6yr old with munchies at bed time.

[Shybairns]

Hi, Ever since they were weaned and then stopped their bed time milk, I have been happy to give them an oatabix or some shreddies at bed time, if they felt hungry after the bath and stories.
Seemed like if they have there tea at 5 they could well be peckish at bedtime which is now 7-8pm. We've moved on to a bit of dry cereal in a pot during stories or sometimes DS will hollar down the stairs that he's hungry after I've gone down stairs.

So the crux of the issue is that, many nights they are having the cereal after they've done their teeth. And I'm worried about rotting their teeth with bits of cereal sitting in teeth all night.

Yes I could treck back up stairs once they called down that they are finished; but quite frankly I don't really want to be disturbed again. After I've already been through the whole bed time rigmarole.
(being brutally honest here)

Youngest DC is 4 and she is ready for sleep at 7.
Should I be giving them a larger snack after school and tea at 6? That would only give me an hour or less to do bath and bed for DD.

Am rambling now. Suggestions gratefully recieved. x

[BastardDog]

Are they hungry or just stalling for time at bedtime?

Could you give them their snack earlier and call it supper?

[CreatureRetorts]

I'd stop the cereal. Honestly you want to risk them getting rotten teeth?! Yes do the earlier snack and tea or suck it up and make them brush after a snack pre bedtime.

[girliefriend]

Hello, my 7yo dd has 'supper' as well

Tea is usually about 5pm, then we do bath and getting ready for bed so about 6.30pm she will have something else, normally a yogurt and drink of milk sometimes if she is hungry will also have a piece of toast or crumpet.

Then we brush teeth and do bed and story.

Would definately swap things round if I were you as the sugar on the teeth all night isn't good and it also sounds like its become a delaying tactic!!

[BetsyBell]

I think a larger snack after school and a later tea would be a sensible solution. But you need to make sure that they know they're having a larger snack after school instead of pre-bed snack. The need for the pre-bed snack is probably just habit rather than necessary sut you wll need to poitn out to them that they're not going to get it and "that's why you're having an extra something after school" type thing. They'll probably complain to begin with but that's just because the routine is changing. Kids will often do anything to extend the pre-bed routine! You won't need as long to put them to bed if there's no snacking either...

Oops, ramble-y answer...

[Lousmart]

We do supper too for our 6 year old dd. Main tea at 5 ish, in the bath by 10 past six and then downstairs again 10 to 7 for the cbeebies story with small cup of milk and slice of toast/crumpet/potato cake etc. back upstairs just after 7, brush teeth, last wee and bed. Works for us, maybe adjust so you brush teeth last thing?

[Shybairns]

I think ultimately I am working towards tea at 6pm and no later snack.
But untill DD is a little older I will offer the snack at 6.30ish and if they are not hungry for anything then, tough.

I must be more vigilant about teeth. Thanks all.

[MinimalistMommi]

My six year old has extra snack at 6.30 pm and brushes TV just before climbing into bed at seven.

[MinimalistMommi]

She has tea at 5pm.

[valiumredhead]

My ds has always had supper and milk then upstairs for teeth cleaning and bed. He is 12 now and still has supper!