I've run into a little snag about snacking...
My dd is 3.5, and I've always let her eat when she says she's hungry. If I am busy or it isn't mealtime or snacktime (from my perspective
) I make a few suggestions for a healthy snack she can get herself.
Now I am doing childcare in our home and participating in the food program. That means I prepare and serve to the children: breakfast, morning snack, lunch, and afternoon snack that meet the content requirements for the program. Sometimes I feel like I spend all day in the kitchen!
At first that was plenty for dd and she never asked for anything in between. Now she's started asking for snacks in between these times. I want to foster her independence and encourage her to listen to her body's signals about hunger, but it's kind of a hassle to allow her to snack in between. Do I then offer that snack to all of the children? Do I have them wash hands and get to the table? Do I just do the snack/meal early? I can't always be prepared for that. Do I tell her she has to wait? Is she doing it because she is bored rather than because she's hungry?
I'd love to hear your thoughts and ideas on this subject.
My dd is 3.5, and I've always let her eat when she says she's hungry. If I am busy or it isn't mealtime or snacktime (from my perspective
) I make a few suggestions for a healthy snack she can get herself.Now I am doing childcare in our home and participating in the food program. That means I prepare and serve to the children: breakfast, morning snack, lunch, and afternoon snack that meet the content requirements for the program. Sometimes I feel like I spend all day in the kitchen!
At first that was plenty for dd and she never asked for anything in between. Now she's started asking for snacks in between these times. I want to foster her independence and encourage her to listen to her body's signals about hunger, but it's kind of a hassle to allow her to snack in between. Do I then offer that snack to all of the children? Do I have them wash hands and get to the table? Do I just do the snack/meal early? I can't always be prepared for that. Do I tell her she has to wait? Is she doing it because she is bored rather than because she's hungry?
I'd love to hear your thoughts and ideas on this subject.
