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Help - DD eating Letterland exhibit!

9 replies

Tartegnin · 08/09/2004 10:45

So embarassed today when DD (just turned 5) teacher asked if she's getting enough to eat at home. Apparently, she tried to eat "Annie Apple" which teacher had placed on the "A" table alongside other things starting with that letter. She then cried and pouted when not allowed to eat it. She eats really well at home in the afternoon and evening, and always has breakfast before school, plus they have a snack during morning recess. But the teacher says she's often complaining that she's hungry. She's a good weight for her height (if anything, even a pound or two over) and eats pretty balanced meals. What can I do? Any suggestions appreciated.

OP posts:
marialuisa · 08/09/2004 11:23

What does she have for breakfast? If she has cereal it might be worth adding some banana or something to keep her going until break? How long is it between her breakfast and snack time?

Tartegnin · 08/09/2004 11:37

She has a bowl of unsweetened cereal (Cheerios)when she wakes up (about 7 am) plus an additional glass of milk in the car en route to school (at about 8 am),and then they have snack in the park during recess, at about 9:30 am. Snack varies, but is usually some fruit, or cheese and crackers, or granola bars or similar - that is, not huge, but nutritional. School is over just after noon, so she has lunch by about 12:30. It's puzzling to me, because at home there's plenty of food, but she's not constantly asking for it.

OP posts:
marialuisa · 08/09/2004 13:06

Maybe the snack thing happens too early for her? i can imagine she may not be truly "hungry" at 9.30 but by 11.30 she's ravenous...Think 3 hours can be quite a wait for a little one.

ernest · 08/09/2004 18:08

i agree, breakfast till snack relatively short, snack time till lunch much too long. question is, i guess you can't do anything about the il-timed snack time? another snack before school plus bigger snack at break time?

or even a tiny snack on way home from school?

Chinchilla · 08/09/2004 18:52

Personally, I find that Cheerios don't fill me up, so maybe she could have some wholemeal toast and a banana, with maybe a yoghhurt? That might do the trick.

Tartegnin · 08/09/2004 20:27

Thanks for the advice. I have a hard enough time getting the Cheerios in her - like me, she's not a big breakfast person. She doesn't like toast, but does like bread, so maybe some whole wheat bread and I could try a banana. The parents take turns bringing in snack according to a pre-defined rota and we're also told what to bring in for the class, so I can't pack her more. On the other hand, children with allergies are asked to bring in their own snack, so I suppose I could bring her in a little something extra to have with snack. Still, she seems the only one of the 16 children in her class having a problem with this, so I am wondering if she's really hungry, or if she's just "being a pain". Or ... maybe I just worry too much!

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Chinchilla · 08/09/2004 21:17

Just as long as she doesn't start eating the furniture too!

Tartegnin · 09/09/2004 12:58

My husband picked her up from school today and took her out for lunch as a special treat - he called from the restaurant to say she was eating an ENORMOUS plate of pasta and sausage with great gusto. So, at least proves the point that she really is hungry, and not just looking for attention. Maybe it's a growth spurt ... in which case, heaven help us, because I just bought her all new clothes for this fall!

OP posts:
agy · 09/09/2004 13:12

Perhaps she needs a bit more protein at breakfast. Would she eat something in the car along with the milk - perhaps a cold sausage or a small bacon sandwich.

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