My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

AIBU?

Dinner at childminders

83 replies

Paperyfish · 22/10/2019 20:17

My dd (7) has started at junior school in September and goes to a childminder one afternoon after school when I work later. She’s there till 6.30. I pay the childminder and additional £6 to give her tea ( dinner/ supper - what ever regional word you use for her evening meal) not just a snack. She takes a packed lunch to school so I wanted her to have a decent, substantial meal in the evening. The childminder often gives them things such as a toasted bagel with honey or scotch pancakes or a banana sandwich. She says my dd wanted these and eats them. I think most of the other kids have a hot lunch at school- so I guess I understand that they might find this acceptable...but I don’t think it’s really fair if I’m paying extra for an actual meal. I’d regard these things as a hefty after school snack. Am I being a bit precious? Would it be appropriate for me to request she has a proper meal even if the others aren’t? It doesn’t need to be fancy or complex- jacket potatoes and beans, fish fingers and mash, pasta and sauce, omelettes and salad etc kind of things. Quick after schools type basic meals. Am I being unreasonable to insist or are bread based toasty sort of things generally accepted as a meal for 7 years olds after school? And do you think these meals are worth an extra £6? As I’m thinking I might as well just do her a second lunch box!

OP posts:
Report
Littlebluebird123 · 22/10/2019 20:20

I don't think you're being unreasonable at all.
£6 for a bagel??
Could you pay for a school dinner and send dd with a packed lunch? School dinners here are £2.20 so you'd be saving too.

Report
HTruffle · 22/10/2019 20:20

I wouldn’t be all that happy with that, as you say more of a snack than a meal. Not much nutrition in there at all. And for £6 she’s making a tidy profit after buying a pack of 5 bagels for about £1!

Report
formerbabe · 22/10/2019 20:22

An extra £6 a day?

Report
lostfrequencies · 22/10/2019 20:22

YANBU!

Report
GrumpyHoonMain · 22/10/2019 20:22

The childminder’s taking the piss. Tell her you want a proper meal or you will take your money elsewhere

Report
LoisLittsLover · 22/10/2019 20:22

Would your dd want a different meal to the other children - mine would choose the 'lunchy' type option everytime over a hot meal

Report
missmapp · 22/10/2019 20:22

When my dc were with their cm, I used to make a pasta bake or something and she would hea t it up for them. This was as well as after school snacks she would provide ( like the 'meals you describe ) this was not charged for. Could you do something similar ? Doesn't seem worth £6 but it depends on your contract.

Report
parrotonmyshoulder · 22/10/2019 20:22

£6!! Our childminder charges £2 for a meal and makes sure it’s something hot, substantial, balanced and that the children will eat. Thank goodness! They have tea with her 3 times a week and packed lunch at school.

Report
EmmiJay · 22/10/2019 20:23

Banana sandwich? Bagel? What what what?? Your childminder is either a cheeky goat or she can't cook.

Report
Passthecake30 · 22/10/2019 20:24

Can she have a school dinner that day? I guess if the others are having that snack type food she might feel left out if she has something different?
Does everyone pay the £6 for the banana sandwhich etc?
Tbh I'd be tempted to provide a meal the cminder could heat up, lasagne, pasta and bolognaise sauce etc. Or stop the £6, provide a substantial snack and cook something quickly like jacket pot and cheese on that evening.

Report
Thesearmsofmine · 22/10/2019 20:25

YANBU at all. Did you discuss what kind of meals she would be given when she started?

Report
Paperyfish · 22/10/2019 20:25

@littlebluebird123 I’d love her to have school dinners- but she’s desperate to have packed lunches like her friends and as it’s a new school I’ve given in on that one!

OP posts:
Report
Starlight456 · 22/10/2019 20:26

Cm here and my response is 😮.

£6 for a bagel. Did cm previously work at a nursery. I ask this as the ones I know who do a snack type tea worked in nursery and do a cooked meal at lunch.

However £6 for a bagel. 😱.

I agree can you swap to hot dinner at school?

Report
GreatestShowUnicorn · 22/10/2019 20:28

I'm a childminder and she's taking the piss! Tell her you want her to have a proper meal and that you are happy to provide it if she can't.

Report
FunnysInLaJardin · 22/10/2019 20:28

I'd sack the CM dinner and feed her when you get home tbh. 7pm shouldn't be too late for a 7yo

Report
Scarydinosaurs · 22/10/2019 20:29

for £6 that isn’t reasonable.

Even a microwave style meal one day a week would be better!

I’d say please could she switch to a proper meal OR you’ll stop paying the £6 and you’ll supply the food. Ridiculous.

Report
PumpkinP · 22/10/2019 20:29

A banana sandwich? Didn’t even know that was a thing Confused

Report
Paperyfish · 22/10/2019 20:31

I did discuss meals at the outset- as she made it clear they were extra. She said things like pasta bake, jacket potatoes, Shepard’s pie etc. I think I’m going to have to say something...I just wanted to check this wasn’t the norm as I’ve never used a child minder before.

OP posts:
Report
Blubluboo · 22/10/2019 20:36

YANBU! How hard is it for her to prepare a meal for her? She could even make a bolognese and freeze in to about 6 kids sized portions and your child have it each week as she is only there 1 day. £6 for a bagel is ridiculous. She could get a whole pack for £1! I would expect bagel etc... to be included in normal childminder costs tbh!

Also side note... to the poster who said they didn't know a banana sandwich was a thing... I thought everyone had tried it growing up?! Haha

Report
purpleme12 · 22/10/2019 20:36

I don't know I think it completely depends. The one that I know does a snacky type one for the evening meal. Which is what I personally would expect for the evening one. But I agree that £6 is too much for this snacky meal!

Report
CalamityJune · 22/10/2019 20:41

£6 for that is extortionate, even for a homecooked meal. Sounds like you have had the conversation that you want a cooked meal, not a second cold snack. Not sure why she is accepting your money and disregarding your wishes.

Report
firawla · 22/10/2019 20:41

£6 for a banana sandwich - she could get 3 full loaves and 3 bags of bananas for that. How can she even justify this?? No. She’s taking the pee

Report

Don’t want to miss threads like this?

Weekly

Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!

Log in to update your newsletter preferences.

You've subscribed!

TheSubtleArt · 22/10/2019 20:42

YANBU

Especially with colder weather coming up. Your DC needs a substantial meal. Even pizza or fajitas would be more substantial than scotch pancakes/ bagel!

I would press for it and as others have said £6 for any of those sorts of snacks is a complete pisstake.

Report
GuessWhoColeen · 22/10/2019 20:43

I would definately make my DD have a hot lunch at school (except maybe just before the summer holidays when it is warmer) and give her a snack for the C.M.

Report
Sunshine196 · 22/10/2019 20:46

That's terrible! I'm a CM & make meals for my afterschool kids. I've toyed with doing snacks but to be honest I think it's cheaper & easier to do a meal such as home made chicken soup/mince etc/pasta just chuck it all in the slow cooker in the morning. For £6 I could feed all of my kids never mind one! I would say something to her about it. YANBU.

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.