Daughter not eating breakfast

[PumpkinKlNG]

My daughter has just started reception but won’t eat in the morning! I’ve tried various options but she refuses all of them, no problems eating when she’s at home, I hate the thought of her in school hungry and not eating till lunch time but I’m not sure what else I can do! It’s always left untouched, Does anyone else’s child not like to eat in the mornings and what do you do to encourage them?

Does she not have a morning break?

Yes but they are only given food at lunch time which is 12.30.

My child eats almost nothing in the morning. I always send her with a sandwich and some fruit for mid-morning.

@PumpkinKlNG

Yes but they are only given food at lunch time which is 12.30.

Does she not take a snack in with her? Mine always did/still do

Will she have a smoothie / milkshake?

My daughter is 17 and never eaten breakfast, she just can’t stomach it. She is fit and healthy. I used to be able to get a yogurt drink down her but that was it otherwise she would feel/be sick.

Slightly off point but it’s also annoying when we go on holiday/stay in a hotel where breakfast is included (hidden in the price) and she still wont eat breakfast.

Apparently some people are just like it.

It’s natural to worry but if she was hungry she’d eat something. Lots of people can’t face breakfast early in the morning - my stomach doesn’t wake up until about 10!

As pp’s said, is it not acceptable to send her in a piece of fruit for morning break?

No their school doesn’t allow that, I have 3 older ones in school and never known that to be a thing!

She's little and it's a bad habit to get into. And it does become a habit. If you eat less, your stomach shrinks so it takes less to fill you up. Not eating also can make you feel nauseous so you dont feel like eating, creating a viscous circle. And it effects concentration at school, so, I think you should tackle it op.
Maybe trying a picnic on a blanket in the living room with toys for one day.
A smoothie as suggested above.
A car snack on the way.

Basically, a change of location and a casual, fun approach, rather than a pressurised one. She probably already knows it's your button and is enjoying pushing it and controlling something.

Mine never have and I'm the same. The most I can get into them is a frube. In Reception they got given milk and fruit, is that still a thing? They're y6 now and still take fruit for break snack.

@PumpkinKlNG

No their school doesn’t allow that, I have 3 older ones in school and never known that to be a thing!

How bizarre My 2 have always taken in a snack for morning break at primary and secondary school Why does the school not allow it?

Maybe it’s just their school then but I asked my children and they said they weren’t allowed to bring anything in and that no one eats anything at break times, they never said why they just said they weren’t allowed and that no one brings anything in and they only eat at lunch time, but I never pushed it as they eat their breakfast. I asked my youngest daughter and she said she doesn’t get a drink or food until lunch time. She’s only been there a week now so I will double check if she can bring something in.

That does seem unusual. My dc were allowed a snack at morning break- only fruit or vegetables but still they were allowed.

One of mine has really struggled to eat anything soon after getting up.

I get him up a bit earlier now just to get some breakfast in him. he'll usually manage half a bagel just before leaving the house or on the walk or car into school.

Oh we are allowed to send a snack at my kids’ school, just a bit of fruit or similar. When I was a kid we had a ‘play piece’ and I always brought a bag of skips and a fruit shoot!

But if they’re not allowed then they’re not. Maybe one of those weetabix drinks on the way to school?

Do they not have a water bottle for school too?

Don't KS1 aged children all get a free fruit snack? I'd check this with the school.

She has water that she takes but again she comes out with it full and not been open so I assumed she must be having drinks in school but she said she isn’t, but when I ask her what she’s done for the day I get told “nothing” then as well! So maybe she is having all this and just saying she isn’t 😬 definitely going to mention it when I pick her up

That’s unusual, at DCs school you get to have a wee snack at break time and water at your desk as well.

Well I spoke to the teacher and she said it was fine in the reception age but the older children aren’t allowed to bring them in, so we agreed I would send her in with some fruit and she’s still come out with it uneaten ☹️ And no they don’t give them snack in school only lunch.

Is this in England? Surely the school have to give Reception children free milk (up to age 5 anyway) and all KS1 children a free piece of fruit per day?

Ask the school directly whether mid-morning snacks are allowed not your child.

It's the eating of the fruit all together that encourages them. It's really surprising for a state school not to do this.

No she said she doesn’t get that 😕 and when I mentioned it to the teacher she would have said if they already give it? She just told me to send some in