Breakfast before nursery school...

[rach1]

We have a 3 1/2 yo who is half way through her first year at Nursery school. I cannot get her to eat what I consider to be enough before school. I dont know if it is delaying tactics, if she enjoys the fight, if she doesnt like what I feed her or if she really isnt hungry.

It wouldnt be such a big deal, except she only gets a biscuit and cup of 'juice' (ie cordial!) between breakfast and when I pick her up, by which time she is ravenous. She also is not particularly 'meaty'- two of our friends independently called her Biafran!! (said in a constructive and caring way) Having said that, she is very active, developing etc. It is just when she gets sick (quite prone to virally induced asthma etc and general childhood illnesses) she goes down hill quickly and has no reserves to fight sickness.

Can anyone offer any advice to help me get a decent breakfast into her or any other tricks for getting a toddler to eat up. Once this is achieved, any ideas on how we can actually build her up to a more reasonable size. I am not a prissy, fussy parent, and do not want a child of a 'perfect size' I just feel she is getting too ribby and there is absolutely not an ounce of fat on her.

Rach1, can you bring something to eat with her to the nursery. Maybe she will eat in a different atmoshere. I used to bring my dd breakfast with her to the nursery. She would eat yougurt cups. a whole hashbrown, baggies of cereal, buttered toast etc. I thought if she goes real early she can sit and have her breakfast there. All centers Ive worked at had many children take their breakfast with them.

It does sound as if your dd may not be hungry at the time you're trying to get her to eat, I know that some mornings I have to force breakfast down at 7.30, but am faint from hunger by 10 if I skip the meal. It could be that your dd isn't ready for food until later. Will she drink a big glass of full-fat milk, can you give her a banana in the car on the way?

Also 3.5y are wily beasts (at least ds1 is!) It could well be that she's picking up on your tension around food and playing on it. Do you give her a limited choice about what she can have for breakfast? Also some non-breakfast foods seem to work well in the mornings, fishfingers or veggie sausages are acceptable in our house and they really don't take any more time than toast to make.

Sorry tis is so long but as someone who was constantly got at about food as a child (dinnerladies not mum) it's one of my pet topics! It really is miserable to be told to eat more if you don't want to. I understand that it must be worrying if she seems very skinny but were either you or her dad tall and skinny? If not now, then maybe as kids? My sister is 15y, height 5'6", weight 7 st! Mum has had lots of calls from the school re possible anorexia, in fact she eats huge amounts but is very active and has always looked frail. Perhaps you could the HV to check height:weight ratio to reassure you?

If she's ravenous when she comes home are other meals hassle free? Maybe she's a little apprehensive before nursery, dd (6y) will still not want breakfast on PE days, does your dd eat b'fast at w/ends?

THis is a missive, SORRY!

Thank you for all the advice. Her nursery will let her eat something as an exception, but not as the rule. I really think we are in a bit of a cycle and she is playing upon my worrying. I am going to try not to say 'eat up Em, please' - my most use phrase!

It is very possible that she genuinely not hungry first thing in the morning, but I still think she needs something to eat regardless. I will try the cup of milk. I was trying to cut down on milk at meal times, thinking she was filling up on milk and therefore not eating much. It is ironic that our 11 month son can eat more than his 3.5yo sister!

I also like the idea of the Echineachea drops. She already takes vitamins and fluride, maybe these will fill her up!!!

I really dont want her to grow up with all the hangups I had/have about food. I can not leave anything on my plate no matter how full I am, for fear of wastage and all the starving children in Africa... no prizes for guessing what my mum used to tell me to do! But likewise, I do want her to have some form of buffer to fight illnesses.

Thanks again for all the advice.