If so, what do they fix for themselves?
Thanks you guys. You've helped sharpen my POV.
I was asking bc my 7 yr old doesn't eat anything out of the toaster and barely out of the microwave. Its like pulling teeth to get him to eat pancakes or waffles out of the toaster and if he does it HAS to be homemade. He doesn't like sweet breakfasts...I can't remember the last time he's had jelly. For some reason he doesn't like store bought pancakes, waffles, toaster strudels or even pop tarts (seriously, no poptarts! I'm pretty sure he's adopted :) ). And there is no way he will eat toast. I can't even remember the last time he ate toast.
So my problem is that I have to make his breakfast every single morning - oatmeal (he prefers unsweetened w/a squirt of honey), grits, fresh pancakes, biscuits and gravy, bfast tacos, all kinds of eggs and breakfast meats. I really don't mind whatever mess he makes but he doesn't use my electric and gas elements well, nor do I trust him to use them correctly, sooooo....I've been in the kitchen every single morning since he was 2 making him breakfast. He does help but there really isn't enough time on a school morning to make it on time. Oh, my son TRIES to make his own meals but even if he gets the water in the oatmeal hot enough, he doesn't make it just like mom does, so he complains and would rather me make it for him I make no apologies for him...he's getting better about eating instant things, and he's only 7...and I enjoy cooking for him and he eats everything I put in front of him.
ETA - Thanks Jill, BB and Pam. You guys are right...maybe I'm just lazy...
Yes, pretty much whatever they feel like eating and they have time to make. I have found them eating leftovers from the night before but mostly cereal and pop tarts.
My son is 10, and he can make his own breakfast, but in the week I do it, for expediency, he has a bowl of cereal. On the weekends he gets it himself, or not, but it is his responsibility. My daughter is only 4, so I get hers for her.
Yes. 12yr old boy, microwave sausage biscuit and a glass of water.
7 yr old girl, pop-tart or cereal bar and glass of milk.
No way, I don't want those freaks in my kitchen in the morning!!
;)
No and I don't plan for them ever to. I'm in a bad mood this morning but have to say I don't understand all this work put on kids. Why did people have them if they don't want to do the basics for them like fix meals? Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I don't want it to be something microwaved or processed or sugary or only from one food group. My mother made me a very balanced breakfast every morning until I left for college and I am in no way incompetent or lazy now. I have done very well professionally and keep a very organized home etc. My kids have various combos of fruit, eggs, toast, cereal, pancakes, waffles, and/or oatmeal. Considering lunches are rushed at school half the time, I feel a good breakfast is incredibly important. sorry for the rant. I know i"m beign obnoxious but in a bad mood.
Laura: yes, I am in a cranky mood. :) But I will say my kids get healthy lunches made for them too... Really none of my business what other people do and glad it works for you. Just in the mood for an argument I guess.
They are only young once. (Okay, granted, mine are 7 and 2...I might feel different when they are teenagers!) hee hee...
But no, I really enjoy making their breakfast. I like making faces on their plates out of the food, I like cooking for them...I like lunch even better because it's more variety and it's fun to lay it out for them.
As a matter of fact, my girls are on the living room floor on their "picnic" blanket right now having their breakfast. :) And me in my bathroom...should probably get in the shower!!
I just want to lend Jill a little support, even though it's late in the game and no one will probably see this. My mom made me my breakfasts and lunches until I went to college...oh, she made supper, too. I fully intend to make my children's meals until they are no longer in my house. Sure, they help me make cookies, pancakes, chop veggies for supper, whatever they can help with...but it's not their job. Their job is to make their beds and pick up their toys.
All 4 of my kids, ages 14, 10, 8, and 5 usually get their own breakfast in the mornings. They have cereal, frozen waffles/pancakes, eggs (the older 2,) instant oatmeal, toast and fruit, sometimes if I'm feeling nice Toaster Strudel...basically whatever we have as far as breakfast goes. Sure, they usually trash my kitchen, but they are learning/practicing important life skills, IMO.
As long as my son wants, I will make him breakfast. Consider yourself lucky that your son will eat a healthy breakfast if you make it for him. I would never expect a 7 year old to make himself a hot breakfast. As my son gets older, I will include him in cooking because it is an important life skill. I don't know you, but seriously, you are worn out from making your own child breakfast every day? WHAT? How long does it actually take you to make breakfast? Oh, no, you have been making him breakfast everyday for the last 5 years...you poor thing.
My boys (7 and 10) usually make their own breakfast. Toast with peanut butter or sugar and cinnamon, cereal, waffles, or bagels. Sometimes I step in to help the 7 year old, but for the most part they do it themselves.
L.
Jill - I can see you are in a BAD mood, so I am not going to respond *too* much to what you said. BUT, I love my kids...to death. While they are making their breakfast I am making them a healthy lunch to take to school. It works in OUR family.
I usually make breakfast for them, but my 11yr old has been known to make herself an omelette. And the 9yr old will often pour her own bowl of cereal. My14 yr old, however, has to leave the house so early and if left up to him, he'd just skip breakfast, so I usually have food waiting for him on the table when he comes downstairs.
