Dear Debbie
FROM DEAR DEBBIE DRAFTS FILE
Dear Debbie,
You always tell us in your fabulous column that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and I believe you! But is my family ever willing to sit down and eat it? Not a chance.
Every morning it's the same circus. My kids are searching for missing shoes or homework assignments that vanished overnight, and my husband can't find his keys or reading glasses.
Nobody is interested in taking five minutes to sit down at the kitchen table to enjoy the perfectly good breakfast that I just spent the last fifteen minutes cooking up.
I've tried everything! Quick meals, grab-and-go options, bribery (don't ask!), but no matter what I do, my family always leaves the house with empty bellies!
How on earth am I supposed to get my family to take a few minutes to eat a nutritious breakfast before they dash out the door without so much as a goodbye? Help me, Debbie!
Hungry in Hingham
Dear Hungry in Hingham,
Indeed, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It boosts your energy levels and alertness, and if you don't get a healthy breakfast, you can feel sluggish all day long. In children and adolescents, a nutritious breakfast can improve recall and focus for school.
If your family isn't interested in having breakfast, try to probe to see what sorts of foods might tempt them to take those crucial extra 15 minutes in the morning.
Some people prefer a bowl of cereal, others might want pancakes, and others might want a full breakfast with eggs and bacon and whole grain toast. Find out what your family likes best, and cater to those desires!
And if that doesn't work, I would recommend installing a padlock on the front and back door of your house.
First thing in the morning, lock both doors from the inside, and keep the key in your pocket.
Let everyone know that they will not be leaving the house until they have consumed a healthy breakfast. If they seem hesitant, a simple threat to swallow the key unless they sit down and eat will surely move things along.
I have no doubt you will soon be enjoying a wonderful daily breakfast with your family!
Debbie