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Original poster

am i being mean??? re.snacks

31 replies

zoeuk1 · 28/09/2006 20:35

i look after 5 children after school(7 including my own 2 ds's). i offer them a snack while they are here. something like slice of toast + fruit or bread sticks/dip + fruit etc. they are only here for a maximum of 2-3 hours. they are always asking for more food tho and ive had to start saying no. one mindee stays for dinner 3 times a week and i charge £1 for a meal. today one mindee had her snack, she then wanted a sandwich. i explained to her that she'd had her snack and she'll be having her dinner when she got home. am i being mean not giving the children more to eat. i include snacks in my hourly fee. i sometimes feel that they are asking for more food just to see how much they can get away with...sorry this is so long!!!

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Twoandabump · 02/10/2006 18:28

I tend to ask the mums to bring in some fruit for the lo's that I look after for snack time, and then do a platter of it for them all at 10.30, then lunch I charge 75p, and then snack in the afternoon they have a few biccies, piece of fruit or dips etc. There is one that will just keep on asking if you say yes, and another couple that I heard saying that they need to take the fruit home as they forgot to eat it there!

I think that you can soon add up the cost of stuff when you get loads asking for more, and when you think how much it costs overall, sometimes you think is it worth it for some of them.

I feed one little girl all day (she is with me from 7-6), and one brings her own food, so it is just a preference of the mums. I do find that the ones with bigger kids with me are the worst though!

Original poster
zoeuk1 · 02/10/2006 13:38

thats what a couple of the mindees are like that i have. if i let them they would eat and eat. sometimes i feel they are just being greedy. they are allowed as much fruit as they want though. alot of the time they will turn that down and ask for other stuff like biscuits.

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KellyKrueger1978 · 02/10/2006 09:35

My dd is a real glut and will eat until she is sick if she is allowed to. You are using your judgement and saying no when you think they have had enough. I actually send mine to the cm with snacks, so I know they have enough to eat and are eating what I want them to eat, then if she provides anything else it is a bonus.

LoveMyGirls · 02/10/2006 09:31

i charge a flat rate of £2 per day per child for food.

when i do my expenses i add my food bill for the week - though i cross of anything that obviously isnt for cm purposes then write the total at the bottom of the reciept.

StrawberryFULLMoonHALFMOONTOTA · 01/10/2006 21:25

i have been told to 'write off' £2 per day per child by the business adviser..you also need to include things like loo rol, washing up liquid, anti bac wipes etc in your tax deductables!

Original poster
zoeuk1 · 01/10/2006 21:10

strawberrymoon..so do you write £2 per child each day down in your expenses?

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Littlefish · 01/10/2006 19:54

My cm charges £3.60 per day for lunch, evening meal and all snacks. Dd is with her from 8.30 - 5.30. (dd is nearly 2 years old).

I think that if any of your mindees are with you until 5.30 or later, then they probably need something more substantial than a snack.

StrawberryMoon · 01/10/2006 19:35

i was told (north east) to estimate approx £2 per child per day for food...if i have a mindee all day they will get a snack about 10ish, lunch 12.30ish and snack 3ish..these are free or included rather..i charge for breakfast and dinner if required..my soon to be mindee who was here last week told me(in 3yr old speak) that she had no breakfast cos she knew she would be getting pancakes at mine after school run..now make a point of asking her what she's ate for brekky in front of mam and ask if she ate it all!!...some people!

Original poster
zoeuk1 · 29/09/2006 18:08

maybe. i'll see how it goes next week. im going to have another word with the parents too. do you put it down in your expenses every day for the childrens snacks?

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franyfroo · 29/09/2006 15:07

would you not just be better uping your overall fees and including a decent after school snack for everyone. such as hotdogs, soup, jacket potatoes and beans. all very inexpensive, quite healthy and filling. you could tell them to fill up on fruit if still hungrey after this. annabel whatshername does some good cook books for school age children, great after school menus and recipies.

Original poster
zoeuk1 · 29/09/2006 15:02

i also love looking after the children, however it is still my only income. i wouldnt work if i was going to be out of pocket. i dont make a great deal of money from childminding as it is. dont get me wrong, the reason i chose this career is because i love kids, but im not running a charity. hope that doesnt sound too harsh!

