Mom, Can I Have a Snack?
I used to hear this question all day long from my 3 year
old daughter, Amanda--until I came up with a new system.
I always allow a certain number of healthy snacks throughout the day, as long as meals are eaten. Instead of trying to think something up every time Amanda asks me for a snack, I get all of her snacks ready for the next day--the night before.
* In the pantry, I have a kid-size Hello Kitty bucket. Using small zip-lock snack bags, I portion out appropriate snacks such as raisins, Quaker Oat Squares, nuts, pretzels and graham crackers.
* In the kitchen, I've dedicated the bottom shelf on the refrigerator door for Amanda only. I include pre-portioned snacks such as fruit, apple sauce, yogurt and cheese.
* There is also a small fruit basket within her reach on the counter, with apples, bananas and so on.
Now, whenever Amanda wants a snack, she just looks in her bucket, basket or on her fridge shelf and takes what she wants. She knows she cannot take from anywhere except those snacks designated specifically for her.
If, for some reason, she doesn't eat most of her regular meals, the snacks are then off limits--the bucket gets moved to a high shelf for example, until she eats her next meal and at which time it gets moved back into her reach.
We've been using this system for a week now, and it's working like a charm. We never hear, 'Can I have a snack?' and we know exactly what she has been eating during the day. In the evening, there's often snacks left over that she hasn't chosen--which stay in the bucket, basket or fridge for the next day. We replenish her snack 'areas' each night and we're all set for the next day.
I always allow a certain number of healthy snacks throughout the day, as long as meals are eaten. Instead of trying to think something up every time Amanda asks me for a snack, I get all of her snacks ready for the next day--the night before.
* In the pantry, I have a kid-size Hello Kitty bucket. Using small zip-lock snack bags, I portion out appropriate snacks such as raisins, Quaker Oat Squares, nuts, pretzels and graham crackers.
* In the kitchen, I've dedicated the bottom shelf on the refrigerator door for Amanda only. I include pre-portioned snacks such as fruit, apple sauce, yogurt and cheese.
* There is also a small fruit basket within her reach on the counter, with apples, bananas and so on.
Now, whenever Amanda wants a snack, she just looks in her bucket, basket or on her fridge shelf and takes what she wants. She knows she cannot take from anywhere except those snacks designated specifically for her.
If, for some reason, she doesn't eat most of her regular meals, the snacks are then off limits--the bucket gets moved to a high shelf for example, until she eats her next meal and at which time it gets moved back into her reach.
We've been using this system for a week now, and it's working like a charm. We never hear, 'Can I have a snack?' and we know exactly what she has been eating during the day. In the evening, there's often snacks left over that she hasn't chosen--which stay in the bucket, basket or fridge for the next day. We replenish her snack 'areas' each night and we're all set for the next day.
Hi Maria
Just wanted to let you know that I added you to the Personal Development List. You will see it on my blog at the above URL.
Hope it was okay to do this to you. I was quite surprised to see you weren't already on this list actually :)
All the best
Michelle
Posted by: Michelle Pitman | September 03, 2007 at 04:58 PM
You have been tagged for The Personal Development List. (See my site for details), I would love for you to participate.
Posted by: Priscilla Palmer | September 05, 2007 at 06:05 AM