Low blood sugar, breakfast, morning chores and school schedules (will you share?)

[Lovedtodeath]

I am only speaking for my child...but banana bread for breakfast as a young child would have turned her into a pile of sobbing goo. I mean, unless the banana bread was mostly cheese and eggs or peanutbutter and avocado or something. lol

 

She has blood usgar issues, and I mention this because I think this is what the OP may be dealing with.

 

Not a doctor or anything. :D But I have found that a hardboiled egg can set the world right again.

Thanks for looking out for me. I think I need to read up on hypoglycemia.

 

A slice banana bread or muffins at 6 a.m. to eat while doing math & reading. Then a big breakfast when the babies wake up at 8 a.m. with oatmeal, eggs, toast, etc.

 

 

Food could be a non-stop affair here if I let it. When the banana bread is gone, it's gone. They also like hot tea, coffee or cocoa with their early morning "pastry."

That was helpful because you shared your personal experience, so thank you. I am thinking that I will do this snack idea... just a different snack. Maybe some legumes like Rosie suggests. ;)

[Jean in Newcastle]

Carmen - many states have low income insurance esp. for children. I would look into that. The combination of your child's weight problem (that you've alluded to) and the blood sugar problems concern me. I would want her checked out. I don't want to alarm you but depending on just how overweight she is, she could be at risk for diabetes. And you really want to be on top of that with a doctor.

[Denisemomof4]

 

That was helpful because you shared your personal experience, so thank you. I am thinking that I will do this snack idea... just a different snack. Maybe some legumes like Rosie suggests. ;)

 

it's REALLY weird (and I probably shouldn't publicly admit this!) but I've been on the candida diet for four months. My new favorite breakfast? (which is really brunch because I usually eat "breakfast" around 11:00 and then skip lunch and just have a snack) I sautee a small onion in butter and add refried beans. I have about a third of a can for each serving. Along with it I fry one egg and slice one organic hot dog in half and grill it. It's just SO DARN GOOD. I can't believe how much I'm loving this!

 

I also got used to having veggie stirfry and eggs for breakfast. Also had some bacon.

 

If your dd is feeling the affects of her blood sugar, please go get her tested. If it's diabetes, it could be dangerous not to address it.:grouphug:

[LibraryLover]

I just want to Woot! on you here, Denise.

 

 

it's REALLY weird (and I probably shouldn't publicly admit this!) but I've been on the candida diet for four months. My new favorite breakfast? (which is really brunch because I usually eat "breakfast" around 11:00 and then skip lunch and just have a snack) I sautee a small onion in butter and add refried beans. I have about a third of a can for each serving. Along with it I fry one egg and slice one organic hot dog in half and grill it. It's just SO DARN GOOD. I can't believe how much I'm loving this!

 

I also got used to having veggie stirfry and eggs for breakfast. Also had some bacon.

 

If your dd is feeling the affects of her blood sugar, please go get her tested. If it's diabetes, it could be dangerous not to address it.:grouphug:

Edited April 21, 2011 by LibraryLover

[Lovedtodeath]

My mom has a blood glucose monitor and we have used it to test Emily.

[Denisemomof4]

I just want to Woot! on you here, Denise.

 

I just deleted a bunch of thoughts on my years as a vegan and vegetarian. lol

 

so are you going to have hotdogs and beans for breakfast?:tongue_smilie::D

 

I was also a vegetarian and vegan at one point. I wish I could do it again but I feel better eating more animal protein.

[StephanieZ]

I didn't read all the replies, so maybe you've explained already why the obvious solution isn't feasible?

 

Get her up 30 min before you want her to 'start her day' -- allowing 30 min to drag to the table and then eat.

 

Have breakfast ready and waiting. (It can be as simple or complicated as you wish. A box of cereal and jug of milk is fine IMHO. Add a half grapefruit or some other fruit and you're golden. 30 sec prep time, max, if you do it yourself.) Let her roll down the steps, drag her bum to the table, and nosh away for a leisurely 20 min.

 

Now she's fed and can, hopefully, jump to her chores, etc.

 

I just would not make a battle out of this. Every one has their own rhythms, and yes, us night owls do have to eventually learn to be civilized at ungodly early hours. . . but, you don't have to rub it in. Let the poor kid eat and get a little more alert before rushing around like a lunatic. (Personally, anything more energetic than brushing my teeth, going pee, and rolling back into bed FEELS like lunacy before noon. Doesn't mean I don't do it, but I sure don't like it.)

