children behavior

[katie1188]

I have a 5 yr old daughter who gets into everything. In the morning when we are sleeping she gets into the food and eats whatever she can get. We have tried to disaplain her for doing this and it doesnt seem to work. She wakes up at 5 am and instead of waking us up to make her breakfast she decides to get into the food herself. What are some options that we can try to make things better and not have to disiplain her everytime she does this?

[specialmom]

That was ATE when he was hungry.  Maybe give her a snack at bedtime too to make sure she has a full belly and hunger isn't waking her.  

[specialmom]

I have a 5 year old.  I don't think I would be mad if he at when he was hungry.  Why would a 5 year old be secretive about getting up or eating . . . it is odd.  My boy looks for me first thing.  I guess, what I am saying is that perhaps you need to figure out why she is doing it instead of punishing her for it.  Just my opinion.  

[katie1188]

its not that i dont get up with her. she does this secretly. Normally i hear her in the morning and Ill get up and cook eggs or pancakes but sometimes I cant hear her. I asked her to come wake mommy or daddy up if she gets up before me. We like to have family meals when we can. Most of the time it is breakfast and Dinner. Yes my fiance is the father of both children and he is an excellent man. I may be young but i knew from the start that I am responsible for them not anyone else. We decided not to take the necessary safety procotions and we ended up having a baby at a young age. It was not a punishment nor have I ever seen it in that way. So I am very responsible with my children and our lives. Its the fact that she is very secretive when she does this. She understands there are consequences for disobeying the rules. She may only be 5 but she is a very smart little girl.

[RockRose]

You're 21,  and have a 5 year old and a 2 year old and a fiance (it's unclear if he is the father of either of your two children).

Get up with your 5 year old.  That's what parents do.  They get up when their kids do.  They don't wait to punish them later for misbehaviors,  get up.  

You are too young to be a first time mother.  And yet you have a child old enough to be a kindergartner,  and you don't get the concept yet that you are responsible for her  in the morning.

[brag68]

I hate to say it, but sometimes as parents we are inconvenienced. Such as having to wake up at 5 am to feed our children. This would solve your issue.

[specialmom]

What about a posative reward chart?  For the days she does not do this, she gets a star and on those days she gets to pick her after dinner or after school treat . . .  something like that.  She may be more motivated to control the impulse with that.  Or set out what she CAN eat on the counter or first shelf of frig and show it to her and say that everything else she must ask first.  Also, don't buy things you don't want her to have (not always easy to do----  but I do that more and more because if it is something delicious and fattening, I'm way to interested in eating it myself . . .)good luck