Understanding your child's hunger

Just a few things that I've discovered along the way. All subject to change as soon as you've figured it out and planned accordingly


Times your child is not hungry:

*When you say it's time for breakfast, lunch, or dinner

*When you have made something for their sibling to eat

*When you say "I'm about to [insert task like shower, work out, make phone call]. Do you want something to eat for I start?"

* When the pantry is bursting with their favorite snacks

* When you take them to an all you can eat buffet (like Shady Maple)

* 30 minutes before you have to be somewhere

* When you felt inspired (or guilty and wanted to prove that you aren't always a hot mess) and spent hours searching Pinterest and found a how to guide for folding apple slices into origami woodland creatures. Then clicked on the link to directions on making all natural food dye from local fruits and veggies and tears from free range unicorns (gathered with a cruelty free method)
  


Times when your child will be STARVING:


* 2 minutes and 15 seconds after you have given up and thrown out their meal or if it's dinner, 2 minutes and 15 seconds before bedtime

* 10 minutes after you made their sibling something to eat and put it all away

* 2 minutes into your shower or 8 minutes into your work out when you just get your heart rate up or only 1/3 of the way through your reps

* When you should have gone grocery shopping four days ago and you finally gave away the surplus of their favorite snack that they claimed they didn't like anymore

* When you are driving home from the special all you can eat buffet and stopped at rest stop where a cheese stick is $12 and candy is a plenty

* 30 seconds after you yell, "GO! GO! GO! We're gonna be late! We gotta get in the car!"

* When all the perfect moms are at the park and you ran out the door without snacks. The kids whine as loudly as possible and your only option is that mystery sandwich bag of snack bits buried in your diaper bag. Wait, is that mold? Wait, no, they're choc chips. WAIT! When the heck was the last time I bought those? Aren't they a special limited edition flavor from last year? I think all the moms are looking at me. Even the kids are looking at my kids with sympathy as they eat their snacks that coordinate with the theme their trendy designer clothes.