A four-year-old serving up bowls of homemade peanut butter granola and cups of fresh juice, a five-year-old dishing up yogurt and fresh fruit for his siblings. It’s 6.30 am, not a parent in sight. Lazy parenting? Or a lesson in fostering independence? We’re firm believers in the latter.
Who wouldn’t say ‘yes please’ to 30 extra minutes in bed of a morning! If you’re a parent with young children and if you’re anything like us, then you are game to give anything a try that might just secure you this luxury.
For what feels like months now, we have been woken up at 6 am to a chorus of 'I’m starving'. Judging by the shear quantity of food they consume in a 14-hour period I find this extremely hard to believe but they’re on the prowl and not easily deterred. And there’s nothing worse than being woken up and having to drag yourself out of a warm comfortable bed and into a cold kitchen at that time of day, especially on these chilly Fall mornings. So, what if five extra minutes of prep the evening before could give you extra time in your warm cozy bed?
I was inspired to give this self serve breakfast idea a try after reading a post recently about how to 'Montessori' your home and life. Kiddie-sized water stations, children peeling their own fruit and vegetables, why not allow them to serve themselves breakfast!
Honestly! does the thought of your kiddies getting themselves breakfast of a morning give you the chills? Oh the mess, the wasted food, the arguing…. I did suspect all the above might be the reality but I trusted my instincts to give it a try and I guess what it all boils down to is: just trust them, (well…that and a willingness to clean up a little spilt milk.)
The prep
Before going to bed invest five minutes laying out bowls, spoons and cups. Pop the food (that doesn’t require refrigeration) in glass storage containers. Rather than my little people balancing and pouring from large milk bottles I pour the amount needed in a mason jar and have it on an easily accessible shelf in the fridge. Same goes for juice.
Some easy ideas.
Cereal and milk
Homemade granola with milk/yogurt
Yogurt and fruit
Breakfast cookies, granola bars, muffins, all served with fruit and a glass of milk or juice.
On weekends we normally go for a mid-morning breakfast number two of oatmeal, pancakes or French toast.
The first morning, I prized my eyes open to see Theo and Isla stood beside my bed, declaring they were hungry. When I announced that they could go get themselves breakfast, I swear there were squeals of excitement as they ran into the kitchen. (We had talked about it the previous day, so they knew where to find the milk). They are all fiercely independent kiddies so they thrived on the challenge and they rose to it. We are several weeks in and I must say, all in all, its going rather well.
So, go on give it a try! what’s the worst that can happen...a few cheerios on the floor, orange juice on their laps and there’s no need to cry about a little spilt milk. Foster their independence, teach them self reliance and responsibility.
I strongly recommend choosing foods appropriate for your children, based on age and maturity, avoiding all choking hazards.
Do you let your kids serve themselves breakfast, what’s on your menu, love to hear your thoughts.
Thanks for popping in
Sam