to put locks on the food cupboards....

[BigMomma3]

to stop the DC raiding them before dinner!

When they come in from school, they get a snack - normally peanut butter sandwich, some fruit or cake or sweets and a glass of milk.

They have good breakfasts and school lunches and the DSs tell me they eat it all (but I'm sure DD (13) does not eat at lunchtime although I give her money every day - it seems starving yourself at school is all the rage these days. I have threatened to come to the school at lunchtime with a hot lunch and make her eat it in front of me in reception )

They are constantly creeping into the kitchen for food raids until dinner with cries of I'm starving, so so hungry. I do dinner at 6 (with a dessert) but they will never bloody eat it all. I have tried having dinner ready for when they come in from school but again they won't eat it all and complain they are hungry again shortly after .

I tell them they can eat any fruit they like or yoghurts (which I have always have in) until dinnertime but they want biscuits, crisps etc (have to have them in cos I'm pregnant and NEED them) and I have to keep interrupting my MNing to tackle them for contraband!

Would I be a real meanie to lock the food cupboards because they are driving me NUTS !!

Could you give your daughter a packed lunch rather than money as she may prefer spending the money of things other than food.

I don't think locking the cupboards is unreasonable but you know you'd never do it! I keep threatening to get a chain and lock for the fridge as my boys take without asking.

Can you hide your essential pregnancy supply of goodies in your bedroom/cupboard under the stairs?

nope. If they can't be trusted maybe as a short term measure

Or you could do what I do - and not buy crisps/sweets/cake/choc. I don't stock any of that stuff - only buy it for specific occasions - if someone is coming round, for example.

You don't need to have cakes or sweets in the house. Maybe not buying them for a while would retrain them?

Or maybe 6pm is too late and you should bring their meal forward to 5? And no snack beforehand? And if they leave it, tell them to put it in the microwave because that's what they'll be eating when they come to you in an hour and say they're hungry!

Oh, missed the pregnant bit ok, maybe you do. Keep them in the bottom of the washing basket

I'd lock it.

Sure, you don't need to have crisps and cakes in the hosue, but you know, it's not like they're young young children and it's your house, too! Why should you be penalised because they're not obeying you?

I'd put a lock on it and they can have their tea when it's ready or fruit/yoghurt or just go without, especially if you're giving your DD school dinner money and she's not eating.

my mum put a lock on the kitchen door for a different reason though!!

my brothers made "egg soup" when we were little by basically putting everything not in a tin in the biggest pan in the kitchen it was well intended as my brothers were aiming for a breakfast in bed type scenario for my mum and dad and basically ended up wasting the entire weekly shop

my dad was not pleased!!

I would hide your crisps and sweets.

I would be sending your non eating daughter to school with a packed lunch rather than with money - if she is not eating dinner what is she doing with the money?

No yoghurts before dinner, fruit and water only. No milk, it fills them up. At that age, they eat their dinner or there is nothin else.

You are being too soft.

wow, you are way to easy lol, my mum made my dinner and if i didn't like it, i lumped it! lol, they are old enough for dinner at 5-6pm they do not need a snack!? maybe a piece of fruit or yoghurt but nothing else.
a dinner and pud is generous enough, i never had pud after i was 10!
if i was still hungry after dinner i was allowed maybe a piece of bread and butter, but that was if i was really hungry.

kids will moan and groan that they're still hungry, but if they didn't eat dinner tough luck! they'll soon get the hint. and in no time you will have clean plates after dinner

I have snacks etc in a top cupboard where mind can't reach (they are younger than yours). Stop buying anything nice. They'll soon start eating their meals.

My sis keeps their goodies under lock & key in her room these days! Again she has teenage girls who seem delighted when all they've eaten is an apple and a finger of kitkat all day!

But it'll all for show because they then come home and pig out - teenage logic!