 

-- SZ

recovering night owl & resistant survivor of many (at least 98% of them so far) mornings that predictably arrive at least 2 hours too early

[LibraryLover]

so are you going to have hotdogs and beans for breakfast?:tongue_smilie::D

 

I was also a vegetarian and vegan at one point. I wish I could do it again but I feel better eating more animal protein.

 

 

I hear that. We have to know ourselves & our needs. I just deleted my 'When I was a veg and then a vegan' thoughts. :001_huh: I know people who wake it work, and make it work well. I coud not! Not even after double digit years. :( We all have unique needs.

Edited April 21, 2011 by LibraryLover

[Lovedtodeath]

Yes... the problem is that I will make a breakfast that she doesn't like or that she claims does not "fill her up" or it will be cold by the time she eats it. so by the time she eats b-fast, having done nothing else at least an hour has gone by, usually more. Or she doesn't want to eat within 30-40 minutes of getting up, or she will eat b-fast, do her morning routine and then be hungry again when it is time to do school...

 

It just seems that her being hungry is a constant fight for me. She can't do school work yet, she can't do chores yet, she can't go to bed yet... etc. etc.

[Jean in Newcastle]

My mom has a blood glucose monitor and we have used it to test Emily.

 

How have you tested? A fasting level? then Two hours after food?

[Mommyfaithe]

We conquered this with a snack before breakfast! My kids grab a quick bite of dry cereal or a multi grain cereal bar and a glass of (rice) milk. Then they do their chores before breakfast. I usually make eggs and waffles or pancakes or oatmeal. So while this is cooking, they are choring. We then have breakfast, they brush teeth, and then school starts at 9:30-10ish. We finish around 12:30 and have lunch.

 

This is what we do...we call it second breakfast...or tensies..lol.

 

When they get up they have a cup of milk and a snack. Chores ...then eggs or pancakes at 10. The kids wake up at 7-8 am....grab a quick snack, get dressed....chores and school starts at 9. They work for 2 hours on their work book work...have a break at 11....then we do Bible, Latin, lunch...history or science ...then room time...or outside play...or enrichment stuff.

 

Our routine in good...and the kids can eat...and need to eat...often...at 8, 10, 12, 2, 4 and dinner at 6 ish. Their snacks are a quick healthy grab kind of thing.

 

Faithe

[Mrs Mungo]

My kids have the eating schedule of hobbits. First and second breakfast, elevensies, lunch @ 1, etc.

[Lovedtodeath]

How have you tested? A fasting level? then Two hours after food?

My mom did the same thing that the docs did with her. I think it was something like that, but more than just twice.

[Jean in Newcastle]

My mom did the same thing that the docs did with her. I think it was something like that, but more than just twice.

 

Good! That lets you know how her body handles food.

[LibraryLover]

My kids have the eating schedule of hobbits. First and second breakfast, elevensies, lunch @ 1, etc.

 

 

:D That makes sense to me. 3 giant meals a day do not even match human activity.

[Lovedtodeath]

:D That makes sense to me. 3 giant meals a day do not even match human activity.

Well, 6 small meals is a lot different than 6 huge meals. This is what I am trying to navigate.

[Mrs Mungo]

Well, 6 small meals is a lot different than 6 huge meals. This is what I am trying to navigate.

 

Here is a typical sort of day:

 

7-fruit and cheese

9-breakfast-eggs with cheese and avocado, toast

11-hummus, pita bread, olives and carrots

1-lunch-bean burritos with tomatoes, peppers and Greek yogurt

3-peanut butter and bananas

7-dinner, probably pretty typical

 

So, ours is more like 3 tiny meals, 2 medium meals and 1 big meal.

[girligirlmom]

We struggle with this too. We started the GAPS Diet, all of us. This means no sugar and no grains. I have found it helps balance blood sugar so no one is starving in the morning although this is a side benefit. Eating anything high carb or high sugar the night before used to make me wake up starving. Not anymore on GAPS. Behavior has improved greatly also in the kids and in me. ADD is virtually gone, although there is still procrastination and a preference for Legos over getting work done. Legos now stay upstairs so they are not a distraction.

 

We start the day with Fermented Orange Oslo Cod Liver Oil(1/2 tsp), Carlson's Lemon Fish Oil(2 tsp) and a little Orange Juice. This near TBSP of good fat helps hold the kids off before breakfast.

