We started off the event at Cirque Du Play by letting the kids run around and play in order to build up an appetite. Alot of times the mornings are just so rushed that children go directly from bed to the kitchen table and are expected to wolf down something in a 15min slot. That can put a considerable amount of pressure on them and lead to an absolute refusal to eat. Allowing for a few minutes of play time might help to overcome the "rushed" feeling and you'll find that your child may actually ask you for something to eat alleviating the morning struggle all together.
After a little bit of bouncing around and checking out the crafts, everyone was ready to dig in to the amazing spread of cereals, fresh fruits, yogurts, milk, orange juice and coffee. The table was bright and colourful and the set up was staged intentionally to be very eye catching and inviting. I guess it worked because we had no problem filling the seats when I announced that breakfast was being served! The kids were thrilled that they were empowered to choose what they wanted and couldn't wait to try dig in. A few of the moms were surprised at what their little ones reached for and more importantly consumed.
As we ate, I shared some interesting stats and info that helped to clear up some of the misconceptions that our moms had about "sugary processed cereal". As we chatted, we all agreed that the concept of dining together should be the norm but in our ever so busy days, we find that it doesn't always happen. My biggest discovery which was no surprise to me (I'm guilty of this myself) was that although the moms were ensuring their children's dietary needs were being met, they were not taking the time to eat themselves. After some walking around and coaxing the moms to sit and pour themselves a bowl, I too was able to pull up a chair and snack on some blueberry mini wheats once Zackery gave them up : )
Once our tummy's were filled, we all gathered around for circle time where we sang some song and read a few stories. The kids loved listening to the book "The Underpants Zoo" that Scholastic sent us this month to go with our "At the Zoo" theme. The giggles and laughs were contagious and it was a great way to end such a wonderful event!
A big shout out to Kellogg's for sponsoring this event and giving our moms and tots a special day to relax, enjoy and learn that breakfast can be easy, fun and nutritious! Our moms loved their goody bags that included $25 worth of coupons to help stock their cupboards. I know at least one mom that will be serving up cereal for the next little while - Congrats to Kelly for winning the Kellogg's Grand Prize Pack!
