To give toddler snacks in the morning

[juicepeese]

Bit of a debate going on in our house.

I'm the one who gets 3 year old DS up every morning as DH leaves for work early.

DS can be very full on in the morning so in order to get some time to brush my hair and put on some makeup we have a routine where he watches some cartoons in his PJs and he's allowed 2 things out of the "snack box" whilst he waits for me.

These are not things like chocolate etc.. I try and get healthy snacks for his box. 1 of the pieces has to be fruit and the other can be something like a lunchbox maltloaf or a yoghurt.

This gives me the time to get ready and we all go to nursery/ work happy.

Sometimes DS will get some cereal too if he wants it when we get to nursery, however, a lot of the time he says he doesn't want any when we get there.

DH thinks shouldn't be giving snacks so early in the morning (usually about 7), I think it's easy to say when you get to waltz out the door with no responsibility for getting DS dressed (and yourself) and to nursery on time.

Am I being unreasonable to give toddler two snacks in the morning?

Your DH…. sounds a bit of a twat

Let me guess…. he generally is a bit of a twat?

unless of course the 💧 is that your so. is morbidly obese

Fruit and yoghurt is a breakfast though, I wouldn’t call that a snack

I literally do the exact same thing as you or we would never get out the door

If you look at it in another way, it’s his breakfast but in two parts. One at home to tide him over and rest at nursery if he’s hungry. Could you substitute the malt loaf slice with something less sweet. Maybe half a slice of wholemeal bread with peanut butter? I don’t see a problem really if he can’t last till nursery till he gets breakfast

I lob my toddler my phone with bing on YouTube on it when I'm in a tight spot like that. Keeps her sat still for 5 mins! Each to their own though, I don't see my way as any worse or better than yours.

Give them what they will eat, it sounds healthy enough.

One thing that works for me for breakfast, is cold French toast. I make it the night before and they eat it with fruit.

It's just food, I'd get away from the word "snack". Toddlers hungry and you feed him. Sounds healthy to me.

It's breakfast.

Toddlers need small portions.

Malt loaf is a bit sticky/sweet, but yoghurt and fruit? Come on. That's fine by any yardstick.

We do the same. 515am wake up. Nursery breakfast 730-8ish. I'm not giving them cereal and milk and dealing with the inevitable mess whilst I fanny about getting ready for work. Also give healthier snacks: fruit, malt loaf, raisins, crackers, breadsticks, squeezy yogurt, fruit pouch, brioche roll.

I don’t understand the problem. You are basically giving your child breakfast in a way that allows you to get ready. 3 year olds are really hard work. You have found a routine that works for you. Great!
What exactly is DH complaining about? That you call it snack rather than breakfast? What would the alternative breakfast be? What kind of cereal would he be having and is it actually nutritionally any better?

What are the actual items? Do you prep the box in the morning?

Who cares what DH thinks? He's fucked off to work leaving you to it.
Why does he even know or care about that level of detail after he's left the house?
I cannot imagine that level of interference in my life/parental choices

Malt loaf and some fruit sounds like breakfast, just in 2 parts.

I do similar with DS4 who wakes up early - I give him something easy when he wakes up (eg bowl of raspberries, a few crackers) then later when his older brother wakes up he has the second part of his breakfast (eg slice of toast or a yoghurt).
On breakfast club days both my DC have a small breakfast at home to keep them going, and the second part of breakfast at school.

My DH says "who would employ a husband that stupid?"

You DH has no clue, because he doesn't have to do it. FWIW DH works from home so usually has to get our two ready for nursery whilst I shower / dress. Food and tv are part of that.

Well he just volunteered to get DS ready in the morning, didn't he?

You can either expect someone to do the job, or tell them how to do the job, but not both. He's not your manager, you aren't staff.

Fruit and yoghurt is a healthier breakfast than cereal.

Also, is the idea that he shouldn't have anything to eat at home in the morning and should wait until he gets to nursery to eat a bowl of sugar laden cereal? Because my kids would be hungry if I did that.

Do you have breakfast? Could you sit and eat it with him?

You aren't feeding him Haribos and Wotsits. You are giving him proper food, not snacks. If your DH has a problem with what you are offering, suggest he feeds your DS before he saunters out of the house without a care in the world.

What kind of utter prat complains about their child eating fruit and yogurt in the morning?! Your morning routine sounds completely reasonable to me. It’s not “snacks”, it’s “breakfast”.

Could he?

We do similar in the mornings except my son usually wants a banana. He definitely can't wait until we're all ready for breakfast or until nursery breakfast on those days. Sometimes we all just have stupidly early breakfast. Then of course by 9 we're all hungry - no difference if we eat our snacks at 7am or 9am.
Likewise at 11.30 half a Marmite sandwich and cheese sticks- is it a big snack or lunch? Who cares, I'm glad if he's eating anything tbh given how picky he is. It's just words to describe the same thing. Tell your DH you're now giving a small breakfast and continue to give the same foods then after a few weeks break the news to him.

Well yes either of them.

I’m glad no one is telling you any nonsense like you shouldn’t be doing something frivolous like putting on makeup but should be playing with your child or some such!

it’s absolutely fine what you’re doing Op, don’t give it another thought