Do Your Kids Eat Breakfast?

[Juliebove]

Why don't you try going to allrecipes and spending a half hour just looking through different recipes of smoothies, sandwiches, easy breakfasts. Read some articles they have on 'top ten easy breakfasts' or whatever. Make a list of all the things your daughter DOES like. See what you can do with that. Try using their ingredients search by typing in three different things she likes and see what recipes the website comes up with.

Also, you keep saying your daughter spends a lot of time on the toilet in the morning. Is she being difficult or does she have the poos?

I think she's just being difficult, but I never know for sure. I kept her home today. She stayed on the toilet for so long she missed the bus and then she was STILL on the toilet. She complained of stomach pains. Then later today she lost her voice.

I've been sick. Had some sort of stomach thing. I didn't realize at first that I was in fact sick because I accidentally took my diabetes meds twice and OD'd myself. I'm sure that didn't help. But something is going around here. She went to bed early tonight and that's just not like her.

One problem I have is that I will find something she likes, then stock up on it and then she'll decide she is sick of it. She did this with some gluten-free/nut free granloa bars I bought. I also bought some individual bags of granola thinking she could eat them at the bus stop. But now she refuses to eat them because they are sticky. I can only hope she will eat them this summer before she goes to dance camp.

I just threw four loaves of bread out tonight too. I got a 2 slice pack of the Ener-G flax and rice bread (I can't remember the exact name) and she said that she loved it and wanted more. So I ordered four loaves as well as a few 2 slice packs. But once it came she said it was disgusting and she wouldn't eat it. I kept it for a while, made one sandwich out of it, and she pitched a fit and wouldn't eat it.

She has been going through the Ener-G Rice Starch Loaf faster than I can order it. I just received a huge order for it today. I hate having to pay all that postage so I wind up ordering a ton. I just hope she doesn't go off of that. I make her a sandwich twice a week before dance class and she has it twice a week on dairy days with Nutella. She won't eat sandwiches before school though. I have tried that.

She does like the zucchini bread recipe from this website. The problem is she will only eat it for two days in a row and then not want it. Because I can't put any eggs in it, it doesn't seem to freeze well. And I hate going to all that work only to throw most of the loaf out.

I think perhaps part of it is her age. She has been difficult in all sorts of ways.

Perhaps I should just leave popped popcorn in the kitchen for her. She does seem to always want to eat that. She has asked me to make extra whenever I make it for myself. I wouldn't feel so bad if I could get her to eat a handful of that on her way out the door.

Last year the trouble was liquids. She refused to drink. Then she would get UTI's. The Dr. surmised it was due to constipation from not drinking enough liquids. Then when she did drink it was just a little Diet Coke. Apparently she has problems with caffeine. It's too acidic or something and was causing irritation. Lots of visits to various Drs. and a visit to Children's hospital about that one. She stopped with the caffeine and has three water bottles of her choice. No more problems. Kids! Gah!

[Mango04]

Being in the dance world, being a little overweight and having food allergies is a pretty good recipe for serious food, eating and body image issues. (I speak not about your daughter but from my own personal experience). Like others have said, there seems to be an excuse to reject every suggestion, but I hope you find something that works for you and your daughter.

[Wolicki]

Since all the advice given here won't work for you and your daughter, I think it would be a good idea to stop giving ideas that will be shot down.

IMHO, the real problem is that your daughter is being allowed to absolutely rule the house. Stock the house with food she is able to eat (note able, not willing) and then let her eat when she is hungry. There is no reason in the world why you should be killng yourself and spending a lot of money on foods she won't eat.

Your obligation as a parent is to provide nourishment for her. Prepare family meals and have snacks she can take with her. She'll either eat what is there or she will go hungry. The longer you cater to her ridiculous demands, the longer you will be held prisoner.