my child refuses breakfast

[DuPont]

My six year old has been refusing breakfast since school began. Should I be concerned or is this just a phase she is going through? This morning she had a couple of peices of bacon and a bite of english muffin. Most days she has had a glass of lactaid milk with chocolate syrup that's all. I alway offer her a variety of things, things she used to like for breakfast. My husband says let her go to school hungry. I have a hard time with that. Isn't breakfast suppose to be the most important meal of the day? School studies have shown that children who eat breakfast perform better in school. What do you all think?

[agonycat]

Have you asked her why she isn't wanting breakfast? Is she not really hungry because of a late dinner, or perhaps what she had for dinner or a snack? Or perhaps she is getting breakfast at school? Maybe some kid bringing poptarts to school? (reminds me of the commerical)

I know when I was in school I got to a point I rarely ate breakfast. Just wasn't hungry or whatever we had at the house didn't appeal to me. Could be her tastes in foods are changing.

[Lisa N]

Trying to force a child to eat is a battle that you will ultimately lose. Keep offering her healthy options for breakfast or perhaps pack her a bit extra in her lunch for morning snack. Think "outside the box" when it comes to breakfast foods; maybe bacon and eggs don't appeal to her right now, but a yogurt and fruit smoothie would hit the spot just right. Or maybe some peanut butter on whole wheat toast or string cheese. Have you asked her why she doesn't want to eat breakfast or for suggestions on what she would like? Some kids just don't feel much like eating right away in the morning, but may be feeling hungry an hour or two after school begins. Many schools have a morning snack time and often an afternoon one as well. Check with your child's teacher if they are given a time for snacks and when. I get up very early to go to work and often just don't feel like eating at 6 am. So....I pack something quick for breakfast and eat about an hour after I get to work.
It could be just a phase or it could be her flexing her early muscles of independence (see, you can't always make me do what you want...), but most kids will eat when they're hungry and if they're not....well, good luck trying.

[DuPont]

My daughter, husband and I talked about eliminating the morning glass of chocolate milk, which she has been off of for 2 days now. So this morning she went to the refrigerator looked around and told her dad she wanted a cheese omelet for breakfast. Things are looking up. She likes being independent, and I beleive this is her way of having some control over her life.