NO Food NO Pool

[MsMe]

Am I wrong?

I just don't feel comfortable sending a 2yr to the pool for three hours in 100 temps with NO food in her belly.

I am not using this as a punishment fo not eating. I serve healthy, KID FRIENDLY meals in proper portions and there is no punishment for not eating any part of a meal ever. Today was Spaghetti w/meat, greenbeans, peaches, milk. This child is not ever the best eater but will eat starches and fruit, milk. Today all she wanted to do was play and act like she hated what she has eaten here many times. I am having a more difficult time getting her to eat every week as Mom (part time) has been feeding her McDonalds since 11 mo.

Do I let her go to the pool OR keep her home with me?

[sharlan]

Keep her home. I know you can't use food as a punishment, but you have to draw the line somewhere. (Heaven forbid we hurt their feelings.)

[Country Kids]

Keep her home and lay her down for a nap after explaining why she isn't getting to go. Also explain to mom this is what will happen as long as she refuses to eat.

[laundrymom]

Yep I agree. If she isn't eating foods she normally does, she must not be feeling well ... Right,...,...???,.....

Also, active play requires good fuel. No food, no active play,... You don't want her getting run down... After all ,... Do you? Surely mom doesn't either,..... ;-)

[PeanutsGalore]

She could also get sick if she's out there with all that heat sapping the energy she didn't top off before going outside. I'd keep her home.

[MsMe]

Oh boy tonight at pick up is going to be SUPER fun....this is also the mom from my other post about the pool time guilt trip......she is not going to be happy that little Suzie didn't get worn out today. FUN

[youretooloud]

I also wouldn't feel safe sending a kid with no fuel to play for that length of time to a pool. I know I wouldn't be able to keep going that long without getting sick if I hadn't eaten, I would think a small child could get in serious trouble that way. Not to mention the tantrums that would come with being hungry and tired.

[daycare]

I have it in my policy that children who refuse to drink, eat, or wear sunscreen will be kept in doors for saftey reasons. I explained why these things are necessary and all of the parents seem to understand.

[CheekyChick]

In my state, we can't use food (or lack of eating) as a punishment. We just have to serve them the correct amount and it is their choice whether they eat or not.

If she were in my care, I would pack her lunch (that she didn't eat) and put it in plastic bag with an ice pack and bring it to the pool. When she says she's hungry at the pool, I would offer her her lunch. If she is hungry enough, she will eat it.

[MsMe]

In my state, we can't use food (or lack of eating) as a punishment. We just have to serve them the correct amount and it is their choice whether they eat or not.

If she were in my care, I would pack her lunch (that she didn't eat) and put it in plastic bag with an ice pack and bring it to the pool. When she says she's hungry at the pool, I would offer her her lunch. If she is hungry enough, she will eat it.

I am not using it as a punishment.

It is a safty issue.

I am not packing spaghetti, greenbeans, pears to the pool in a lunch bag when I already have 15 things and 4 kids. I am also no exiting the pool to have a special "i'm hungry NOW' lunch. Nope. The rule is you don't eat lucnh you wait for snack...and that won't change.

[daycare]

In my state, we can't use food (or lack of eating) as a punishment. We just have to serve them the correct amount and it is their choice whether they eat or not.

If she were in my care, I would pack her lunch (that she didn't eat) and put it in plastic bag with an ice pack and bring it to the pool. When she says she's hungry at the pool, I would offer her her lunch. If she is hungry enough, she will eat it.

not too sure when in oregon you are at, but here in Cali where I live it gets over 115 in the summer for weeks on end. I had a chld 5 years ago pass out because of dehydration. You can lead a horse to water but you cant make them drink...

So now for saftey reasons, those kids that don't consume liquids, food or allow me to apply sunscreen (which in CA if you allow a child to get sunburn, you can be charged with neglect)have to either sit in the shade by me and play or sit inside and play. They are not getting punished.

[daycare]

I am not using it as a punishment.

It is a safty issue.

I am not packing spaghetti, greenbeans, pears to the pool in a lunch bag when I already have 15 things and 4 kids. I am also no exiting the pool to have a special "i'm hungry NOW' lunch. Nope. The rule is you don't eat lucnh you wait for snack...and that won't change.

agree with this!!

[countrymom]

seriously, its not punishment, its called common sense. I guess no one has it anymore. There is no way I would let a child go swimming without eating, esp. in this heat. Acually I just said to my picky junk food eater that if he doesn't eat he doesn't get to go to the library program with my kids. I don't play games, its food, you eat it. I don't negotiate, I don't play games, I don't even make promises, as we say it "too bad so sad"

[Meeko]

agree with this!!

I agree. She should not be taught that she gets to eat whenever and wherever she wants.

[daycare]

I agree. She should not be taught that she gets to eat whenever and wherever she wants.

so true... because then all of the kids get off of schedule. pretty soon you will be feeding kids every 20 min. or every hour. It's not eat when your hungry, it's eat when it's meal time.... In school this is the way you will be forced to do it....once you return to class there is no meal time.......