Food Insecurity???

[BlueChairBlessings]

Good morning!

Do any of you have experience with younger dck staring at you any time you're in the kitchen? It doesn't matter if I'm getting drinks out, food prepared, or just wiping down counters, etc., one of my young toddlers will stand at the transition from living room to kitchen and just stare the entire time.

Maybe this is age appropriate and I just haven't experienced it with any of my others. Or is food insecurity in the home a consideration? As far as eating here, most of the time this child is the first done, wants second helpings and will eat almost anything. There are some other reasons I'm questioning food insecurity, but open to your thoughts!

[Cat Herder]

I tend to go with my gut. Does your website or parent area have community resources info available for parents? If not, it may be a good time to randomly send a printout of them home to everyone.

I know that as a young parent I was completely unaware of any services or help available to me. The parents could take the info and make the calls themselves, or it may open a dialogue to give you a chance to find them some concrete resources.

[e.j.]

My entire group right now will stand at the gate between the playroom and kitchen and stare while I get meals ready. Some are old enough to ask, "Can we watch you?" I strongly doubt it has anything to do with food insecurity for the kids here. I think for some, the parents don't wake them up early enough to make them a decent breakfast so they're just normal hungry. Others don't seem to know how to amuse themselves without an adult there to interact with them so they'd rather watch me make snacks and lunches than figure out what to do while I'm in the other room.

If you believe food security might be the problem, I like Cat Herder's suggestion to send information home to all of the parents. If there is a parent who needs the help, they may appreciate getting the information without being singled out.

[Ariana]

Hmmmm all of my toddlers do this and are so excited for snack and lunch time. They all come from good homes where food is plentiful. Most of them come into the kitchen with me, follow me around and sometimes I have to put them in their seats with some water and cheerios just to keep them from under my feet! They get fed here every two hours.

In many homes children are blocked from the kitchen so it is naturally a curious place. This is my thought at least.

[Alwaysgreener]

Hmmmm all of my toddlers do this and are so excited for snack and lunch time. They all come from good homes where food is plentiful. Most of them come into the kitchen with me, follow me around and sometimes I have to put them in their seats with some water and cheerios just to keep them from under my feet! They get fed here every two hours.

In many homes children are blocked from the kitchen so it is naturally a curious place. This is my thought at least.

Same here, I actually schedule coloring time when I make the snack, because of the kids needing to be near me. Then while they eat, I prep for lunch. (Get out pans, plates, cut fruit....)