner. If it was a couple of hours, I would give him a banana or something. I wouldn't give a snack 30 minutes before diner to a toddler either.

Sounds like too many items in the lunch box. Maybe just have the wrap, yoghurt and Apple and if he eats all that add in one additional item

Course you aren't bu!!

He didn't eat his dinner, he waits until tea time

Why on earth are you asking?

This is the same as my 9 and a half year old. I made him eat a fresh version of the stuff he didn't eat at lunch time. Then I got him a hot food flask and he's been eating better at school. You are right to not give him a snack. I told my ds2 that he has to eat the healthy stuff too and he mature enough to make the right choice.

It's half an hour so YANBU.
That's a lot of food in his lunch though, I'd halve the amount and give him a snack as soon as you are home from school

And if he was getting a snack he could have an item out of his leftover lunch.

My ds (10) gets a bagel/brioche roll with a filling, a yoghurt, fruit (grapes/strawberry) and a small biscuit item.

I wouldn't refuse a snack to a hungry child. However, the snack allowed would be something like a banana or bread with peanut butter, not a mars bar. If you offer boring snacks, they will only ask for one when they are genuinely hungry.

Thanks!

I just feel a little mean as I would be ravenous if I had only eaten what he's eaten.

I agree it's a lot in his lunch box but some is for snacks at break times and he occasionally eats something on the way home too.

He's quite active so I give him plenty. Usually he comes home with it empty or the yogurt or cheese left.

On with the cooking!!

Being a bit hungry for half an hour isn't going to harm him he can eat his dinner. I also think he had to much in his lunch he wants something he can shove in and leave a wrap and maybe a muffin would probably do him cut down on his treat food

I would give him a little snack depending on how hungry he was, a banana for example. Purely because I hate the feeling of the shakes if I am feeling hungry and I know that if I was feeling like that I would eat. I just hate saying no to food even if dinner will be in 30 minutes. 30 minutes when you are feeling really faint and hungry is not pleasant.

Not at all...

But expect tantrums and bad temper. Not out of being a spoiled brat but caused by low blood sugar..
From that point on you have a difficult choice. Give in to stop the tantrum of let him rage.. (ear plugs will be useful) .. until he eats properly..

PS. I know a bit about low blood sugar as my DP is diabetic.

Surely of he was that hungry he would have eaten some of it coming home. For that reason I'd say he can manage til dinner.

To be honest I'm just impressed he went for the apple instead of having the second muffin!

Don't worry, he won't starve

expect tantrums and bad temper not from a 10 yo!

It's good for kids to learn to feel hunger anyway (not in a war zone obviously) We give them far too many snacks, it's much healthier to wait for your meals. 30 minutes is hardly a wait anyway

Tantrums and bad temper from a 10 year old?!

I would never give mine a snack half an hour before dinner. They're not going to starve in half an hour.

Yanbu, it's half an hour, he'll be fine and possibly remember next time

I wouldn't refuse a snack to a hungry child
What, ever?! Why not?

Surely you'd refuse a snack half an hour before dinner under any circumstances?

I don't worry about what Ds has eaten at lunch etc. I give him wheat I know he can eat and he eats what he wants. He can eat something in the way home from school but once home it's wait until dinner.
Sometimes my Ds eats everything and is starving after school! Sometimes he hardly eats anything but still isn't that hungry at dinner. Children are like adults - they do and don't fancy certain things and their appetite varies.

YANBU if it was longer than say an hour I'd say yes, a banana or similar, but half hour for a 10yo won't hurt. Especially as you say you know he won't eat dinner if he has a snack. I'd give him a drink of water/squash/milk because that'll make things a bit better. I know how horrible it is when you're ravenous and you feel a bit faint/funny but a drink normally sorts me out.