Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

Flip

Original poster

CM - is this a suitable breakfast for a child??

10 replies

diddle · 05/01/2006 07:01

One of my mindies is a very very choosy eater. Her mom lets her get away with eating what i consider unsuitable food at meal times. But when she's here i encourage her to try as much as i can. She will happily eat my cereals here, but at home always moans for cakes, or biscuits, and gets them.

Today she has arrived with two small yoghurts and a little bag of crackers for breakfast. Does anyone else think this is unsuitable, or would you let your child eat this for breakfast?

Should i suggest that the parent refrains from sending breakfast (which she pays me for regardless of whether the child brings food or not) or should i just leave her to it??

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

hercules · 05/01/2006 07:13

I dont see how it's your choice really. I wouldnt mind if that's what dd ate for breakfast as on the whole she eats healthily anyway. SHe has often been known to have cake for breakfast.

Original poster

diddle · 05/01/2006 07:17

thank you hercules, i agree it probably isn't my decision to make, just wondered what others thought about it, as we all ahve such differen tviews, thank you very much.

OP posts:

fuzzywuzzy · 05/01/2006 07:22

Does her mum know she eats more healthily at yours?? Her mum may be unaware, I'd mention in passing, that her dd ate (list of whatever she typically eats at yours for brekky), and say you don't mind providing breakfast.

Bozza · 05/01/2006 08:55

Fuzzywuzzy's idea is good. FWIW mine nearly always have a yoghurt at breakfast time, but after a bowl of weetabix and not at other times in the day.

TheholyGHOSTY · 05/01/2006 09:01

I don't think yoghurt and crackers is that unhealthy actually ... well, depends on the yoghurt and the crackers I suppose ...
I would (and do) let DD eat yoghurt and crackers for breakfast sometimes as in NZ it is really hard to find cereals that don't have loads of sugar in them. Even weetbix is loaded with sugar (and I think it is in the UK too ...). Usually she eats porridge but for a change she will have yoghurt, fruit and some malt biscuits.

I think you should let it go and encourage the child to eat well at your house ... offer her some of your breakfast after her own if you like. Or maybe set up a meeting with the mum to discuss your views and ask her what she would like you to do ...

Original poster

diddle · 05/01/2006 09:13

thank you all very much.

OP posts:

uwila · 05/01/2006 10:13

Diddle, I agree with you that crackers and yogurt would not be on at my house for breakfast. However, I also agree that if the mum doesn't mind then it is perhaps not your place to interveene.... UNLESS it is affecting the eating habits of other kids in your care. For example if you serve a scrambled egg and a piec of whle meal toast and a glass og orange juice to another child who won't eat it because he/she wants the yogurt and crackers that other mindee gets to eat.

misdee · 05/01/2006 10:15

my kids have choclate cookies for breakfast (i forgot to make bread, and my milk delivery never turned up)

kreamkrackers · 05/01/2006 13:19

as breakfast is the most important meal of the day it would be best for the child to start the day with good nutrition inside her. but it's hard to get other people to agree with your point of view. i found that i've had loads of trouble getting people to listen to me stressing about not giving my dd (20months) sugary things. when my family come to see her (granted it's not often) they tell me she's a baby and needs to have sugary things as that's what children eat. she's PEG fed but is now allowed to drink fluids and has a beaker of water for this. my step mum was trying to get me to give her juice and a bottle (as she thinks she'd look nicer with a bottle). she loves water and doesn't like juice but she's pushing me to give her juice. my dd has had 2 heart ops, so looking after her teeth is very important to me, but other people don't seem to understand this.

HellyBelly · 05/01/2006 14:20

Sounds like the pressure I used to get from family (well, not pressure exactly but taking the mick out of me and saying 'oh, that's what THE BOOK says is it?!'. BTW, I didn't have a particular book I read, just bits here and there (not a big reader myself!) They'd go on about letting ds (as a baby!) having a taste of gravy and suck on soggy chips and stuff like that. I'd say no way and they'd laugh. Have you heard the "you turned out ok didn't you" speach before??? I've heard this loads and it annoys me. They used to transport us in cars in carrycots and agree that baby car seats are better. They shouldn't talk about stuff they know nothing about! Sorry to go on but it used to wind me up so much! My ds drinks mainly water but every now and then has a bit of juice - he prefers water most of the time! Stick with what you are happy with and try and ignore the pressure!

As you for diddle, I've had this problem too. Not with breakfast but with one of the mum's packing loads of crisps into the bag of the 18 month old mindee and of course, the other kids wanted some. It annoyed me as I provide food and made her aware I try to promote healthy eating before they started.

Good luck!

Flip