Pea-n-Me
DIS Legend
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2004
- Messages
- 41,490
You mentioned Sam's specifically. I would buy a large package of Chobani yogurts and encourage him to have one as a snack every day, or for breakfast. (Or you could buy the large ones.) Bananas, strawberries, blueberries and other fresh fruits like delicious or fuji apples, big, juicy oranges, cantaloupe, pineapple, watermelon, etc. (Or you could buy the big bag of frozen fruits. My DS also likes fruit salad cups with cherries, lol.) Salad stuff, maybe with chicken and parmasean cheese with pita or roll up bread. He'd probably like the rotisserie chickens and BBQ ribs. Also buy some lean meats for balance like chicken and turkey - fish if he likes it. Don't forget fresh vegetables like string beans, broccoli and squash, things with color have lots of vitamins. A little real butter makes vegetables taste great, or the spray Olivio is good as well. (I wouldn't add a lot of heavy cheese sauces; maybe a light cheese sauce once in a while, for certain things.) Teens love rice and potatoes.We're foster parents for ages 0-3. We have a newborn baby right now and thought that was it. Isn't it interesting how God has different plans for our lives?!
We are likely getting an older teenage boy next week! We'll suddenly have a teen and a newborn!
He'll need everything--shoes, backpack, clothes, wallet, personal effects, etc. He's coming from a rough situation.
How do I prioritize? What do I buy at Sam's for him to eat? How do you keep a teenage boy full?How can I do all of this without breaking the bank?
I went to add him to our family camp reservation and it was $650 for the week at camp!!I'm starting to fear how much this will all cost but I want to provide a home for him!
Have him eat meals with you, ie foods that you make for yourself, because as you know, it's not just about the food but about the time to talk and share the day. Have some ice cream bars on hand for an occasional treat; maybe a little chocolate. Pizza is good to have on hand but only occasionally. (You want to give him things that are better nutritionally than just salt and fat - he is still growing and will feel better overall when he eats well and has a balanced diet. He may not know how to eat well and that's something you can teach him, i.e one of the gifts you can give him. At the same time, he is a teen, and he wants to be like everyone else, so you need to find a balance that is unique to him. Caring about his nutritional status is one thing, though, that may mean a lot to him even if he rebels against it.)
Chips and salsa for salty snacks and small bags of chips to take with a sandwich (but not a huge bag he eats himself!) I stick protein, granola or nut and fruit bars in my DS16's backpack to have on hand - last week he forgot his lunch money and that's all he had, or, if he has a practice after school he can eat it beforehand so he's not starving. (My teens are always ravenous when they come home from school!) They also have big packages of pretzels which go well with hummus or other dips. If you put out carrots and dips he will likely eat them. (Keep trying, and eat them along with him while you discuss the day! Make time for him when he comes home from school to ask him how school was and let him tell you some tidbits about his day, even if it's small to start. This is a good time to discuss classes, grades, projects, homework, teachers, friends, girls, etc.) Oh, and cereal, lots of cereal!
He might like coffee or tea. I try to limit soda to one glass a day and water, milk or cider with meals.In thinking about this, it may be quite challenging for you depending on what he is used to. But keep trying! Half the battle here is simply putting the food out - if it's in front of them, they'll often eat it. But again, it depends. I'd still try to encourage good eating habits and time together around meals.
As for clothes, again, same thing - depends what he likes. My DS only wore tees and sports pants until he got a job and needed to dress halfway decently. i.e. business casual. I bought him some khakis and nice jeans, and some polo and long sleeved thermal, cotton and denim shirts, and lo and behold he likes them now and even started wearing them to school if he has to work afterward. He also now wears a moc type shoe for work as opposed to just sneakers all the time. (My DS would not wear anything from the "mall", but was satisfied with the Wrangler brand from Wallie World - they're generic and sturdy, hold up and wash well. He occasionally gets grease on his clothes so not breaking the bank makes sense.) I would see what your son is used to, and what he likes. I'd also assess whether it will be different, or stand out, from what most of the kids at his new school are wearing. And take it from there. It may be very confusing to him since boys aren't generally known for either their flexibility or fashion sense!
And appearance - i.e. how they appear to others - is a big issue in their age group. Get him a few things to start, but know he might change his mind, or broaden his taste, in the coming weeks and months. Backpacks - I always buy the LLBean and I haven't heard any complaints. They last forever. The few times I've bought other brands, I've regretted it. They have wallets, too. Look in the sale section. My DS's wallet is just a basic nylon wallet. He doesn't carry it with him all the time, just if he goes out somewhere like a movie or something.
There, I think I hit all the things in the OP that you asked about. I did want to comment on one more thing, though, and that is the fears you have about how you'll afford it, etc. Some may see this as hogwash, but I'm a big believer in the principle that the more you give, the more you get back. How doesn't always make sense, but somehow. So just follow your heart and things will work out. You are doing a great thing and I'm sure this young many will appreciate it in his own way.
PS sorry so long!
Good thing I stock up on pasta when it's on sale. We had plain spaghetti with the left over sauce that night and I now make sure to tell my kids don't eat such and such I'm planning on that for supper tonight I've also learned to let them know such things as "make sure to leave me half a cup of milk - I need it for an ingredient in tonight's dinner."
