In my country of Residence, DUBAI, Schools opened up last week and hence the flow of Anxiety in all homes – I have been hearing about the anxiety attack from parents regarding the Breakfast Options …The “Tug of war”, as I refer to it, of the Daily Grind of a Mother’s life has started…In this article, today, let us learn some thought-provoking concepts associated with BREAKFAST and how we as MOTHERS can win the DEAL…and end this “Tug of War” over BREAKFAST every MORNING!
The pandemic introduced us to a NEW WAY of schooling – with online studies, came new challenges, but I guess, Mothers were relieved because the most essential MORNING RITUAL was altered – Packing a Healthy Breakfast was no longer the TASK that caused anxiety – Mothers, now had all the time and options to choose from as children always were at HOME.
HEALTHY FOOD was relished by both parties – Mothers & Children ❤
But now with the World Opening up and schools going back to NORMAL, life is going to be all the same – School-going days bring back a predictable life. Children are back to their routine of going to school, and mothers get busy, fighting a mental battle with respect to BREAKFAST.
Mothers and children juggle to get ‘THE MOST IMPORTANT MEAL OF THE DAY’ in sync with the routine. This kind of throws a challenge to all parents because the kids are also now back to their daily anticipated behavior of avoiding BREAKFAST...and as usual the “Tug of War” lingers on leading to frustration and anxiety on both the ends.
Morning hours at home seem to be like those spent in a battle field. As a parent, we all know that BREAKFAST is the most important meal of the day but many children don’t eat this important meal and miss out on the many BENEFITS OF BREAKFAST (and lots of yummy foods with calcium and vitamin D!) –
Mothers often feel HELPLESS in this aspect…simply because...to avoid this very IMPORTANT MEAL of the DAY is a Mistake – as the meal gets ignored, slowly & gradually it starts impacting the child not only physically and mentally – the child faulters academically as well 😦
HEALTH gets impacted & so do does the “Academic Performance” of our Children…Low grades in schools leads to a tensed atmosphere at HOME 😦
How can a MOTHER resolve this Challenge & Win this TUG of WAR. Here’s the answer…We can get our kids to adopting the healthy routine of EATING BREAKFAST for following these 3 simple steps or rather by teaching them 3 important NEURO-CONNECTIONS.
Step 1: Detailed clarification on the IMPORTANCE of BREAKFAST
It is our DUTY as MOTHERS to have HONEST CONVERSATIONS with our CHILDREN – let us take time out of our “BUSY” schedules & sit with them & talk to them about the IMPORTANCE of “Eating Breakfast” – Give them the Mantra of a Healthy Life with a CLEAR UNDERSTANDING…
You can use these pointers shared below to structure your Conversation – always use “First person” Dialog – It is almost Magically 🙂 setting the chords RIGHT !!!
- BREAKFAST gives YOU energy to get through your classes.
- BREAKFAST fills YOU up, so you’re less tempted to snack on the wrong kinds of food.
- BREAKFAST makes YOU more alert, helping you perform well in YOUR test.
- BREAKFAST helps YOU prevent weight gain.
- BREAKFAST supports to improve YOUR memory and concentration levels.
- BREAKFAST is a great time to get the calcium and vitamin D YOU need!
Playing SPORT & becoming a CHAMPION are always what every child seeks – Let your CHILD know that getting enough calcium and vitamin D in the diet helps keep our bones strong and healthy…making us excellent players & winning games.
Step 2: Know their preferences with respect to BREAKFAST
MOTHERS always want their child to be HAPPY & so it is important to know their preferences with respect to BREAKFAST…When we are asking for personal preferences, it is a gesture that echoes… “YOU are IMPORTANT” & “YOUR CHOICES matter”.
Some questions to help you get started with the most important CONVERSATION with your little angels – Connect with YOUR CHILD & unravel the mystery to the excuses that get bombarded at you.
- What’s YOUR typical morning routine?
- Do you feel lazy and lethargic when you wake up?
- Do you prefer a variation on a daily basis or only on weekends?
- Do you have time to eat a bowl of cereal or toast?
- Do you favor a cereal bar on your way out the door?
- Do you want to skip breakfast altogether?
Step 3: Listen and pay attention to their reasons for not eating BREAKFAST
Here comes the need of your third strategy – To know why a CHILD wants to SKIP Breakfast is the FIRST thing we Mothers must know – This is because Children are aware of their needs but they also have many challenges, just as we adults do – So BEST OPTION is to LISTEN to them…These are some of the REASONS you as a mother might get to hear…Be calm & hear them out…
- I don’t have time for breakfast!