It's so busy in the mornings that it's just more efficient for me to get them breakfast and for them to concentrate on getting everything else ready.
they can get cereal if the milk is not too full. we often do oatmeal in the microwave and one saturday morning my 4 year old thought she could handle it herself when she woke up oh so early. After all she has watched me a million times and she is 4 and oh so grown up. Well instead of 45 seconds it was 45 minutes. After about 5 the bowl was melting and boy could we smell that. What a wake up. so now on the weekends we make sure the milk is pourable and they can not use and devices without us close by. Not that she was allowed to before.
No, at age 7 one of us makes his breakfast for him, unless he just wants dry cereal, but then I pour him a drink to go with.
Personally I dont believe pop tarts is enough for him, esp. not knowing how much he rushes thru lunch, so we are happy to make him oatmeal, eggs, pancakes or non sugary cereal with milk.
They grow up so fast (my other two are in their twenties!) I'm in no hurry for him to fend for himself. Some day you'll wish he'd come back and you could make him breakfast!
My 10 year old gets breakfast for himself and his brother. Cereal or toast.
Hi A.,
My kids are 6 and 12, and actually I make their breakfast, it is our time to be together and talk (we home school), they help with setting the table, etc.I like to do it, unless I am too sick or have surgery which has happened twice. They know how to make toasts, prepare cereal /milk, sandwiches or reheat pancakes (I make them the night before sometimes).
*****Oh I forgot....the kids prepare breakfast for me for my B-day and Mom's day! -simple, fast and safe-*******
Our son is 13 and can make his own breakfast.
During the week I make it for him before school.
On weekends sometimes I make it (for all of us), sometimes it's Dad, and sometimes our son does it.
He makes a pretty good omelet!
He hasn't made pancakes yet, but he'll learn!
Yes, she's 14 and has been making omlettes since she was 10 or 11.
BB may have been a bit harsh but I have to say I was thinking something similar. You have ONE child and making him breakfast at age 7 being such a hardship seems a bit much. I see you work part time vs youre a single mom working two jobs to keep a roof over your heads... So I'm in the camp that it's your job to make him all three meals plus snacks a day. I think that's a mother's job until they're way older than 7. You mention he doesn't like pop tarts. It'd be good if he did?? Those are junk! A good breakfast is very impt. I don't consider waffles you stick in the toaster healthy either so while my kids would eat them, I certainly don't feed them those types of things. Maybe there's more going on than one child and a pt job wearing you out so much. But I think 7 is way too young to make his own breakfast.
Yes. My kids are 9, 11, 14.
Cereal
Toast
Frozen Waffles, pancakes
Instant Oatmeal
yogurt
fruit
No I make their breakfast. They are 5 and 3. If it's a weekend and I'm super tired, I'll tell them to grab an applesauce, gogurt, frozen waffle (they love these) or string cheese until I'm awake enough to make them something.
When our daughter did make her own breakfast it was usually cereal. or fruit, cheese quesadilla.
She is not much of a breakfast person, never has been.. Also is not a fan of traditional Breakfast foods.
Yes. Mine are older, though. They make eggs, waffles (toaster), cereal, oatmeal.
I'm a SAHM and my twins, 12 yrs old, can make their own breakfast but on school days I always make it. I have taught them how and they do on weekends so it's not that they can't. I just feel like I'm not rushing around in the morning trying to get ready for work so it's what I like to do.
Plus if it was up to my son, he would NEVER eat breakfast and that doesn't work for him. You've always been able to tell when he's hungry, his behavior goes in the toilet.
Wow I didn't expect such a variety of answers. My kids tend to eat yogurt, microwave pancakes (sometimes store bought, sometimes homemade and frozen), milk, cereal, hot dogs, cheese sandwich, pb&j, fresh fruit. Anything beyond that they tend to ask for my help. The 8 & 6 yr olds can do a lot on their own but that doesn't mean they always do. I always ask them if they would like my help with breakfast and then before they leave I ask what they ate for breakfast (if I didn't help them with it). If I don't talk to them about it, they will either get distracted or don't know what they want to eat so they end up not eating.
My girls (13 and 16) are not big breakfast eaters during the week. They do pack bagels, breakfast bars, yogurt/granola, etc. which they eat during their morning break at school, at 10:30.
They know how to make just about everything, from pancakes to smoothies to omlettes, and they sometimes do on the weekends, but I prefer to do it myself because they make such a freakin' mess and their idea of "cleaning up" is no where near mine lol!!!
My daughter is 10 and she fixes her own breakfast every morning before school. Cereal, Bagel w/cream cheese, instant oatmeal, yogurt, etc. Easy things. I cook breakfast on the weekends and she helps. Last weekend she made eggs & pancakes on her own with me in the kitchen supervising.
What if you make things ahead of time (I have a recipe for a savory muffin/biscuit with egg, bisquick, cheese, sausage...) and let him just re-heat it (microwave 20 seconds, pop in the toaster oven for 1 minute to get the outside crispy).
Also - hard boiled eggs and "cheezy bread" (toast with shredded cheese) should be easy enough for him to do himself.
And for oatmeal, can you give him the 1/4 cup measurer or whatever and label it "OATMEAL" so he knows how much water to put in?
