Gosh Cory what does the gp say about dd?

I seriously believe that there are some people who simply cannot handle mornings in any shape or form. My mother- a very light eater- is of this kind; forcing her to have a big meal in the morning (or, when she was younger, any kind of meal) would just make her throw up. She has still gone on to lead a very productive life; she just needs to start the day gently.

Dd went through a phase of throwing up after meals (not voluntarily, bulimia-fashion, but onto her plate, being unable to stop herself), so now I am concentrating on keeping her on an overall healthy diet rather than insisting on when it has to be eaten.

She has chronic pain issues that are always worse in the morning, so I think it's a losing battle here. If I can get her to school at all, that's a bonus.

Ds otoh does not have these issues- so with him I do make sure he eats.

They do have a healthy diet apart from the non-eating of breakfast. They have a home cooked dinner every night apart from Fridays.

I don't even have fizzy drinks in the house either, the drinks they take with them in the morning are cartons of pure apple/orange juice, and they also take fruit and cereal/smoothie bars.

They do buy food in the cafeteria either before school or in their breaks, although food from the cafeteria usually amounts to a bacon muffin.

Although they have quite an early start at school they also finish quite early and they eat all sorts then when they get home. I don't get home until after 6pm and I cook for them then, although sometimes this is home cooked bolognese/lasagne,curry etc that I have previously frozen.

Dd feels sick in the morning, so doesn't eat. I make sure she has enough dinner money to buy a snack at break time if she needs it.

If you're eating a healthy diet then 13 is probably old enough to choose when to eat it. They'e old enough to understand 'you'll be hungry later' and take the consequences. As long as they're not mainlining mars bars (love the phrase!) it's really not a problem.

My boys are 16, 14 & 13(nearly).They all eat breakfast. The 14 year old made porridge for all 3 today and left hell of a mess for me to clear away! They normally help themselves to toast, cereal, orange juice and milk. They don't do tea or coffee.

They can always put food away no matter what time of day! Do try to limit crisps/sweets/fizzy drinks etc. mainly for the sake of their teeth. But that is difficult as older two take money for breakfast culb and lunch, and village shops are close to school. Little brother takes a pack-up but bigger lads can't fit enough food in their bags. I'm sure the amount they eat will even off eventually but they are growing fast.

dd has porridge but she doesn't need to leave until 8:20

7:15 is early to have eaten breakfast imo unless you've been up since 6am, think I need a good 45 min before I am hungry

Do they have a break in the morning at school? Perhaps they could take a yoghurt and fruit for then.

I come from Farming Stock, and standard was to get up, have a cup of tea, milk the cows then come in a couple of hours later for a slap up fry up. Put said fry up on the table any earlier and none of us could have touched it.

DD16 sometimes has nothing,sometimes has an apple and orange juice, sometimes has half a bacon sarnie or half a sausage sarnie or just a sausage in her fingers. (I cook a batch and leave them in the fridge and she can zap one in the microwave. Luckily she doesn't have a source of sweeties on the way to college.

Dd has lately got out of the habit of eating breakfast, she used to have cereal and a big cup of tea, now she doesn't bother. It's not just so she can have an extra 10 mins in bed either! She just says she isn't hungry.

She does have an early start, she is up at about 6.30 and leaves the house just after 7. There is no way I could eat at that time either, so I started giving her money so she could go to breakfast club at school which opens just before 8 when she arrives at school. But she still wasn't hungry and just bought a cup of hot chocolate, and bought something at breaktime (half 10).

There is no way I could eat anything until about 10-11 myself, so understand why she doesn't want to eat. I actually agree with Maureen that it is onew of those things not worth arguing about - she eats a healthy diet, albeit a bit later than is viewed as preferable.

Anna - you have a point about eating earlier in order to be hungry in the morning. We do eat our dinner, about 7.30-8.00 every night, perhaps that's why we are not hungry in the morning. But I don't think I will be moving our dinner time to 5pm to remedy that (nobody will be at home, for a start).

OP - don't feel guilty, as long as she is not mainlining mars bars all day I shouldn't worry

If my DS1 is leaving the house early I give him a ham and cheese or smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel.
But I usually insist that they eat before they leave.
Not having breakfast may be a bad habit that some of us have as adults too but I think it is an important one to stop.
I eat shit when I am feeling depressed but I wouldn't hand my DD a box of chocolates when she was feeling upset.

I am not being pompous or superior. I have a 16 year old and a 13 year old and it is incredibly difficult at times to get them to eat well. But I wouldn't just accept this and let them reinforce the habit.
Try preparing bagels or rolls the night before and hand them one rather than crisps and shit