 

I have to be prepared for breakfast if we need to go anywhere and they don't have time to make it themselves.

 

I require that they eat some type of meat or eggs and fat like butter or bacon fat or the fat that is in sausage (homemade from ground pork and spices). I make sure we have sausages ready for the kids to eat cold or they can heat them up. I might make bacon and eggs some mornings, but other mornings I might not have time.

 

The oldest two can make eggs themselves (ds12 & dd9), otherwise they may have yogurt and fruit, but I will have a stash of boiled eggs ready also. Youngest is allergic to yogurt so sometimes I make Coconut Milk yogurt after I make coconut milk. It takes about an hour of prep plus overnight in the dehydrator so I don't do it often. Sunbutter for the two allergic to Peanut butter is also helpful, but the oldest will have a spoonful of peanut butter if he needs it. We will also eat leftovers for breakfast.

 

My youngest will always go for fruit without fat or protein, and I am working on changing this in him. He knows I require the protein/fat combination, but still I have to remind him to eat by saying - go eat 4-8 sausage balls (1 tsp each) and he does (he used to refuse emphatically before GAPS). I also make him a stock based soup made with 1 qt homemade chicken bone broth, 1 onion, 2 cloves garlic, 2 cups of broccoli, 2 TBSP of coconut oil, sea salt, pepper, and nutmeg. I use a stick blender to mix it together and he eats about 1 cup at a time. I try to get this or a zucchini similar version in him daily. It really fills him up.

 

My oldest ds at 5'2" was over 120 lbs and started wearing a size 18. He was looking chunky. He has lost weight on GAPS, about 12 lbs., not by trying to lose weight, but by not eating grains or sugar. He does not want to get below 105 lbs. I have also lost about 12 lbs and so has my dh.

 

The kitchen must close every morning, since you know it needs a rest too :001_smile:. I am still working on this one, but I find if they have closed water cups (spill resistant) at the table and have eaten good fat and some protein, they can actually get work done for a couple of hours!

Edited April 21, 2011 by girligirlmom

[Garga]

My dh doesn't get hungry in the morning until he's been up a few hours.

 

I'm STARVING within 20 minutes of getting up and simply Must Eat.

 

Your daughter sounds like me and needs to eat soon after waking. Provide food that she can get for herself, if you haven't cooked a full breakfast yet: an apple, an individual serving of yogurt, cereal she can fix for herself, etc. It will take the edge off while she does chores until bfast is ready.

[kolamum]

Perhaps rising earlier would help?

 

My kids are up at 7, and have breakfast by 8. That's on school days, things may differ on non-school days.

 

Also, having a small wholegrain well balanced snack before bedtime might help. It's also healthy to eat within 30 minutes of rising. ;)

 

Is your child ready to eat when her feet hit the floor? What about a granola bar and yogurt. Move on to chores, and then another "snack" or proper breakfast then?

[Lizzie in Ma]

My kids have to have their chores done before breakfast then they eat and have their tea and read a bit before school. School starts at 9am.

I have found if we don't do it that way, chores do not get done until much later in the day and that doesn't work for me at all.

 

If they had chores that took longer than 15-20 minutes, I would hand them a granola bar or something I suppose if they needed to head out the the barn or something.

 

As it is, it is hugely difficult to get my 10 year old to eat anything at all, ever, so I monitor her closely and if she really can't eat before school, I insist on her doing so before math and by 10:00.

[Mommee & Baba]

My dc wake up between 7:30-8:30 each morning. Breakfast and then they are off to get dressed, brush teeth and make their bed.

 

School begins at 9am here. My children know if they sleep in later they are rushed in the morning. Majority of the time if they sleep in closer to 9 I have a healthy protein filled breakfast for them.

 

I have dd6 who is hypogl. and she needs something in the morning that isn't just cereal. So I try to offer an egg and some toast. dd7 would love pancakes every morning but I make her have grits, oatmeal or scrambled eggs with toast.

 

I def. have days that I just can't get moving and I can't expect my children to be any different.

 

My children have a full chore chart that is to be done before any computer, tv or play time after school. And because I'm schooling 2 children with different grade levels and different learning styles and a 2yr old ds...our school runs until 3 most days because I implement 1 hour of quiet time for everyone to regroup and the totboy naps then. Our school time does include four 15min-20min breaks as well as 45min lunch and the 1 hour of quiet time.