to think that DC not eating enough at CM?

[Fiveleaves]

Toddler with CM for first 3 days of week as I work pt. have noticed that often when she gets back she heads straight to kitchen and points at the cupboard where her snacks are kept and gets quite frustrated, clearly hungry. She has all meals with CM. on Tuesday I got to CM early to pick toddler up as finished meeting early and the kids were having tea. It was just plain pasta with broccoli and chopped carrot (cubed so assume from frozen). No protein, no fat. In her food diary it said cheese, ham, veg pasta bake with yoghurt and fruit for dessert but they didn't have the dessert and there was no ham or cheese and it wasn't a 'bake' which sounds a lot more wholesome.

She also has things listed in food diary that I know she has gone off such as banana so wonder if she is actually eating this.

AIBU to think toddler isn't eating enough with CM and WWYD?

If the children were eating their dinner when you arrived, I wouldn't worry about the dessert. Maybe she decided to wait until after you left to give the other children theirs and thought you might not want to wait until they had all finished their dinner then the desserts.

However, I would question the food diary.

The price is a red herring. Seen that in London where we used to live, see it now where we live in the US. If that's the market rate for the area then that's the market rate for the area, the same as the London house prices which always cause much hand wringing.

Personally, I'd be worried about the deception OP. Why lie? And from what you've said, it doesn't sound like a one off. Very odd and I'd be doing a lot more digging. How well do you know the other parents? Can you chat with them about it, even in a subtle way, eg 'DD always seems hungry when I collect her, it makes no sense as X tells me she eats so much here...' and see if they remark anything similar?

I agree that the lack of pudding whilst you were there doesn't mean none was offered as if one if my parents turned up early during a meal I'd let their child finish what they were eating but then wave them off so I could concentrate on the other children. But, food logged in a diary not corresponding with actual meal makes a complete mockery of the diary & needs addressing as it raises questions about everything else written down!

Is it possible there was cheese (since melted) on the pasta or something like prawns (always get eaten first by my lot) that you just didn't see? If you otherwise have a good relationship with the cm & are happy with her care I'd just ask her about it & gauge the response before assuming the worse

I would just say the pointing at the "snack cupboard" could be a habit/wanting a treat. Dd1 had several food habits as a toddler that would be similar. One was asking for snacks-if I found her somethign fun to do, she stopped asking, she was just as capable of asking 5 minutes after a huge meal as 5 minutes before the next, so wasn't anything to do with hunger.
She also got briefly into a habit of asking for a snack after we'd come back from one particular group we did. It was definitely a habit rather than anythign else, she regarded it as part of her routine.
And she also had a time where she didn't seem to understand that if we'd eaten lunch/dinner out that we didn't still get it again when we got back. Really seemed to confuse her.

My dc (13, 10 and 6) don't get pudding until they're all ready. Because even at the older end, they can think they'd rather have the pudding than finish the main. So if they're going out with a friend and the friend turns up early, they won't always get pudding.

By all means ask her.
She probably writes the food diary out at the beginning of the day rather than as they do it. Maybe she got distracted and dropped the dish of ham and cheese on the floor. I've done that-and my dc ate plain pasta and sweetcorn that night-and thought it was very funny too. And I cube my carrots when chopping so that doesn't mean that they're frozen. You can buy carrots chopped in circles frozen too because mil does that.

But don't assume it means she's a lier and food is always bad.

I think you're right to be concerned OP. The plan to arrive early a couple of times is a good one. Definitely address it with her if you're still concerned. I guess you could ask for a reduction of fees if you supply food?! Although if she's prepared to lie about something like this then I'm not sure I'd want to use her regardless.

I'm a childminder and I'd never lie about the food I'm supplying. I do sometimes give something quick and easy like jacket potatoes or fishfingers and chips but I keep that to a minimum and never lie about it.

What would be the point of working if you only earned what the childminder did for one child. With 3 dc I would be down loads.
School starts the term after a child's 3rd birthday with nursery class. Normally for 3 hours I now believe.

Just another thought. My mindees had a roast dinner one day and were all begging for food before it was all ready. They had a chicken starter while I plated up the rest of the meal. If a parent had arrived they would have seen the children eating potatoes and veg. Not saying this is what happened, just highlighting the need to have a chat before making a decision.

I don't think that the OP is assuming anything.

But the evidence is pointing towards the childminder not providing the food she claims to have provided.

I agree but as op collected early & left after eaten the pasta with the diary it was already written so presumably done earlier in the day & there might be a reason for the last minute change of food. I'm not saying she's isn't telling porkies but if this is the first time you've seen food different to diary &/or there are no other causes for concern, it does seem a bit harsh to jump to conclusions & shout "you'll never trust her again!" when there could be a very simple explanation.

One of my biggest fears as a cm is being on the receiving end of a false or malicious allegation so yes, I am more likely to say give her the benefit of the doubt if this is a lone incident & she can provide a satisfactory response as to why diary didn't match reality.

Did you manage to pop in early today, or speak to your CM about Friday dinner.