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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>"I Want A Snack!"
broncomom1973 11:36 AM 11-04-2010
My new dcg who is 3 is constantly saying this to me. It hasnt even been 1-1/2 hours since we finished lunch. She starts whining and crying when I say no. I am on the food program, serve breakfast, lunch and a p.m. snack that isnt scheduled until 3:30 when the other children wake up from nap. I give her as much food as she wants at meals. She tells me when she is full, so it's not like she is not getting enough. I dont want to create a bad habit by allowing her to snack at times of the day when Im not supposed to be giving her a snack per the food program. Anyone else have this problem and what do you do about it????
DCMomOf3 11:42 AM 11-04-2010
Oh, sure, it happens here too. I just say, "we have already eaten, but snack is in xx minutes and we will eat again then." And I will repeat that same answer until it's time to eat. my dck will stop asking after I give that answer 2 ot 3 times.
Blackcat31 11:48 AM 11-04-2010
Sounds like she already has the bad habit. I'd talk with mom about her eating schedule at home. Kids sometimes eat out of boredom and parents allow them too...especially little ones that get a cracker here and there all through the day. I would definitely stand my ground and maybe offer her a drink of water in between. I also have same meal pattern as you do and kids only get water in between meals and snacks. I had a little guy once who would "tell on" me to his mom at pick up and I just told her, here we eat breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snack. I don't break my rules for anyone (except infants). I suggested to mom that she adopt the same meal pattern at home b/c once a kid gets to school that's what they get there too. Could you imagine raising your hand during math and saying you wanted a snack! LOL!! 
Jenjo 12:37 PM 11-04-2010
I have that problem too. I just say we will eat a snack in so much time, then I help them find something to do. I think sometimes they are just bored.
Childminder 01:47 PM 11-04-2010
"Get a drink of water" or "Good, then you'll really be hungry when it is time to eat"
SilverSabre25 01:57 PM 11-04-2010
I was betting boredom, too. I'd tell her that the next eating time is [whenever] and in the meantime, how about [suggest an activity]?
Although I do like Childminder's suggestions!
Although I do like Childminder's suggestions!
SimpleMom 03:07 PM 11-04-2010
I do the same as mentioned above, but I also will give a morning snack AND a pm snack. I'm pretty hungry all day long and figure these kiddos might be as well. I offer crackers and dried cereal in the mornings and we have breakfast, lunch as well. I'm on the food program as well, but it all works out.
Preschool/daycare teacher 04:26 PM 11-04-2010
Our food program has breakfast, am snack, lunch, and pm snack. They eat so often that they never eat much of anything that they're given at any meal/snack. But at least they don't usually tell us they're hungry either! If they are hungry, it's because they didn't eat what they were served, and we let them know that. I agree with the other posters, tell her when the next meal/snack is and give her something to do. If she doesn't want to do anything except cry or whine, I know it's really annoying to listen to, but we just try to ignore it. Repeat what you already said, then ignore it if they want to keep it up and refuse to join in an activity. Seriously, they eat so often in daycare that there's no reason they should be hungry between meals or snacks! There's either a meal or snack every hour and a half at our daycare, except between lunch and pm snack it's a little longer because of nap.
Lucy 06:47 PM 11-04-2010
Originally Posted by Quincy:
Oh, sure, it happens here too. I just say, "we have already eaten, but snack is in xx minutes and we will eat again then." And I will repeat that same answer until it's time to eat. my dck will stop asking after I give that answer 2 ot 3 times.
Ditto. Exactly the same answer for me.Oh, sure, it happens here too. I just say, "we have already eaten, but snack is in xx minutes and we will eat again then." And I will repeat that same answer until it's time to eat. my dck will stop asking after I give that answer 2 ot 3 times.
nannyde 06:50 PM 11-04-2010
Best way to get the constant request for snacks to end is to have a nice big bowl of sliced raw veggies in a bowl for them. Have radishes, sliced green peppers, carrots, turnips, cucumber, etc. in a dish and an already poured water cup.
