Babysitting and feeding the kids

[LentilmcLentilface]

I’ve taken on an extra job looking after two primary age children on a Saturday while their mum works. I do early morning into the afternoon so give them their breakfast and lunch.

breakfast is usually porridge/cereal/toast. No bother.

for lunches I have been giving them things like omelette, beans and veggie sticks
creamy vegetable pasta
mild veggie curry

they have really enjoyed everything I have made and eaten well.

their mum has recently brought up she is concerned about the protein content of what I have been feeding them. She has given me a list of suggested meals with ingredients etc. she would be happy with

the problem is I have been a vegetarian for years and feel very uncomfortable handling meat. I am also allergic to seafood. All of these meals either include meat or something I am allergic to so would rather not handle.

my suggestion was a compromise - she prep some meals and freeze them and then she knows exactly what they are having and I only have to minimally handle it. Or they can eat vegetarian food, which they have been fine with.

her reply was something close to “if I had time to meal prep I would have time to be at home with my kids at the weekend”

wondering if I should cut my losses and suggest a new babysitter might be better if she feels so strongly about this.

She's an idiot. Even if her protein worries were reasonable, it's one meal a week.

I would tell you'll cook veggie meals or heat up something else pre-cooked. If she won't accept either option she can find a new babysitter.

That's fair enough. She can't expect you to prepare meat if you don't want to. Just say that you're sorry you can't accommodate that so she would be better finding someone else if that's not going to work for her.

She can give them meat later if it's that important. What you are doing sounds great! If she's not prepared to provide anything you don't have to change - push back. Or suggest they bring some slices of ham or whatever to have on the side - that you won't have to handle.

I'd just give them a sandwich/crisps/fruit.

I wouldn't be cooking.

But you are being very accommodating giving them a nutritious hot meal so she can take it or leave it

Give her the option of finding a new babysitter. You are very good to give them a hot meal at all. She is an idiot. There is protein in omelettes and veg dishes if you grate some cheese etc or give them yogurt.

It’s definitely not worth it OP. She’s treating you like a full on nanny. It’s one meal- and your lunches sound lovely compared to a big standard sandwich and crisps.

I would honestly leave. She’s going to struggle to find someone else willing to do a few hours on a Saturday. She’s ridiculous.

Omelettes are full of protein, she's being ridiculous and her response was unnecessarily rude.
How badly do you need this job ?

Christ she is pedantic about one meal which sound perfectly fine anyway. I’d consider cutting my losses on this one

Tell her you're happy for them to bring a packed lunch. Or you will continue with the meals they have enjoyed, or she can find someone else.

I think she is looking for problems to take you to task for.

She is being unreasonable and demanding. You’re already making them hot lunches! Egg is protein. Beans have lots of protein too.

You could add chickpeas or lentils to a veg curry if they’d like that.

But even peas and oats have some protein.

Meat isn’t essential for every meal and if she wants them to eat meat she can cook it.

You've provide egg & beans. That's two sources of protein right there. If she's going to be like this I'd politely suggest she finds an alternative arrangement.

I don’t desperately need the job, I do it to help her out and the little extra money is nice for the odd treat for me/my kids.

It was agreed from the beginning I would do them a hot meal at lunchtime because they go to some sort of club in the evening and have a packed lunch. It was just never agreed that there had to be certain things in it!

I really wouldn't even begin to justify yourself to her. If she isn't happy she can always go elsewhere.

Most kids in the West eat 6-10 times the amount of protein they need. Your lunches sound lovely.

What you’re giving them is fine, if she moans again be totally straight with her - I won’t cook meat, either accept what I feed them, provide a meal or find another babysitter.

I'm a vegetarian who doesn't even give my own child meat (that is hubby's job). I definitely wouldn't be preparing meat-based meals for someone else's children!

YANBU
What you serve them sounds great!

You watch the kids on Saturdays?
That is one day a week.
She can give them meat 6 days a week if she wants to.

Tell her to find someone else. She sounds like a bit of a delusional dick tbh.

one veggie or egg based meal a week is absolutely fine - I say that as a fussy meat lover.

I prefer my DD to eat organic animal products - I buy prep, cook and freeze all of it to the childminders preference (eg cuts prepared a certain way)so it's easy for her to meet my request. Anything else would be unreasonable as she's doing ME a favour...

Another one here who'd tell her to stick her job

It's fair enough that you don't want to cook meat and she's equally entitled to say she wants her children to have meat - leave if you don't want to cook meat.

I personally wouldn't have been happy with veggie pasta or curry unless there was a protein in it eg paneer curry.

She is being ridiculous, it's 1 lunch a week, they can have meat in the evening... plus there are other options than meat/fish for protein.

But anyhow, another alternative is that she cooks and freezes the meat only, it's a lot quicker for her than cooking the full meal (e.g. you can cook cubes of chicken breast in a pan in a few minutes, or fish). You can then add to your veggie meals without manipulating it too much.

Not a primary concern but certainly would play on my mind - I would slightly worry about the fact I don’t really know much about cooking meat

I have never ever cooked it.

I would be so paranoid about making someone unwell, whereas something already cooked I know I can just heat to oblivion in a microwave 😅

Also I DO put lentils/chickpeas in my curries…

hence the username!

Just ignore her. If she brings it up again, reiterate that there is protein in all the things you make. If she wants something else you'd be happy to heat up something she's prepped.