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dmo · 29/09/2006 14:17

i give my mindees a good snack (i think c below)
if they happen to still be here at 5.45 they have tea with my family aswel
on wednesdays when i have to get boys to cubs for 6.15 we have tea earlyer so quite a few mindees for tea on wednesdays
i dont charge a penny for food but mind you they do eat a lot
i just the job out of love for the children not for money

Original poster
zoeuk1 · 29/09/2006 13:34

lisa lisa...i have the mindees from 3.15pm until 5.15pm. only 2 hours. and the one that stays until 6pm has a cooked meal that i charge £1 for.
if the mindees were all here until 6 or 7pm then of course they would need a meal. i have mentioned it to one mother that her child is hungry but she dismisses it and says, well we'll be having dinner when we get in'. that mindee is here until 5.15pm. one of the mindees is always on a diet! yet is constantly asking for more food. i have 4pm as snack time. they then choose either toast and as much fruit as they want and milk or juice or breaksticks with dips and again as much fruit as they want. im going to have to keep saying no i think until they realise that im not paid to feed them all meals. ihave tried to explain this to them. it would cost me a fortune to keep feeding all 5 children and not charge for it. one mindee had his coat on yesterday and was about to leave when he asked me for biscuits!

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mumbomama · 29/09/2006 12:34

my mindees and own children only have a small snack after school (fruit, breadstick or raisins)
I didn't realise that other cms gave such substantial snacks

Although, we do have tea at 4:45pm (as mindee leaves at 5:30pm)so they don't have long to wait until more food.

nzshar · 28/09/2006 22:20

I have this problem with 7 year old mindee. I give him a snack when we get in from school run usually consists of crumpet or toast, raisins, fruit of these things he can eat as much as he wants in one sitting. But once he has said he has had enough he knows thats all there is, another helping a half hour later will not be given. He does usually complain of getting hungry around 5 30 which is 5-10 mins before his mum arrives so explain that he will be going home to eat in a little while.

sorrell · 28/09/2006 22:04

Yes, you are not mean, but parents clearly do not understand. Charge more and feed the mites.

thewomanwhothoughtshewasahat · 28/09/2006 22:03

my kids can actually go until 6 or 6.30 without eating another post-lunch at all. But that's not very relevant to zoeuk. I don't think you're being mean - more that the parents are! tell them - tell them one snack (give specific examples) is included in your rate but you don't feel it's enough. offer to feed them more for a charge or ask them to provide something.

sorrell · 28/09/2006 22:00

2-3 hours after school? They must be starving. I used to eat an entire cake (ie a Jamaica ginger cake!) after school and still eat my tea at 5pm, and I was skinny.

sorrell · 28/09/2006 21:58

Charge extra and feed the poor children. My kids need tea by 5pm at latest plus snacks.

soapbox · 28/09/2006 21:58

My DCs would be starving by that time, even with a snack - no way they can wait past 5ish for a proper meal. Mine eat at noon at school so that would mean a long gap with only a small snack.

I think a full sandwich and fruit/yoghurt would be a better solution, and that is afterall only one more slice of bread and a bit of ham or cheese more than you do atm.

I'd work in an extra 50p a day next time you do fee increases to cover the additional cost.

BudaBabe · 28/09/2006 21:56

No idea bout CM issues but my DS often comes in from school and just eats constantly till bed-time.

They have growing spurt, days then they didn't eat much lunch etc etc.

I have a friend whose 3 DCs are constantly hungry. If I have them for a ply-date I make sure I have lots of fruit and a substntial dinner at about 5/5.30. Then they will still eat more and go home and claim to be hungry!

lisalisa · 28/09/2006 21:48

Message withdrawn

dmo · 28/09/2006 21:41

i think sandwitches are snacks
but then i dont caharge for meals
each mindee must east 2/3 pieces of friut a nighr each which can be costly but i dont mind

FrannyandZooey · 28/09/2006 21:05

I like my child to be able to eat whenever hungry (within reason) as I think it is healthy for them to learn to manage their own hunger etc

I can see there are some problems with this at a childminders. I think I would have a drawer or shelf with snacks that the children were allowed to help themselves to whenever they were hungry - with cheap, plain but nutritious food such as apples, bananas, raisins, breadsticks, oatcakes etc. I would cover the cost in my hourly rate and point out to parents that this is what you are providing at no extra charge (OR charge extra £1 per day for snacks and let parents know this covers as much as child wants to eat - I would think £1 per child would even out over a week?)

hairymclary · 28/09/2006 21:02

maybe it would work better if you have a set snack time? That way they can choose which snack they want and that is that.