Do you allow bedtime snacks? (meal, milk, baby, weight)

[housingnightmare]

My husband and I are currently disagreeing on bed time snacks for our 4 yr old daughter.

We usually eat dinner around 5-5:30- healthy meals. Then we play games, go to one of her sports (dance, gymnastics, or swimming) the home for a bath, bed time stories & snack, brushing teeth and then to sleep. I think its ok for my daughter to have a snack while we read stories but my husband doesn't think she should have one. What do other parents think? Her snacks are either grapes, bananas, baby carrots or some nights we will offer her a yogurt. She is also allowed to have water at bed time.

[Kibbiekat]

what are your husband's reasons for not wanting her to have a snack? Our kids are 4 and 6 and their bed time routine has morphed from nursing to bottle to sippy cup of milk before bed to a small cup of milk and a small snack (graham cracker, nilla wafers, etc) about an hour before we head upstairs to brush teeth and read books (around 7:00 pm). I personally would keep it away from the bed, but that's just me.

[maciesmom]

I have only recently even heard of "bedtime snacks". Are the kids actually hungry or are they just eating out of habit? I personally wouldn't get into the habit of a bedtime snack "just because". If the child tells you she is hungry, then allow a healthy snack (although not in bed) or a glass of milk. Then do the story. Eating for the sake of eating (especially right at bedtime) is a bad habit to get into IMO - no matter how healthy the snacks are....

[Scientist Mom]

What time is bedtime? To me, this is a very early dinner followed by a number of activities. She probably needs a snack. As long as the snack is healthy and before tooth brushing, I wouldn't have a problem with it.

[Kibbiekat]

Originally Posted by Scientist Mom

What time is bedtime? To me, this is a very early dinner followed by a number of activities. She probably needs a snack. As long as the snack is healthy and before tooth brushing, I wouldn't have a problem with it.

I was thinking that too. I know after dinner at 5:00 I'd be hungry again by 8:00 or so.

[witty, wise and wicked]

And you eat dinner at a fairly early time, then take her to a sporting event....I think she is probably pretty hungry after her activity, so I don't see anything wrong with a snack before bed. Besides, you don't want your daughter to go to bed hungry, and it sounds like she's a busy little thing. And, you are making sure that she has healty food, not junk food.

I've had three kids, and they all got a 'snack' before bedtime. My oldest is 20, and my others are 13 & 9, and none of them have weight problems, adn are not dependant on food for comfort...the 13 yr old sometimes eats out of boredom, I think , but he gets plenty of exercise as well.

[NoExcuses]

I'd offer a snack upon returning from the activity BEFORE bath and story. You don't want her in the habit of eating just before sleeping.

I know someone whose grandmother was underweight. She was concerned as was her doctor. He told her to have a bowl of ice cream just before she goes to bed each night. Eating before bed is the quickest way to put on weight and ice cream has a lot of calories. She did, and put on weight.

She may not put on weight while little, but if it's a habit she carries into youth and adulthood, she may regret it.

[L.K.]

Originally Posted by NoExcuses

I'd offer a snack upon returning from the activity BEFORE bath and story. You don't want her in the habit of eating just before sleeping.

I know someone whose grandmother was underweight. She was concerned as was her doctor. He told her to have a bowl of ice cream just before she goes to bed each night. Eating before bed is the quickest way to put on weight and ice cream has a lot of calories. She did, and put on weight.

She may not put on weight while little, but if it's a habit she carries into youth and adulthood, she may regret it.

you know,I always hear this,and I have eaten before bed my entire life and have never been fat, ever.To this day,and I'm a 53 year old woman, if I'm hungry at bedtime, I eat something!I just figure number of calories= number of calories no matter when consumed[maybe not all at once, but spread through the day] Maybe it's because I exercise first thing in the morning,I don't know. In our home, I try to keep mostly healthy food in stock, with a treat here and there. My children are encouraged to eat if they are hungry.Sometimes I even give them dinner at 4:30 and then they snack at 8:30.I personally feel that if people stopped being so rigid about specific meal times,and listened to their bodies,they would be alot healthier.I know it's harder with younger kids, and extra activities dictate when we need to eat sometimes also.I guess my point is,I'm wondering your husbands reasoning also,and agree that is an early dinner followed by physical activity.I know I don't sleep well if I'm hungry[or too full either]

[NoExcuses]

Originally Posted by L.K.

you know,I always hear this,and I have eaten before bed my entire life and have never been fat, ever. .I know I don't sleep well if I'm hungry[or too full either]

Wow, then you're a lucky one. I can't eat just before going to bed and I know a lot of people who can't.

I sleep very well when a little hungry, but not at all when I have eaten too late at night before bed.

[maciesmom]

I also notice if I eat before going to bed, I wake up hungry; whereas if I go to bed a little hungry, I'm not nearly as hungry when I wake up in the morning....