Eleven PLus Food

It is likely that there will be some nerves on the day of the examination. We have all felt, at one time or another, that we are simply too excited to eat. As parents we do know that food is important in the morning. What do you do if the cupboard is thrown open, a suspicious eye is thrown over the eleven different types of cereal, and all are rejected? How do you cope when `eggy bread’, scrambled egg, soldiers and any other comfort food is rejected.

You know that your child has to eat something. Well it is time to plan ahead. On the Sunday breakfast before the examination toss, rather casually, a few pancakes onto the plate. Do not explain that you have been up half the night worrying. Just say, in your best and sweetest way: `Did you enjoy those pancakes?’ Naturally you will not wait for any sighs of approbation - you will lean back and watch with delight the pancakes being consumed.

4 ripe bananas
2 eggs
100 g of flour
2 tea spoons of baking powder
175 g of oatmeal
1 tablespoon of oil
150 ml of water.

Keep aside the bananas.
Stir, mix and whisk the other ingredients. Cook for two minutes.

On the morning of the examination you can offer your child an exotic pancake, filled with `good, honest, sustaining’ food.

When you have dropped the children off at school you allow yourself the treat of something sinful.

You could keep the same recipe but change the filling. What about pears marinated overnight in wine? How about a prawn and mango filler? You just need something to keep you comforted while you are waiting for that happy, confident face to appear.