- I’m not hungry in the morning!
- Drinking milk will make me fat!
- I hate milk!
- Milk gives me stomach ache!
- Skipping breakfast will help me lose weight!
Now that we have the REASONS at hand – Know that the list can get extensive & is always endless because every child has his/her specific reasons…but these 6 reasons are the most common ones…Let us tackle one issue at a time
I have No Time for Breakfast!
We all know that it is difficult to get out of bed and the clock just seems to be playing a running race. All this makes it difficult to have a breakfast, let alone a nutritional one. Let us make it simple for both parties involved in the “Tug of War”.
Play SMART – Make sure to give your child one or two food items from this list as they rush their way to school…Encourage them to eat it while waiting at the Bus Stop.
- Cereal bar with added calcium
- Calcium-fortified juice with some nuts
- Banana and a handful of nuts
- Low-fat flavored milk/soya milk
Let them know that an Empty stomach isn’t a GOOD START to the Day, it will lower their performance, leading to low grades.
I’m Not Hungry in the morning!
If your kid is not hungry right away, you could pack a handful of nuts to munch on throughout the morning on their way to school … This will help them to stay energized and will prevent them from eating the entire cafeteria at lunch.
It is also seen that if children have an option of eating in the School canteen, they avoid eating at home, or even taking Tiffins … this is because, Cafeteria has the FOODS that they so dearly CHERISH…You know what I am hinting at… However, even if the School Canteen has “Healthy Options”, I suggest, let the choice of eating from the Canteen not become a DAILY AFFAIR.
Drinking Milk will make me FAT!
Not true! Milk is also known as a complete food. Studies show that kids who drink milk regularly for breakfast are less likely to become overweight because they have had a WHOLESOME BREAKFAST and are less likely to eat junk. Plus, you can also choose fat-free or low-fat milk instead of whole milk — they have the same amount of calcium with fewer calories.
I hate milk!
Some children find it difficult to drink milk because they simply don’t like the taste of milk. No issues. If your child does not like the taste of milk. You can always change the form and give them. There is a whole variety of options at your disposal.
- Flavored Milks are a GREAT OPTION
- Children can enjoy yoghurt (Plain or Flavored – Let it be their CHOICE)
- Cheese, Paneer stuffed in sandwiches and so on.
Milk gets me “Stomach ache“!
This is an IMPORTANT POINTER – Do pay attention to this reason. This can be a VALID REASON – There are chances your child has an intolerance to the lactose bacteria. Better to get your child tested for allergies and a lactose intolerance test…and if your doctor tells you that your child is lactose intolerant, you need not freak out. There is a whole range of lactose free products available in the market.
I will skip this meal to lose weight.
Is skipping breakfast a SMART MOVE for weight loss? Think again! Not a good idea. Discuss with your child in length about this issue. Children who skip breakfast may actually gain more weight, because they are hungrier and eat more throughout the day.
With a conversation based on these THREE ASPECTS – You have unlocked the secret to winning the Tug of War – I am confident that with these TIPS you have the clear IDEA as to WHY your CHILD is not eating BREAKFAST & also you have a variety of options & alternatives to offer your kids for breakfast – Even if they tell you that they are not hungry or you feel like there is not enough time, you have the solution to all their problems.
Here’s a small TIP to always bear in Mind – Always remember that a HEALTHY BREAKFAST should include a good source of PROTEIN, CALCIUM, & LOTS OF FIBER.
Make sure that your children eat something before they head off to school since it’s been almost 8-10 hours, since they had their last meal. Let them know that a HEALTHY BREAKFAST kick starts their metabolism and keeps it going throughout the day. With the growing problem of obesity in children, this serves as a great way to help keep the weight off.
With this Magic Wand of all ANSWERS in your HAND – You can become victorious. I bet your child is going to fall short of excuses, but you are now well equipped with all the HEALTHY OPTIONS.
Frustration is easy to dodge when we have an alternative solution in our hands. I believe with the MAGIC WAND in your hands, you can confidently say… I am in Control of My Child’s Breakfast…
Mothers now have the answers to all the excuses made by their kids…Next week we will discuss some more aspects associated with BREAKFAST – Tiffin Ideas – Do watch out for this Space…until then, here’s a TAKE AWAY MESSAGE for you to ANCHOR !!!
TUG OF WAR is over – I AM IN CONTROL
Journeys & Reflections 