How do you deal with constant snack requests (they’re driving me nuts!)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks my kids are 3 and 5. They are too young g to be trusted to get their own food. I want to know what they are eating and foster controlled independence.

I've taught pre-k and now teach kindergarten. Your kids need to develop independence because at school, there is only one teacher and 20+ students. Have them pick out one snack and put it in an easy to reach container. Get some baby fingernail scissors and show them how to cut open a package. My 3 yr old can use a kitchen stool to climb up on a counter, open a cabinet, get out a small bag of popcorn, and cut off the corner to open it.

There's a lot to unpack here. It may be asking a lot to expect a 3-year-old to have the independence of an older child. Every child reaches milestones on a different schedule. Just because your 3-year-old can use scissors and quietly get their own snacks, doesn't mean that every 3-year-old is ready for that. There's no way my kids were allowed free access to scissors at that age (self haircuts and shredded library books are common pitfalls of giving them scissors and walking away). You remind me of the elderly pre-school teacher who complained because my 2-year-old couldn't put on his own socks and shoes. Some can, and some can't and it's not his fault or my fault that he couldn't do it at 2.

Np. It's not bad advice even if it doesn't work for all kids.

It is true that kids need to start working on independence, even if the exact details will vary. If a kid can't open the snack yet or get their own stool, maybe you can start by using a low shelf and have the kid bring you snacks for help. It doesn't have to be pre-packaged either. It can be snacks in tupperware or fruit or whatever works for your family.

[Anonymous]

Op you need to make sure they’re getting enough and properly balanced foods at actual meal times

[Anonymous]

I say we don’t do snacks but our snack time is a set time like lunch or dinner, same time everyday twice a day no snacks outside of that. We go to play dates and it used to drive me crazy the parents who basically just sit and feed their kids unhealthy snacks at the park because of course all kids want in on it, but my kids now know it’s not snack time and move on quickly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just wondering how other parents deal with snacks during the day. In our house, it honestly feels like someone’s asking for food every 10 minutes—especially the second I get on a work call or try to do anything for myself. It’s driving me nuts!

I want the kids to have some independence and eat mostly healthy, but I seriously haven’t found anything that works for more than a day or two. Is this just our family or is everyone else dealing with the same snack chaos?

Would love to hear what actually works (or doesn’t) in your house.

Obviously, they are hungry. What are you feeding them or not feeding them?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks my kids are 3 and 5. They are too young g to be trusted to get their own food. I want to know what they are eating and foster controlled independence.

Have the nanny or sitter make their snacks.

[Anonymous]

We have a fruit bowl out and they can eat anything they want off of it, as long as they will eat the whole fruit. Maybe if it's 5 min until dinner I tell them to just wait.

In the fridge we have cut up peppers, carrots and celery that they can always access.

The rest of the food is off limits. There's breakfast, lunch, snack time and dinner (sometimes dessert). After dinner if they're hungry they can have more dinner, lol, I don't limit portions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have a fruit bowl out and they can eat anything they want off of it, as long as they will eat the whole fruit. Maybe if it's 5 min until dinner I tell them to just wait.

In the fridge we have cut up peppers, carrots and celery that they can always access.

The rest of the food is off limits. There's breakfast, lunch, snack time and dinner (sometimes dessert). After dinner if they're hungry they can have more dinner, lol, I don't limit portions.

oh and my kids are similar ages to yours OP. 10, 5 and 3. The 3 year old totally gets it and raids the fruit bowl nonstop.

[Anonymous]

Haven’t read the whole thread but OP are you trying to WFH with kids those ages? How much time per day are you trying to set aside for work?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are trying to get your attention. This is why working while trying to take care of kids this young doesn't work unless they have unlimited screen time.

+1
Kids this age will not be able to entertain themselves for long periods of time. You might get an hour, but otherwise they are going to pester you all day. How many hours a day are you working?

They are in part time daycare. I get them back at 3… it’s not even about work, but more about the constant snacking and asking for another.

When they get home they get a snack. The snack is fruit. Have a tray of cut veggies that you put out about half an hour before dinner. Other than that no snacks.

Career nanny and they usually become snack monsters if a) There aren’t clear rules about when snacks happen or b) “snacks” are substantially more desirable than the food you serve at meals. If my kids are going to have goldfish, it’ll be on a plate at the table alongside other foods, so it’s not about putting the kids on a diet; it’s setting the expectation that “snack” means fresh produce so it’s not an excuse for junk food.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous]OP here. Thanks my kids are 3 and 5. They are too young g to be trusted to get their own food. I want to know what they are eating and foster controlled independence. [/quote]

if you are working from home, you should have childcare.

[Anonymous]

Another family here who sometimes eats dinner at 4PM.

[Anonymous]

i babysit my daughters little boy. with her he asks for snacks all day long. with me he eats a good breakfast and never even asks for snacks. are they getting enough to eat at mealtime?