hungry or just a habit??

[ziggy]

Mindees arrive about 9ish. we have snack about 10ish, lunch at 12.30, another snack at 3.30 then all go home by 5.

One child is a big boy for 3yrs. He quite often has a full fried breakfast at home or porridge/cereal/toast. He arrived this morning with a full round of ham sandwiches, grapes and a babybel cheese, which he ate just before 9. Then we had snack (half ham sandwich and fruit + a drink) at 10. He is now saying he is hungry again!!!!!

Now i'm not sure he could possibly be hungry, so have sent him off to play saying we willl have early lunch at 12.

Do you allow constant snacking or stick to set snack/meal times? I was thinking of allowing him fruit which is always in bowl on table but just can see how he can really be hungry. Wondering if maybe he is thirsty rather than hungry

[miffy]

I would offer water - he's had lots of processed meat and is probably thirsty - I know if I have bacon (don't eat it very often) I will be much thirstier than usual.

If he still says he's hungry then I would offer a small portion of fruit but from what you say he's already eaten that's more than some of mine would eat in a day!

Miffy xx

[kellyskidz!]

My sister does this with my nephew who is almost 3, lets him graze all day on food, and its not healthy
At nursery they say they can't fill him and he gets really upset because he's genuinely hungry because he's used to eating all day long
I'd have a word with mum about his diet and how it might be a good idea to limit him to 3 meals and 2 snacks a day. Tell her you'll start with large portion snacks and then move down to 'normal sized' snacks once he's used to it
It really is a pain, but Ido think he'll genuinely be hungry as my nephew is, they get used to eating so much that when they don't, they feel hungry
Worth a try with upping his water though, it might work
But I'd be talking to mum anyway as a child does not need what I would call a full meal at 9am, that has to be less than two hours after his breakfast, never mind the full fry up at 3 years old, urgh!!

[singingcactus]

WOW. I'm all about demand feeding and child led everything here, but holy cow! Cannot still be hungry, unless he has one of those disorders that prevent him from feeling full.
Either habit, or trying to meet another need with food. You need to take control back. That is crazy amounts of food for a small child. Good luck, cos it sounds like parents may well be keeping this lad entertained and pliant by constantly feeding him.

[Mouse]

My sister does this with my nephew who is almost 3, lets him graze all day on food, and its not healthy
At nursery they say they can't fill him and he gets really upset because he's genuinely hungry because he's used to eating all day long
I'd have a word with mum about his diet and how it might be a good idea to limit him to 3 meals and 2 snacks a day. Tell her you'll start with large portion snacks and then move down to 'normal sized' snacks once he's used to it
It really is a pain, but Ido think he'll genuinely be hungry as my nephew is, they get used to eating so much that when they don't, they feel hungry
Worth a try with upping his water though, it might work
But I'd be talking to mum anyway as a child does not need what I would call a full meal at 9am, that has to be less than two hours after his breakfast, never mind the full fry up at 3 years old, urgh!!

I agree with this. If the child is so used to eating huge amounts of food, they will genuinely feel hungry.

I have an 18mth old mindee who is very big. I can hardly lift him. At 12 months old He would have a big breakfast at home at 7.30am - porridge, 2 slices of toast, a banana and an 8oz bottle of milk., then snack at 10am at mine. Mum asked that I gave him a substantial snack and another 8oz bottle as she wanted it to last him till she got him home at 12.30. I'd do him a whole bagel with cheese, cucumber and tomato, but he'd still want more. His lunch would be what I'd consider a full adult- sized lunch. He was only with me for 3.5 hours and most of that time seemed to revolve around him eating.

There is really no way a child should need that much food, but his body was so used to it he had to have it. Over a few months I started to cut down on the amount I gave him. He kicked up a fuss to start with, but I have gradually weaned him off a big mid-morning snack. I wanted to stop it because the other mindees were having the samt, but then werent hungry at lunchtime, so didn't eat. He still has a massive breakfast at home, but now has a piece of fruit and a drink of water at 10 o'clock and nothing else till he gets home at lunchtime (apart from more water if he wants it). He doesn't seem to expect the food at my house now and there have actually been times when we've been so busy we haven't had time for a snack at all - he doesn't even notice.

I think it's a combination of habit, their body being used to a large amount of food and, in some cases, greed. There's not much you can do about his eating at home, but you can control it when he is with you. He won't be able to eat constantly when he is at school, so you wil be helping to prepare him for that.

[ziggy]

thank you. same mummy seems to be constantly breast feeding baby as well.

we went outside to play, then for a little walk to new house, so he is just having lunch now and didnt seem to be starving lol.

Going to try offering more water, think that is good point about being thirsty after so much processed meat.

From Monday I am going to put 9am 'lunch box' in fridge and say 'we will have that later'.

His older brother, aged 4, has just started school. They have snack when he comes here just after 3pm then as soon as mummy appears at 5pm, he asks for more food and helps himself to fruit. Yesterday I warned him just as she arrived that this wasnt allowed. I now say 'you have had snack and you will get dinner/supper with mummy when you get home'

I think at home they are allowed to eat constantly

[Anacrusis]

I had an overwieght mindee, and when he first started he was contantly asking for food or saying he was hungry. I only offered fruit between meals, I thought that'd be a good thing to fill up on! Gradually over a few weeks, he started to only say he was hungry at times I would expect, rather than all the time!

I wondered if it might be a combination of being used to being given high calorie snacks alotat home, and being insecure about being in a new place. Sometimes he'd say he was hungry right after a meal & I'm not sure he could have been hungry then!

[SYLVIA]

I've had a LO here last week (not a mindee) but helping out a friend, who has asked for crisps at 9ish every morning. The other mindees just looked shocked! They only get a packet of crisps sometimes, and then the pack will be shared between 4 or 5 of them. It is just a habit as I know she would get them at home.

[AdeleMarie88]

I read a really interesting article the other day in a psychology magazine at the doctors, and it was about children under five, they don't truly understand the feeling of being hungry. What often happens is parents are so concerned about their child not eating enough, or being hungry, that they always give that bit to much milk, or food or snack, and it escalates to the point that children want more and more and more. Eventually making their own children obese.

A three year old should have breakfast, cereal or porridge or toast with water/milk/juice, snack of fruit at 10.30, lunch 12.30, snack at 3.30 of fruit/yoghurt, and then evening meal 5.30/6. Any more is excessive, and will result in his metabolism slowing down, and him becoming over weight. There is no way as a adult you would eat that frequently so he needs to learn, as much as his mom does, that that is far too much food. Having water constantly on offer for him to help himself, may ease the pain of not eating as frequently, for the first couple of days.

I know if I let my mindees eat all day, they would, but it is no good for them, and they simply don't need it!

[Stapleton83]

Very interesting thread I have schoolie who has just started and mum told me she is a grazer, she was with me for a day last week and literally 20 mins after lunch told me she was hungry, although she hadn't eaten the tomato, cucumber or pepper I had put on her plate with the sandwiches! I just said no as my view was she had had the same as the others, but having seen mum I think she lets her eat as and when although apparently she doesn't eat proper meals. Not surprising when you are eating a cereal bar at 5:00 p.m. that said there is nothing on her.

I also have an 18 month old who sometimes comes with own food and frankly the portion sizes are similar to what I would eat - scary I think the parents think they are doing the right thing but it will create issues in the long term.

Back to your concern I would be offering more to drink and rationing the snack with a view to cutting it down.

Good luck,

Sam x