Do you let your kids snack after supper?

[sunflowermom]

this sounds like a hard situation. I try to get my DS to eat before he goes to bed because I've noticed he sleeps longer and better on a full stomach. Night time snacks are usually fruit or cheese or crackers, etc. here. We brush teeth right before story time, then bed. Bath some nights sometimes before, sometimes after snack.

you and your family.

[Rose5000]

Originally Posted by sunflowermom

this sounds like a hard situation. I try to get my DS to eat before he goes to bed because I've noticed he sleeps longer and better on a full stomach. Night time snacks are usually fruit or cheese or crackers, etc. here. We brush teeth right before story time, then bed. Bath some nights sometimes before, sometimes after snack.

you and your family.

Thank you.

[Rose5000]

I have to be firmer in the way I tell dh what I want going forward.

we just instituted a "dinner hour" from 6 to 6:30 .
Last night was the 2nd night.
DH slipped into saying to son "Now remember, no food after this until morning."
I spoke up, "Well, actually, I told him last night that since dinner is from 6 to 630, he can have a light snack around 730, like an apple."
He agreed.

I saw son eating the rest of a loaf of bread around 8pm......this shows me that I need to provide a more substantial snack then just a piece of fruit, and make it okay to have it a little - maybe even a LOT - later than 7:30! - especially since he has such trouble sleeping .

---------- Post added at 04:16 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:14 PM ----------

Originally Posted by bliss

I've had insomnia since early childhood. I've tried a variety of things related to food intake since I was old enough to experiment with my own needs. Nothing I've done related to food, other than staying away from large amounts of caffeine past about 2pm, has had any bearing on my sleep cycles.

So you're saying that whether you have a snack before bed or not, and no matter what that snack consists of, the *food* has never been the solution to your insomnia, right? What *have* you found to be effective?

I give him a 2 tsps of Gall Bladder Nano from PRL labs in juice , that seems to help sometimes. I've also given him Melatonin, but don't want to make that a habit and he says it is not as effective as the GBN.

[JoEllen]

Yes, if they are hungry they get a healthy snack before bed. I don't send my children to bed hungry.

[mamajane]

Originally Posted by JoEllen

Yes, if they are hungry they get a healthy snack before bed. I don't send my children to bed hungry.

Yes, this. I can't imagine making them go to bed hungry. Being awake hours after dinner necessitates snacks. Speedy kid metabolism and all that.
Heck, my dh and I also snack after dinner

[bliss]

I'm saying food wasn't the solution but it wasn't the problem either . Food literally has no effect on my sleeping patterns, other than things containing stimulants such as caffiene. I haven't ever 'solved' my insomnia, and have come as an adult to feel that it's more of a non-traditional sleep pattern. My body wants to be awake most of the night and sleep till late morning. I'm biologically designed for shift work .
I wouldn't be concerned about using melatonin on a regular basis either.

[mamajane]

This just popped up on FB. One of the sleep tips refers to a study that shows a high carb snack before bed helping with a good night's sleep. It might be something to show dh
http://www.buzzfeed.com/kellyoakes/s...-hacks#2grdctl

[L-Boogie]

My kids have to finish the food that they already have out. So, if they wanted a "snack" at 7:30, i would point them to their dinner if it wasn't finished. Other than that, they are always allowed to eat something unless we have already told them it was time to brush their teeth.

[Rose5000]

Originally Posted by bliss

I'm saying food wasn't the solution but it wasn't the problem either . Food literally has no effect on my sleeping patterns, other than things containing stimulants such as caffiene. I haven't ever 'solved' my insomnia, and have come as an adult to feel that it's more of a non-traditional sleep pattern. My body wants to be awake most of the night and sleep till late morning. I'm biologically designed for shift work .
I wouldn't be concerned about using melatonin on a regular basis either.

Does chocolate (the cafeine supposedly in it) bother you?

[bliss]

It depends. Good, dark chocolate (the ones that say like 70% or 80% or whatnot on the wrapper) will. Not like a piece of cheap chocolate cake or anything.

[Rose5000]

Oh! I would have thot the opposite. The dark chocolate seems to have more caffeine than cheap chocolate?

[bliss]

Yeah this article (long but skimmable) is really interesting:
http://www.amanochocolate.com/articl...-in-chocolate/

[wildswede]

Yup, if the kid is hungry then I let him eat, and on the swing side, if he's not hungry I don't force him to eat. Young kids are probably the only people who truly eat according to the cues they receive from their bodies, way too young we are taught to ignore hunger signs and full signs to "clean our plate" or "wait till dinner". Since I've had body issues and disordered eating since I was eight years old, I really try to let DS call the shots when it comes to eating. Not to say, he gets whatever he wants, whenever he wants it. But, he definitely has access to healthy snacks throughout the day.

[lizzyd]

Dinner is the last opportunity to eat around here. They go to bed an hour and a half after dinner, so I don't see a reason to eat again. I feel like the whole day already revolves around food, I'm ready to be done with it after dinner!

Originally Posted by Katigre

No, dinner is the last time to eat for the night. They get an afternoon snack though.

Same here! Once dinner is cleaned up: kitchen is closed. We do eat a later dinner, however, and there is a snack offered in late afternoon - so my children do eat four times per day. That seems to work for us.

Could you offer a late afternoon snack, and then have a bit later dinner so that your child doesn't feel hungry and dh is satisfied too?

---------- Post added at 11:59 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:57 AM ----------

Originally Posted by lizzyd

I feel like the whole day already revolves around food, I'm ready to be done with it after dinner!