When she asks for the snacks just say excitedly "oh yes your special snack" and pop her to the table with her water cup and bowl of raw veggies. Whatever she doesn't eat then make THAT her special bowl next time.
When SHE requests the snacks it's snacks she doesnt like. When YOU call for her to have her snack it's stuff she likes. She'll learn that asking for a snack doesn't net her a great snack but waiting for you to offer the group a snack nets her a snack and drink to her liking.
When she asks for the snacks just say excitedly "oh yes your special snack" and pop her to the table with her water cup and bowl of raw veggies. Whatever she doesn't eat then make THAT her special bowl next time.
When SHE requests the snacks it's snacks she doesnt like. When YOU call for her to have her snack it's stuff she likes. She'll learn that asking for a snack doesn't net her a great snack but waiting for you to offer the group a snack nets her a snack and drink to her liking.
SilverSabre25 07:05 PM 11-04-2010
Originally Posted by nannyde:
Best way to get the constant request for snacks to end is to have a nice big bowl of sliced raw veggies in a bowl for them. Have radishes, sliced green peppers, carrots, turnips, cucumber, etc. in a dish and an already poured water cup.
When she asks for the snacks just say excitedly "oh yes your special snack" and pop her to the table with her water cup and bowl of raw veggies. Whatever she doesn't eat then make THAT her special bowl next time.
When SHE requests the snacks it's snacks she doesnt like. When YOU call for her to have her snack it's stuff she likes. She'll learn that asking for a snack doesn't net her a great snack but waiting for you to offer the group a snack nets her a snack and drink to her liking.
I would not be able to do that...it sounds like you're using veggies as a punishment! I would rather offer the veggies as part of the regular snack and get the kids to grow to like them. Besides, some kids, like my DD, actually choose things like carrots and cucumbers over candy/cookies pretty much any time.Best way to get the constant request for snacks to end is to have a nice big bowl of sliced raw veggies in a bowl for them. Have radishes, sliced green peppers, carrots, turnips, cucumber, etc. in a dish and an already poured water cup.
When she asks for the snacks just say excitedly "oh yes your special snack" and pop her to the table with her water cup and bowl of raw veggies. Whatever she doesn't eat then make THAT her special bowl next time.
When SHE requests the snacks it's snacks she doesnt like. When YOU call for her to have her snack it's stuff she likes. She'll learn that asking for a snack doesn't net her a great snack but waiting for you to offer the group a snack nets her a snack and drink to her liking.
nannyde 04:21 AM 11-05-2010
Originally Posted by SilverSabre25:
I would not be able to do that...it sounds like you're using veggies as a punishment! I would rather offer the veggies as part of the regular snack and get the kids to grow to like them. Besides, some kids, like my DD, actually choose things like carrots and cucumbers over candy/cookies pretty much any time.
I would not be able to do that...it sounds like you're using veggies as a punishment! I would rather offer the veggies as part of the regular snack and get the kids to grow to like them. Besides, some kids, like my DD, actually choose things like carrots and cucumbers over candy/cookies pretty much any time.
I operate a fully organic, grass fed, local, chemical free, free range animal food service.
All my kids eat completely home made food from scratch that is the best nutrition money can buy.
My POINT was to have the EXTRA snack that the child is asking for be less desirable in the SCHEME of snacks... which is usually raw veggies of the root veggie sort.... and have THAT be available when she is asking for an EXTRA snack during times it is NOT snack time.
See???????????
It's not a punishment to offer something EXTRA at a time when she wouldn't normally be fed and then offer what you normally offer when you normally offer it. The issue is the EXTRA the child is asking for.
If she has a child like yours that prefers raw veggies over cookies then I would use candy and cookies as the EXTRA snack. Whatever is the lowest form of snack to her needs to be what is available during EXTRA snack time.