Feeding my children too much

[QuirkyKoala]

I am hope this can settle a debate.

I have 2 boys (5 and 2) and we are in disagreement about how much they should be eating in the morning. A family member has been giving 5 year old 2 Weetabix and a slice of toast and 2 year old 2 Weetabix. I feel this is too much as I could barely manage what the 5 year old is eating.

YANBU - that's too much food
YABU - let them eat what they want

If your children are eating it they presumably can manage it! It's healthy stuff. If you are trying to control their portions because they are overweight, or you feel that it doesn't balance well with what else they have in a day, you need to send the breakfast you'd rather they have!

You should see how much the children in nursery used to eat for breakfast. My DS at 4 had two Weetabix, three or four squares (so a full or nearly full slice)of toast, then apple and banana.
Some of the kids would eat similar even if they'd had an early morning breakfast before nursery
None of them had weight issues. If your children are hungry let them eat. It would be different if they were being fed chocolate and biscuits but the food you mentioned sounds fine.

In terms of the two year old. Sometimes my son has 1 / usually 2 / occasionally 3 weetabix. It depends how hungry he is. He doesn’t usually overeat etc. not with staples. Sometimes he has just warm milk. Other times fruit also. Seems a reasonable amount of food. Children are often super hungry first thing.

I'm getting flashbacks someone brandishing an empty carton: "WHO ate all the CEREAL!"? 😁

My daughter at 5 would have had one Weetabix and a banana or some berries but they’re all different and it doesn’t sound that much really, I’d say just not enough variety.

Exactly what I was thinking! I struggle to believe anyone would seriously 'struggle' to eat two weetabix and one slice of toast if they were a healthy sized person with healthy eating habits

Obviously they need more food than you because they're growing boys 🤣 they're not even adding cholesterol or sugary cereal.

My 21m old ate FOUR weetabix and a banana the other Morning. I gave her and my 4 year old 2 weetabix each- 4 year old barely touched it so 21m old wolfed hers down and then finished her sisters

Do they eat it or just nibble a little?

If they are able to eat it then it's not too much.

However, they should have something besides carbs in the morning. If they have an appetite for breakfast, how about an egg, cheese, Greek yogurt, fruit?

Yes, that was an odd comment.

The children are not you, OP.

It's a bit more than mine would have but I hardly think it's too much, though like others maybe something other than carbs would be great alongside.

It does absorb a LOT of liquid though, so I always feel it's important to make sure it's not too dry (I'm sure that would be fine for most kids, but one of mine is prone to constipation).

What could possibly be the problem with that?

My 5 yo would eat two wheetabix, fruit (strawberries favourite) and then ask for toast. The kids are growing, they are eating good food, let them fill their boots.

Do you have some crystal ball that tells you in advance when each child will be having a growth spurt so you can adjust what you give them accordingly? No. They eat as they need to at that age. Childhood obesity comes from a combination of unhealthy food choices and LACK OF ACTIVITY. Unless your 5 and 2 year olds are completely immobile and never growing, weetabix and some toast is not going to make them fat.
Placing so much emphasis on how much they are eating is going to create a lot of issues later for you and them, OP.

My 6 and 3 eat 1 weetabix each. I also try to strong arm some apple into their mouths either then or at about 11.

My 2 nearly 3 year old has been having 1.5 bits of weetabix with a variety of fruit and sometimes peanut butter/cinnamon etc since he turned 2. Either that or a decent amount of porridge with the same toppings. This sounds fine. They are growing (hopefully active) boys.

2 Weetabix is hardly anything. It's mostly air. If I have it for breakfast I would want at least 4 . Even then I'd be hungry again before lunch. But then i'm quite active and don't snack on crap.

2 sounds fine for a child.

I recently discovered oats - I have raw porridge oats with milk for breakfast, about 120 g of oats. It keeps me full until lunch and it's such a nice feeling not to be feeling weak and grumpy by lunchtime! Tastes delicious too with full fat milk.

My 3 sons are much older 2 teen & 1 in early 20's.
They'd all eat 1 scrambled egg each with some wholemeal lightly buttered bread or an egg between 2 slices of wholemeal bread. They'd have some fruit juice or buttermilk or milk with the food.
Once they began secondary school & waking earlier, they were too tired & began to eat far less then gradually I'd be lucky if they ate a slice of toast but I know they eat plenty for breakfast on a non school day or during the holidays.
Unless it's plain yogurt woth honey n museli or porridge or museli itself, I never allowed my.soons to eat boxed shop bought cereal
I never insisted just tried to encourage them to eat more than they could. They were and are all 3 very active & sporty. One always liked sweet foods and is now overweight, the others are careful what they eat but they all understand healthy eating habits. The one who's overweight just puts weight on easier than the other two but doesn't exercise enough.
My mums and now my moto woth food and most thongs in life is,
'Everything/Anything is fine but in Moderation'