DCB arriving very hungry - Not having breakfast at home?

[PattyCake]

So I think I may be onto something here with one of my dcbs....he's the 18 months old that I've mentioned in a previous post who cries ALL day, follows me around, and is just plain miserable every single day....today he shows up at 7am, starts crying about 2 minutes after I put him down to play (this is normal and usually continues all day)....my son was getting ready for a late breakfast cause he slept in - I put a honking blueberry muffin on his plate and immediately dcb makes a dive towards to table, arms in the air, squealing as though he wants one too....suspiciously I put him in his high hair (he hasn't eaten in the chair for over a month - all he will do is graze while walking around following me) ...I put a muffin down in front of him and doesn't he devour the entire jumbo muffin...so I give him another one and down it goes! He then drank a full sippy of milk. So, the entire morning so far has been AMAZING! No crying, he's actually playing with the other children, he's even giggled a few times and given me some space. My thought process here is that he may not be having breakfast at home before he comes to daycare which is causing a bad start to the morning, and the snowballing into the entire day....his parents know I do NOT serve breakfast, so I assumed that he came fed. Does anyone else think a lack of breakfast could cause this child to be so unhappy everyday? I've already given the family termination notice for payment issues, but was thinking of mentioning the morning breakfast issue to help the little guy when he starts with a new provider.

[playfelt]

Isn't it funny how we stumble on what is really going on. Child probably gets a full bottle of milk when he wakes to drink while parents are getting ready for work. By breakfast he isn't ready to eat.

You could mention it if you want letting them know the difference it made and that if they don't want to be bounced from home to home because their child is not fitting in then they need to address two important things - respect for the contract (payment issue) and respect for their child's needs (breakfast over convenience).

[JennJubie]

It is entirely possible that starting the day without a decent breakfast could snowball. I have low blood sugar. If I don't eat when I get up, I get a stomach ache, I get grumpy, sometimes it'll even make me feel sick if I don't stop and make time to eat. At the point when I start to feel sick, I don't want to eat anymore.... and I graze just as you pointed out. I would mention it to the parents for sure.

[mimi]

I was thinking the same thing JennJubie. I am the same way with the blood sugar. When it's low I can feel really nasty. One time we were on a road trip and hadn't stopped for lunch. I guess I was grouchy, because suddenly from the back seat by daughter silently handed my a candy. Smart girl.
I would definitely relay your "discovery" to Mom and let her know a more substantial breakfast is needed for her child.

[apples and bananas]

You've probably hit the nail on the head.

Would I tell the parent knowing that I've already given them a termination for another issue? Probably not. If I've terminated a client for an issue like payment I'm less likely to offer them any suggestions. And I doubt they'd take it any way but that you're judging them.

[mimi]

I think I would still tell them, for the sake of the child. What she does with the info is up to her after she leaves your daycare.