Staff eating with children at lunchtime.

[Bauble99]

We have always encouraged our staff to eat at the tables with the children. The idea was to encourage conversation, trying new foods and to provide a homely setting for mealtimes.
We provide a free lunch (and tea) for our staff and also an hour's paid break.

I have noticed that, as the nursery has got busier, there has been less chat and that the staff have seemed to be using this time more as an extension of their lunchbreak - rather than child-centred work time.

A couple of weeks ago I asked the manager to remind staff that mealtimes were still time on duty. Two of our staff have always put meals aside as they say that they get indigestion if they keep getting up and down while eating.

The others seem not to have understood or are maybe untroubled by indigestion as they don't get up and down while eating!

As a result I today asked our manager to inform the staff that meals are to be put-aside to be eaten during lunch-breaks (we have a microwave in the staff-room)
The staff are then still with the children but not distracted by eating.

I know this makes sense as the children today were served seconds when they were individually ready for them, rather than in a 'wave.' And the dishes came back to the kitchen (my job) a lot quicker after the children had finished. Also, a lot of the jobs that seemed to be done in a rush straight after lunch (getting sleepers teddies, blankets etc) were done ready for when the children needed them.

But I now feel bad for the few who were still working during the children's lunchtime, even though they were also eating. I have to introduce this across the whole nursery or it will mean that some staff get to eat on company time and still get a full hour's break afterwards, while others have to eat during that hour.

Not sure where I'm going with this, TBH. And I hope I'm not sounding petty.

What happens at your nursery?

[francagoestohollywood]

Bauble, I hope that I understood well (I'm so tired today that my English is worse than usual) but could you have a rota?
As a parent who sent her children to nursery I think it's a lovely idea to have some members of the staff eating with the children.

[Bauble99]

Ah! I see...

So, for example, two eat and two serve/get things ready for sleep-time etc. and then swap on a rota basis. That's a good idea.

[Bauble99]

Thanks, franca.

It's difficult to get the balance right sometimes as an employer. I'm sure some of them think I'm a soft-touch.

[cornsilk]

P45 TIME

[francagoestohollywood]

I'm sure you are a lovely employer bauble

[Bauble99]

I am. Just dislike the fact that if you are, people try to take the P.

Mr Bubble thinks I take it all too personally.

[Bauble99]

cornsilk.

They are, in fact, a good bunch of people. I'm probably just too nice.

But the worm turned today.

[nurseryvoice]

I have had the same problem, what I tend to do is for me to eat with the children, so at least one person is eating the same food.

The other staff have to sit down, but usually they are feeding small babies or getting up and down to help children, toilet, etc.

We let the children serve themselves but I have noticed that they need a lot of encouragement to do this.

If I am not in the room, lunch does not go as well.

[bossybritches]

Oh bauble it's a nightmare isn't it?

We introduced the same eating with kids & it's a great sucess. But as you say always someone who takes the "p". Rotas for EVERYTHING has been the only way to ensure fair play AND the children getting the attention they deserve.

I had to laugh at you in the kitchen - I do too, if we're busy/ short-staffed I alwaysdo the pots!

FWIW Mr Bossy thinks I'm soft too....but I've got tougher over the years!!

[Bauble99]

Thanks.

BB. I am always in the kitchen as I am also the cook. As you know there is nothing more annoying than a pile of plates and cutlery coming back to the kitchen after the dishwasher has started.

Especially when you know that the staff have been 'busy' eating pud.

NV. I will try and get the pre-school room serving themselves properly next week. They already serve their own drinks and snacks but there is no reason why they can't have (cool) serving bowls on each table with serving spoons. If the staff aren't busy eating , there is no reason why this shouldn't work.

I do feel sorry for those few staff who did actually sit eating at the table and talk with the children. But in the other rooms (toddler and babies) this was not happening at all, despite repeated requests.

The manager said on Friday that a couple of the staff felt that the new system was 'unfair'- but she reminded them that they were lucky to get a lunch provided and a paid break to eat it in.

Thanks again for posting. I've only been an employer for the last two and a half years and it's good to be able to think out loud here.

