ADHD and Late Night Eating - Teen Boy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I noticed in your post that you ordered extra pasta because you wouldn't be around to make him lunch.
Is he not able to prepare his own lunch or snacks and that is why he is eating all your prepared food?
Maybe try teaching him some simple cooking skills and see if things improve.

PP with ADHD responding to the bolded. Seriously, when you have ADHD and your medicine is wearing off and you are trying to keep it together while you are starving, cooking is the last thing you want to do. Even making mac and cheese is overwhelming.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I noticed in your post that you ordered extra pasta because you wouldn't be around to make him lunch.
Is he not able to prepare his own lunch or snacks and that is why he is eating all your prepared food?
Maybe try teaching him some simple cooking skills and see if things improve.

+1

Sounds like it’s time to involve him in planning, shopping, and food prepping. When OP is meal prepping, he can also prep hearty snacks. Maybe it’s bagel-and-egg sandwiches to freeze for later, mixed crudite with tasty dips or dressings (hummus, miso-carrot-ginger, tzatziki), well-seasoned frozen meat patties (hamburger, turkey, lamb). Are there quick prepared options that can work too—frozen spanakopita, smoothies, microwaveable bowls?

Have a talk about your expectations for prepared meals. If you son eats his lunch for the next day, he can be involved in prepping a new one, same thing if he eats the family meal. Talk also about eating one thing and then waiting 15-30 minutes after finishing before going in for more food.

[Anonymous]

Please talk to his doctor

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I noticed in your post that you ordered extra pasta because you wouldn't be around to make him lunch.
Is he not able to prepare his own lunch or snacks and that is why he is eating all your prepared food?
Maybe try teaching him some simple cooking skills and see if things improve.

+1

Sounds like it’s time to involve him in planning, shopping, and food prepping. When OP is meal prepping, he can also prep hearty snacks. Maybe it’s bagel-and-egg sandwiches to freeze for later, mixed crudite with tasty dips or dressings (hummus, miso-carrot-ginger, tzatziki), well-seasoned frozen meat patties (hamburger, turkey, lamb). Are there quick prepared options that can work too—frozen spanakopita, smoothies, microwaveable bowls?

Have a talk about your expectations for prepared meals. If you son eats his lunch for the next day, he can be involved in prepping a new one, same thing if he eats the family meal. Talk also about eating one thing and then waiting 15-30 minutes after finishing before going in for more food.

Not OP here. I don't disagree with this fundamentally. It's a good idea. However, I wonder if the PP has put this into practice with a kid with severe ADHD. As another full grown adult PP with ADHD suggested, this would be difficult at any age.

As someone with a child with ADHD and has had that discussion of waiting 15-30 minutes many many many times, it's a tough message to get across. If you have managed to get it across, did it just take time and repetition over years? How did it happen?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I noticed in your post that you ordered extra pasta because you wouldn't be around to make him lunch.
Is he not able to prepare his own lunch or snacks and that is why he is eating all your prepared food?
Maybe try teaching him some simple cooking skills and see if things improve.

+1

Sounds like it’s time to involve him in planning, shopping, and food prepping. When OP is meal prepping, he can also prep hearty snacks. Maybe it’s bagel-and-egg sandwiches to freeze for later, mixed crudite with tasty dips or dressings (hummus, miso-carrot-ginger, tzatziki), well-seasoned frozen meat patties (hamburger, turkey, lamb). Are there quick prepared options that can work too—frozen spanakopita, smoothies, microwaveable bowls?

Have a talk about your expectations for prepared meals. If you son eats his lunch for the next day, he can be involved in prepping a new one, same thing if he eats the family meal. Talk also about eating one thing and then waiting 15-30 minutes after finishing before going in for more food.

Not OP here. I don't disagree with this fundamentally. It's a good idea. However, I wonder if the PP has put this into practice with a kid with severe ADHD. As another full grown adult PP with ADHD suggested, this would be difficult at any age.

As someone with a child with ADHD and has had that discussion of waiting 15-30 minutes many many many times, it's a tough message to get across. If you have managed to get it across, did it just take time and repetition over years? How did it happen?

Not the previous PP you are replying to, but the one who suggested simple cooking skills. I think skills build confidence (so important for a kid who has a lot of failures) so these are always worth teaching. I think if OP's son can heat up food in the microwave, he can probably make a sandwich for lunch or learn how to make ramen. His mom should not need to plan his lunch the next day in advance, or at least they should be working towards not needing to do this.
I think the other poster is talking about planning skills and also trying to make up for the harm they did (like eating what Mom had cooked for next day's dinner.) I have found these very difficult, but also two of the most important things I can ever teach my kid. So it's good to make the attempt even if it takes several years.