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Original poster

6 year old refuses breakfast

41 replies

wobblymum1 · 07/03/2023 19:29

Title says it all
really!
She won’t eat before school ☹️I’ve offered everything and anything and she flat out refuses. She naturally isn’t hungry first thing and at weekends doesn’t tend to eat until she’s played and pottered for a good while. I wouldn’t mind except she’s pretty tiny for her age and it feels a long few hours until Break at school (she normally has an apple
and breadsticks and then a carton of milk). She eats well rest of the day.
just feels a looooong fast from supper before bed at 7:45 to 10:20am next
morning. Anyone else have this? All her friends seem
to gobble breakfast! thank you

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Eeiliethya · 07/03/2023 19:46

Mine goes through these phases and I whip out the Nutella on waffles (I know it's not great but I'd rather she not end up hungry).

Sometimes manage to persuade her to eat a banana instead of normal breakfast items as well.

As long as you're offering the food there's not much else you can do, I know it's easier said than done when flapping they're going to be starving in school!

lorisparkle · 07/03/2023 19:49

Mine will sometimes accept a smoothie (I add oats) and in the past I have resorted to a 'breakfast bar'.

Original poster
wobblymum1 · 07/03/2023 19:52

Thanks 🌻
I’ll be honest, I’ve offered waffles, nutella, hula hoops in extremis! But now at point she refuses anything at all. do I just go with it?

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Justlovedogs · 07/03/2023 19:52

I was your daughter, although I don't remember refusing to eat. I've never been a first thing in the morning eater, but got a little better as I got older.
As long as you're offering, she's happy/not grumbling about being hungry and eats at break, I'd say there's not really much else you can do.

Original poster
wobblymum1 · 07/03/2023 19:52

Tbf I’ve not offered a smoothie-
she likes them. If she helps make it it might be more enticing and good idea for oats in it.

OP posts:
Original poster
wobblymum1 · 07/03/2023 19:54

Her teacher hasn’t mentioned anything and she hasn’t said she feels hungry before break so I guess she is coping ok, I just feel like a bad mum sending her in with nothing in her tummy until 10:20am ☹️

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BettyBoopy · 07/03/2023 19:57

My daughter is 6 and doesn't like breakfast either. She makes up for it over the course of the day. She's just following her own natural eating pattern, I really wouldn't worry about it unless she's losing weight or other health concerns.

Original poster
wobblymum1 · 07/03/2023 20:06

BettyBoopy · 07/03/2023 19:57

My daughter is 6 and doesn't like breakfast either. She makes up for it over the course of the day. She's just following her own natural eating pattern, I really wouldn't worry about it unless she's losing weight or other health concerns.

Thank you 💞
she is quite small for
her age and thin but following her centile and does eat rest of the day so it’s good to hear I’m not the only one!

OP posts:
mummyh2016 · 07/03/2023 20:08

OP this was me as a child, I've never been into breakfast. Even now in my thirties I don't have breakfast very often. Offer it but don't stress. Will she have a cup of milk?

Original poster
wobblymum1 · 07/03/2023 20:10

mummyh2016 · 07/03/2023 20:08

OP this was me as a child, I've never been into breakfast. Even now in my thirties I don't have breakfast very often. Offer it but don't stress. Will she have a cup of milk?

Really? Thank you💞no she won’t even have a drink 🤦‍♀️It’s now becoming a stand off between us with me
begging her to have a zip of juice before we get
in
the car. She can have water whenever she wants at school but I know id feel yukky going to work having had nothing for
12+ Hours and working for 1.5 more before eating something. But I do over worry!

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mummyh2016 · 07/03/2023 20:16

I'm just not hungry first thing in the morning and never have been really! Even today, I'd been awake since 4.30am thanks to DS and I still didn't eat anything until 11ish. If she's eating well the rest of the day then I'd try not to worry. Offer it, if she says no make it clear she can tell you if she changes her mind. She might be being stubborn, my nearly 6 year old is at times!

ourflagmeansdeath · 07/03/2023 20:19

My 5 year is the exact same!! She also says nothing about being hungry at school until it's breaktime. Honestly just keep encouraging and doing your best, it's often just a phase they go through! Sometimes my DD just decides she fancies breakfast and the next it's an absolute no - it's normal

Original poster
wobblymum1 · 07/03/2023 20:19

really really appreciate these responses, thank you xx

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WandaWonder · 07/03/2023 20:20

I would put an extra snack in the bag if she has a chance to eat it before school? If she doesn't fine

WandaWonder · 07/03/2023 20:22

wobblymum1 · 07/03/2023 20:10

Really? Thank you💞no she won’t even have a drink 🤦‍♀️It’s now becoming a stand off between us with me
begging her to have a zip of juice before we get
in
the car. She can have water whenever she wants at school but I know id feel yukky going to work having had nothing for
12+ Hours and working for 1.5 more before eating something. But I do over worry!

