Breakfast

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

I run a preschool program and have a period of time where I serve breakfast. With this year's class I'm having a lot of children (ages 3, 4, 5) coming in saying no they do not want breakfast and then deciding they do 20 minutes later. I don't want hungry children and while most have eaten something at home it really isn't a nutritious item (candy, chips, donuts).

Is there a solution for having children go and sit down to eat FIRST before they go and play? Telling them they need to tell me FIRST before they play doesn't work.
I'm running into a lot of children wanting breakfast 1 minute before my cut off time (I'm on the food program) and it is likely something that shouldn't cause me anxiety but does.

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

I just posted this, I'm 10 minutes past my time and a child just came up to me who has been here 50 minutes and said they wanted cereal. This is what I'm running into.

I had to tell him I'm sorry but breakfast time is all done just like I said it was almost done and anybody that wanted to eat needed to come sit down and do so.

[Baby Beluga]

Hmm, that's a tough one. You're not a short order cook but don't want hungry children or the behavior problems that comes with hungry littles.

If I remember, you give the children the option to eat breakfast or not, right? Do you have an arrival cut off time? If so, what if once everyone has arrived everyone sat down as a group to eat breakfast? Maybe the food being in front of them plus seeing their friends eat would encourage those who usually don't eat to start eating?

Then at least you might feel comfortable telling someone that they have to wait until snack or lunch before eating again as they were already served food and chose not to eat it?

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

Hmm, that's a tough one. You're not a short order cook but don't want hungry children or the behavior problems that comes with hungry littles.

If I remember, you give the children the option to eat breakfast or not, right? Do you have an arrival cut off time? If so, what if once everyone has arrived everyone sat down as a group to eat breakfast? Maybe the food being in front of them plus seeing their friends eat would encourage those who usually don't eat to start eating?

Then at least you might feel comfortable telling someone that they have to wait until snack or lunch before eating again as they were already served food and chose not to eat it?

Yes, they have the option to or not. Breakfast is a 45 minute window and drop off cut off time is 60 minutes long. I stop breakfast 15 minutes before drop off cut off time ends because I need to be able to clean it all up and allow the kids that come in 15 minutes before drop off time ends to have time to eat. We start circle time at 9:00.

I have tried it that way in the past but 1/2 of the kids didn't eat. I might make them sit down anyways and they can tell me if they want a LITTLE or A LOT...hmmm. You've got me thinking!

[debbiedoeszip]

I run a preschool program and have a period of time where I serve breakfast. With this year's class I'm having a lot of children (ages 3, 4, 5) coming in saying no they do not want breakfast and then deciding they do 20 minutes later. I don't want hungry children and while most have eaten something at home it really isn't a nutritious item (candy, chips, donuts).

Is there a solution for having children go and sit down to eat FIRST before they go and play? Telling them they need to tell me FIRST before they play doesn't work.
I'm running into a lot of children wanting breakfast 1 minute before my cut off time (I'm on the food program) and it is likely something that shouldn't cause me anxiety but does.

I would have a breakfast/am snack time (mine is 8:30-8:45) and have the entire group sit down all together (and put food in front of all the children). Children who arrive during this time must join the group at the table (and have food put in front of them). Children who arrive after must wait until lunch. Let parents know that their child will be SOL if they arrive either after breakfast or so close to the end of it that they don't have enough time to eat.

[daycarediva]

Here is how I handled it.

I changed my breakfast time to when everyone had arrived/contracted hours.

The kids come in, do table activities, and we eat breakfast before moving on. Breakfast isn't optional- everyone comes to the table and is offered food. I remind them that we aren't eating again until lunch. A couple of hungry days, and they get on board. I also spoke to parents about not snacking before drop off as well.

[Ariana]

Here is how I handled it.

I changed my breakfast time to when everyone had arrived/contracted hours.

The kids come in, do table activities, and we eat breakfast before moving on. Breakfast isn't optional- everyone comes to the table and is offered food. I remind them that we aren't eating again until lunch. A couple of hungry days, and they get on board. I also spoke to parents about not snacking before drop off as well.

This is what I would do too. Every other meal is scheduled and not optional so breakfast should be the same way.

I also agree with telling the parents not to feed them before coming.

I don't feed breakfast but had a before school child who always wanted to eat 10 minutes before the bus came. I told him that it was too late and that if he wanted food he needed to tell me earlier. Breakfast is the worst!

[Country Kids]

I have a cut off time for breakfast (7:45). All children are signed up to eat and as they arrive, I have breakfast ready. They we at, then go play.

[Fiddlesticks]

I stopped serving breakfast, and serve a later "snack" instead. This snack meets all the meal requirements for breakfast so I still record it as breakfast for the food program. We all sit at the table and eat at meal times, the children don't have to actually eat, but they cannot go play until meal time is over.

But I am considering serving an actual snack shortly after arrival, a lunch, and then a "dinner" after nap/before pick up. I find that all of my dcks have something to eat before they arrive, so they aren't very hungry, but could not possibly make it until lunch time... However, I feel like snack is so small in the afternoon that they are hungry by the time they go home up to two hours later. This way they would still have two meals and a snack here, just in an order that helps them get through the day and satisfies them until dinner at home.

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

I would have a breakfast/am snack time (mine is 8:30-8:45) and have the entire group sit down all together (and put food in front of all the children). Children who arrive during this time must join the group at the table (and have food put in front of them). Children who arrive after must wait until lunch. Let parents know that their child will be SOL if they arrive either after breakfast or so close to the end of it that they don't have enough time to eat.

This sounds like such a nice, simple solution! WOW. I'm so glad I asked. My brain...it never went there. ::
My parents all know that they don't get breakfast if breakfast time is over. I've said it many times, it's in newsletters, I directly tell it to their face and they have to go and get their child breakfast, etc.

[AmyKidsCo]

I would have a breakfast/am snack time (mine is 8:30-8:45) and have the entire group sit down all together (and put food in front of all the children). Children who arrive during this time must join the group at the table (and have food put in front of them). Children who arrive after must wait until lunch. Let parents know that their child will be SOL if they arrive either after breakfast or so close to the end of it that they don't have enough time to eat.

This is what I do. Everyone must sit at the table and must have some of everything on their plates. What they decide to eat is up to them, but at least they had a chance to eat.

My policies also state that breakfast is at 9 and if the parent thinks the child might be hungry before that they should give them a snack before bringing them.

[Blackcat31]

I require parents to feed their child before arrival....I had too many issues with having a cut off time and kids still being hungry after the cut off even though parents knew their kid was going to go without....most didn't seem to care.

Now I require ALL kids to be fed a full breakfast before drop off. All my kids are here by 8:30. At 9:30 we have morning snack (which meets the FP breakfast requirements) and ALL kids participate.

It eliminates the needing to arrive in time for breakfast issue and it puts the onus back onto the parent to "prepare" their child for the day. It also helps with those kids that ate but then want to eat again when others eat.

[laundrymom]

Snack at nine. Lunch at noon. Big snack (that is actually a FP considered dinner) after nap, diapers and potty in the afternoon. I ready the plates at nap. And they go from nap to potty to table.

[Play Care]

Snack at nine. Lunch at noon. Big snack (that is actually a FP considered dinner) after nap, diapers and potty in the afternoon. I ready the plates at nap. And they go from nap to potty to table.

How do you claim dinner?! I would love to do that with my PM snack! I have school kids and they are HUNGRY when they get back. I feel like I would rather do a "meal" then have kids asking for more after just a snack.

[wonderfullisa]

We have our dinner at 430pm, as soon as the last batch of school kids arrive. They don't always eat much, but I always offer. Helps the reimbursement a lot!