On the 2nd day of school last week, I gave Alycia a few Ringgit for her to buy food from the canteen. But she left her purse in her bag inside the classroom after she left the classroom during recess. Her teacher had warned the pupils not to enter the classroom during recess time, so this obedient girl of mine did not eat anything (except for a few pinches of crackers from her classmate). Her last meal was at 7pm during dinner the day before. Before going to school in the morning, she only had a mug of milk at 6am. By the time she reached home and had her lunch, it was already 2:30pm! Imagine going without any solid food for over 17 hours and she’s only 8 years old! When she told me this, I was so heart-broken and worried sick about the repercussion. Her case was worse than someone who is fasting for the person who fasts would not have a gap of more than 12 hours without food. Alycia went without any food for over 17 hours!! I gave her a long lecture and explained to her the serious consequences of not eating any food early in the morning or during recess time. I told her that she could have fainted as a result of being too weak and during the fall when she faints, she could have hit her head or face on the road and that would be really really serious.
The next day, true to my expectation, Alycia developed gastric and a very colicky tummy. After dinner the next day, she told me that she had stomachache but she could not poo. The pain was on the upper and middle abdomen, which suggested wind. She curled herself up on the couch and cried in pain. I then explained to her that the pain was a result of the gastric juice and lots of wind being formed in her tummy as a result of going hungry for over 17 hours. She was scared I could see.
Also, the next day after the incident, Alycia was unusually hungry. She ate a slice of Gardenia white bread the moment she reached home from school. After lunch, she whacked another slice of bread. Just before dinner – another slice of bread and after dinner yet another slice of bread with some yoghurt drink. It was pay back time for her body.
After my mum read about this from my blog, she made a Skype video call to us and wrote this on the paper for Alycia to read:
and also gave her yet another advice on the dangers of not eating. Did I tell you that this girl has recently become a health and weight freak? She has become very concerned of getting fat and would weigh herself on the scale! Errr, don’t get me wrong, I may be a weight freak too but no, I will never tell my own daughters not to eat to remain slim. I suspect some boys may be calling some girls fat and she just does not want to be teased?
I have been encouraging Alycia to eat at least a slice of bread, have some breakfast cereals or put a spoon of Nestum in her milk in the morning but this girl will adamantly tell me NO! She kept telling me that she does not have the time or appetite to eat in the morning.
Does your child eat anything before going to school?
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