Show quote history

That could be your answer trying to get to her eat maybe why she doesn't

I do get why your doing it so not having a go but if it's not working stop

Original poster
wobblymum1 · 07/03/2023 20:24

good advice, thank you 💞wish could switch my worry brain off!

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Orangebadger · 07/03/2023 20:49

My 10 yr old take a while to get hungry in the morning too. We have gone through phases of no breakfast which she was fine with until break time, occasionally she would eat a piece of fruit. At the moment she has tiny bowl of cereal. It's goes around in circles I imagine maybe she has something when she's going through a growth spurt. But she's coped fine.

I would let it be if she is fine with it and don't make a thing of it. I m absolutely ravenous the moment I wake up, so I really don't get how she can survive, but we're all different.

BettyBoopy · 07/03/2023 21:03

wobblymum1 · 07/03/2023 20:06

Thank you 💞
she is quite small for
her age and thin but following her centile and does eat rest of the day so it’s good to hear I’m not the only one!

Show quote history

I just ask my daughter each morning "would you like breakfast today?" Usually it's no but she does like a drink of milk usually. I never eat breakfast and don't get hungry until lunch and I manage to work for 4 hours before then no problem. I really would try to stop worrying. If there are no other problems at mealtimes I'm sure she's getting everything she needs.

Original poster
wobblymum1 · 07/03/2023 21:05

Appreciate these so much, I’m going to try and back off her and just accept she has a different appetite to me! Since school she has eaten pretty much nonstop so I’m not worried about her calorie intake overall I just feel bad sending her in with an empty tummy after all night but you’ve helped steady my arm that if she’s really not hungry to just leave her be, thank you so so much 💞

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Bootskates · 07/03/2023 21:21

Does school have a breakfast club? She may have a nibble of toast with her friends if everyone else around her was eating.

Takes you out of the equation too so theres no stand off.

Original poster
wobblymum1 · 07/03/2023 21:23

Bootskates · 07/03/2023 21:21

Does school have a breakfast club? She may have a nibble of toast with her friends if everyone else around her was eating.

Takes you out of the equation too so theres no stand off.

Good thinking!
sadly the waiting list for breakfast club is 12
Months long 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

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Quornflakegirl · 07/03/2023 21:26

My 10 year old is the same, she doesn’t feel hungry in the morning so I’ve stopped battling her. She has an apple at 10am then her lunch at 12:30. I figure if she’s hungry then she’ll eat. I do understand your worry however as your dd is only 6.

Phoenix76 · 07/03/2023 21:27

I'm like your daughter, always have been and I'm late 40s now. I just don't feel hungry in the mornings, it's like my stomach hasn't woken up if that makes sense. I always envy "normal" people who eat a good breakfast in the morning. I make myself drink complan in the morning.

I completely get where you're coming from though as even though I've never been one for breakfast I still worry if one of my dds doesn't fancy breakfast. My eldest is more like me and when we go shopping I'll ask her to pick something she may like for breakfast but with no pressure.

cocksstrideintheevening · 07/03/2023 21:58

I apparently never ate breakfast and don't now, one of my two kids is the same. I don't think it's a problem some people just aren't first thing in the morning eaters.

Original poster
wobblymum1 · 07/03/2023 22:36

Honestly can’t thank you all enough, I’m going to try hard to stop worrying over it. Just wish she weighed a bit more and was more substantial like her brother and I wouldn’t worry as much, she’s a bit of a twig so sending her in on nothing makes me feel like a bad mum each day 😢(though since school she has eaten 2 x choc rIce cakes, 2 x pears, haggis, potatoes, corn on the cob, some of my chicken curry and rice, a yogurt pouch and some crisps) which is quite a lot I think?!

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