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Appropriate Consequences?
My DD has been back in school for just over 2 weeks now and every day I send a lunch with her. I make sandwiches that she likes and always eats but I am struggling with getting her to eat the rest of her lunch.
Example of what I send:
Chicken sandwich on whole wheat bread with tomato, lettuce, mayo, and mustard
String Cheese
Plum
Drink (one of these) - rice milk, choc milk, water, lemonade
Her lunch is always different but I always include a fruit or veggie as one of the two sides.
The other day she brought home all of her celery sticks with peanut butter, then yesterday she brought home her yogurt, today she only ate about 3/4 of her sandwich and none of her peaches.
I only sent her with a sandwich, peaches, and rice milk today since she hasn't been eating everything. I know she can eat all that I send with her because she eats that much at home. I make the bread for her sandwiches in mini loaf pans so her sandwiches are kid sized and definitely not filling her up enough to stop eating.
Yesterday I told her that since she doesn't seem hungry enough to eat the food I send than I won't include a dairy food anymore, that fruits and veggies are more important. Today, no dairy and she still barely eats.
The problem is that she is too busy talking to finish her food in the 30 minute lunch time, I've repeatedly told her that she needs to eat during lunch and can talk to her friends at recess right after lunch. She comes home hungry because she doesn't finish her food.
What would be an appropriate consequence? I want her to learn that she needs to eat at school so she isn't starving when she gets home. I don't mind her having a snack when she comes home as long as she has eaten the lunch I've sent with her.
Re: Appropriate Consequences?
This doesnt exactly answer your question, because i treat meals a little different than you're describing, but when I was packing lunches for Sprout, whatever he didnt eat at lunch was what he could have for snack. He would often do as your daughter does...eat his main item (sandwich, leftovers, ect) and milk and bring the fruits and veggies home - but it was no biggie since those were the things he snacked on after school. He maintained control over his hunger and eating and I was comfortable knowing he was getting everything he needed.
I've read that kids are natually programed to eat a bunch of small meals, which is much better for digestion and metabolism, so i try to encourage that practice.
Blogs: Our Growing Family - CT Working Moms
I don't expect her to eat everything if she isn't hungry but she has admitted to not eating and still being hungry because she is too busy talking. I want her to learn time management. She is always allowed snacks of fruits and veggies at home but after school she will eat whatever she didn't eat at school and then ask for another snack minutes later and then another snack a short while after that. It's almost another whole meal that she is asking for. I don't give her a full meal until dinner but do allow a snack.
Should I allow her to have whatever she didn't eat at school and then let the natural consequences of being hungry follow? I don't want her to snack until dinner and then not be hungry.
Two Mommies Healing Hearts
I don't have kids, but I think that if I did this is what I'd do. Just let her finish her lunch at home, but no additional snacks allowed unless she actually eats her lunch at school. I think it would be different if she actually wasn't hungry at lunch or something, but she probably figures that she can go without eating her lunch because she'll get plenty of snacks at home.
Have you asked her if her friends eat their lunches, or are all of them not eating?
i agree w/ this - the natural consequence is the hunger at school. unless time management is an issue across the board, i wouldnt stress lunch too much.
Blogs: Our Growing Family - CT Working Moms
I agree with the PP's. Unless she isn't eating at all, the natural consequence of being hungry at school is probably enough.
As a former teacher I can tell you that the socialization that occurs at lunch is is really important and will always top even the best lunch :-) Even meals that seem small or are easily managed at home get lost in all that fun lunchtime chatter. As long as she is eating a fair amount of her "main" food I wouldn't worry too much. If she wants a snack at home I would give her the fruit/veggies not eaten. You can always throw in a little reminder about time management if she complains of hunger or headaches.
Two Mommies Healing Hearts