DS helping himself to food

[Gwanda]

DS has just turned 7. He occasionally gets up earlier than everyone else and gets himself breakfast- Toast or cereal plus a glass of milk. I hear him get up and I go
down to join him after a few minutes. He is generally a sensible kid and has enjoyed the independence. But recently he’s been taking advantage of my trust in him.

One morning last week he had Nutella and honey on toast with sprinkles!! I put it in the bin and have not bought Nutella again. A few days later he found a pack
of sweets and was eating them when I came down. I took them
away. Now today I went to get us some chocolate from the fridge and it’s gone. He admitted that he ate the whole bar before I came down this morning.

I’m not sure how to go forward with this. Do I ban him from getting his own breakfast until I can trust him again? Or do I just need a better hiding place?

You need to get up with him until he can be sensible and eat what you want him to. He obviously isn’t as ready as you thought and is pushing boundaries.

Just hide anything sweet? And chat about nice breakfast options

My six year old will go down and watch TV for a bit in the morning while I wake up. But I go down with her first and make her breakfast and a drink and settle her on the sofa with it so she's not making it herself alone.

You need to make it clear to him that when he gets up he needs to wake you up. Give him a clock or groclock (or similar) so he knows what an acceptable time to wake you up is.
Make it clear that me must ammuse himself in his room quietly until its time to get you up.
Or you could lay out a healthy breakfast/some fruit and tell him he can have that when he's up but he's not to be helping himself to anything else.

Just stop buying it!
He’s pushing the boundaries so have a temporary (but he’s not to know that) embargo on even having it in the house.
If you can’t go that far, find a better hiding place but, be warned, he will find it.
Dont allow your boy to become overweight because Mum is bringing it into the house in the first place.

You set up breakfast the night before: cereal on the counter with bowl/spoon; yoghurt at front of fridge; fruit bowl beside cereal bowl. You can do it together with your dc and explain the difference between treats and proper meals. This isn't a pushing boundaries issue ffs.

Tell him what is acceptable for breakfast, and if he can't stick to those foods, he needs to stay in his bedroom until you get up (reading, playing a game etc).