What do you eat for breakfast? What about your children?

Question

Hi,
I am an Early Childhood teacher and I have noticed a trend with my students where many of them come to school without eating anything for breakfast or eating a fast snack "breakfast" at school.

Out of my own interest, I'm wondering what do you (as adults) eat for breakfast? Do you skip breakfast often or eat it everyday?

And if you have children, do you provide them with an adequate breakfast everyday? What on average do your children eat before coming to school each day?

I'm particularly interested in this after reading much research about the adverse educational outcomes for children associated with not eating an adequate breakfast before school.

Thank you for your answer!

Answer 1

I admit I'm guilty of occasionally skipping breakfast. But I always make sure my kids eat. Healthy stuff. If they get cereal, it's not the sugary, nutritionally useless crap that is marketed toward them. It's usually one of the varieties of cheerios. They also eat a lot of oatmeal. If I have time to cook, I try to make them some pancakes. I also try to give them a little fruit with breakfast every day.
But you're right - parents feel no sense of responsibility toward their children, in many cases. They don't see a need to make sure they do basic things like eating 3 meals a day, taking baths regularly, and doing their homework.

Answer 2

Well, my son is only 3, but when he first gets up in the morning he refuses to eat until about an hour later. Hopefully he will get over this when he does start school. When he is ready for breaskfast it is usually eggs, toast and fruit, or cereal and fruit. Very rarely do I allow cereal bars because I just don't think they are as good as a regular breakfast. He gets his milk with his meals and one at night before bed.

Answer 3

The research maybe right in saying that kids do not have or have very little breakfast before going to school. I have a preschooler who hardly eats anything before going to school. When i talk to other moms they have the same complaints. Perhaps the school timings are such that they have to rush with the breakfast hence they do not eat much. My toddler has a few spoonfuls of cereals before going to school. After he goes to school, i add more cereals to his leftover bowl and have a filling breakfast.

Answer 4

I'm a woman in my forties, so I know how important it is to eat breakfast. As bland as it seems, each day I eat half a packet of cinnamon oatmeal with some all natural cereal on it. I try to stay on some sort of schedule. I generally eat anywhere from 7:30 to 8:30 each morning.

My daughter is thirteen years old, and she knows the importance of a good meal. Whether she is hungry or not, I often hear her saying how she forces herself to eat. Her breakfasts are fairly healthy - she goes thru different types of food each week. Last week it was blueberry waffles, the week before Smart Start Healthy Heart, and this week Reeses Puffs. Not the healthiest, but she is still eating.

I hope you can convince your children to begin eating breakfast. It is very important in a healthy diet. I know how it can be - I teach preschool, and they never want to eat their lunches.

Answer 5

Dear Teacher. Your concern is admirable. But I suspect that the research is flawed. The reason children who do not have
breakfast seem to do badly is because they also did not have
adequate dinners, and it will be a cold day in hell before their
parents let them tell that to other people.
My own mom was a super mom who got up with the birds and fixed us great breakfasts. I was so relieved when I finally got to the age where I could deep six the breakfast without
her knowing. I have a metabolism that turns sluggish with a
full stomach. I am almost 60 now, and I eat at 11:oclock a.m.
a couple of hours after the body has achieved cleanse. The
other schedule was just not efficient for me. So yes. the kids
should have good meals, But making everyone do the same
biological thing never works. Thanks. P.s I had egg plant strips sauteed in Smart balance.

Answer 6

I am also an early childhood teacher. Many of my children eat sugary cereal, yougurt, sugary muffins, pop-tarts, pancakes, waffles and other non-nutritious meals. Then they bounce off the walls. I think that these children eat way too much dairy and sugary foods. I wish that they ate some eggs, and maybe some fruit. I think that in child care a lot of parents are really busy because they are working. They tend to go for the convenience foods which are not always the healthiest.

Answer 7

I'm 11, I have tea (i almost always have a cold, and it wakes me up!). I also have either cereal, or sometimes french toast sticks, or regular or cinnamon toast. i die if I don't have enough breakfast. I absolutely always HAVE breakfast, just sometimes it's only a few pieces of toast, and I would get a stomach ache and i wouldn't be able to focus and I'd even start getting dizzy. I once went home sick from throwing up and almost fainting from not eating breakfast and getting to bed really late! now I always go to bed as early as possible and eat a good breakfast!

Answer 8

Im in Grade 8 and all of my friends are not allowed to leave the house without eating breakfast first whether its in the car or at the kitchen table my class eats breakfast!

Answer 9

While I love breakfast, I usually don't have time to eat it myself, so I usually skip it or grab a granola bar.

My children however always have a big breakfast. They eat anything from eggs, pancakes, cereal, oatmeal, toast, and always with a side of fruit. Its their favorite meal, and I agree is important they eat before starting their day.

Answer 10

Myself I eat very little, I am a school Bus driver and get up too early to even think of food. When I get home at 9:00 AM I will then eat, Toast, Tea, perhaps a bowl of cereal.
My son is 12, he has a bowl of cereal every morning before leaving for school. My teenage daughters need to be told to get a bowl of cereal, and even then most days they forget.
Too busy fixing their hair. My son has no need for such silly rituals and eats his breakfast.