[Katymac]

Hiya

I know the feeling about saying stuff and it all happening just as it did before you spoke - It's so annoying

I think the rota ideas plus serving themselves is a great idea

[Krimble]

I worked in a nursery where you ate with the kids according to your shift. So everyone had a turn with eating with the kids or serving the kids. Still had a break after and if you didn't eat witht he kids you took yours through to the staff room. I liked to eat with the kids as your food was warmer and you felt you had ages on your actual break. Loved the sponge and custard .

Felt fair as you did both duties, eating with kids was still seen as work as it was all about setting an example and controlling behaviour at the table.

[Bauble99]

I'm thinking through the rota system for lunchtimes. Does this sound right?

Under-twos - 12 babies (min age 10 months)/ younger toddlers = 4 staff. Two staff to eat their lunch and help feed (all but one of our babies is self-feeding with hands.) Two staff to help feed/get sleep stuff ready etc/return plates to kitchen and collect pud,but not eat lunch?

Toddlers - 16 toddlers = 4 staff. Two to three staff to eat their lunch and talk to children/supervise. One staff member to serve/collect plates etc.

Pre-schoolers. - 20 children = 3 staff. Two to sit and eat/talk with children. One staff member to be the 'runner.'

Our manager provides lunch cover with one other at the moment. But I could also go in to one of the rooms to let someone go on their break. Our early staff have a 15 minute break in the morning and 45 minutes at lunchtime. So if I made sure I covered the 45 minute early-staffer's break I could get back into the kitchen to carry on cooking/ annoy supervise my washer-up. Have a washer-up now, which is a real luxury.

I just want to make sure that the children remain the priority during lunchtime and I feel that staff must be distracted if they're trying to eat their own lunch at the same time.

[Bauble99]

Krimble. Our staff have been eating with the children (unless they've been on first break in which case they've taken their lunch into the staffroom.)

The problem is that (most, and I do feel sorry for those who haven't been taking the P) of the staff have not been engaging with the children at all during lunch. Or answering the door....or the phone........or giving the children seconds of veg etc when they want it, only when it suits them.

They have been treating it as a 'break' rather than work time.

[Katymac]

I know it's extra stress bubble but could you invite OAP's into the nursery to eat with the children?

They wouldn't need CRB's as they would be supervised

They might be able to build up a realationship with the children and it's an extra one at the table to interact?

Or is that a crap idea (sorry if it is)

[Krimble]

Oh Katy that is a radical but quite good idea, my MIL would probably love that, she loves babies and small children. Probably not everyday but she would probably do it once a week perhaps.

[Bauble99]

That's a lovely idea.

Not sure how they'd manage on the little chairs, though.

I've decided that I will make a point of eating in alternate rooms at lunchtime. I think it matters most for the pre-schoolers and toddlers, TBH, as they are at an age when food and tastes can be discussed.

[Bauble99]

The more I think about it, the better it sounds.

I can think of two elderly ladies who would really enjoy it. And the children love to see new faces. We also have a local 'good neighbours' scheme so I could get in touch with them.

And OFSTED look for limks to the local community, which this would certainly be.

[Krimble]

I am not old but I would come if I can have squares of iced ginger cake with custard .

[Katymac]

Even if you had a 'big' table & they children took turns sitting at it?

I always knew I was a genius (it's something I plan to do)

Also - for some old people a hot meal would be very gratefully recieved

[Katymac]

invite (5 say) for a one off (one per day) 'outreach' project

If it works you can say

Gosh that worked well would you like to come again

Then if after 2/3 visits they like you & you like them you could make it regular

[Krimble]

I would even happily sit on a low chair, I just want cake and custard .

[Bauble99]

Katy. You are a genius.

Thanks for that. I will look into it next week.

Krimble. How does lemon sponge and custard sound? That's always a fave. In fact, anything with custard seems to be a winner.

[Katymac]

Apple & cinnamon sponge here

Or Chocolate pud

Or profiteroles

Or semolina

Still struggling on a nice choc moussey thing tho'

[Katymac]

If it's a nightmare