Childminders Club: PLEASE HELP........had a shock when looked at how much shopping bill has gone up since minding............

[HellyBelly]

Hi guys

Sorry I've not been around for a bit, things have been manic and I just haven't had as much time to mumsnet recently.

Anyway, I need some help - PLEASE!!!

I'm doing my accounts (personal but includes shopping for childminding) and I've just had a big shock. I don't want to say how much money I'm spending on shopping, just that it's gone up quite a lot since I've started childminding!!!

I really really want to continue minding but I just cannot afford this expense. Would anyone mind giving me some advice. The sorts of questions in my head are:

1. Do you set yourself a budget for shopping?
2. If so, is it a total budget or a budget for childminding food and drink?
3. What sort of food do you provide? (my stuff includes melon, strawberries, grapes etc but my mum says even she can't afford all that posh fruit )
4. What meals do you give in the evening?
5. What do you charge for meals? (I charge £1.50 for evening meal and the rest is incl. in my hourly rate)

ANY help would be great as I'm in a bit of a financial mess and the half term isn't even here yet!!!

Also, do you charge for outings if you go on more expensive ones? At the moment mine are more like toddlers and the odd ball pit play but I pay for that.

PLEASE HELP (but don't all shout at me )

xxx

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Officially until 5pm although her mum normally arrives by 4.50pm. By the time we've got back from the school run, it's about 3.45pm so I only have her in my house for around an hour.

Having children after school was a very last minute thing that was arranged when they first went back after summer hols as the mum was desparate (and had used me during hols). I hadn't really thought about this sort of care that much as I wasn't going to do it until I got my 7-seater (although I started doing it to help the mum out, my ds has a childminder for an hour when needed to make room in my car!).

Anyway, me not used to the older kiddies just asked what sort of thing she has when she gets home from school and yes, things like Alpen Cereal Bars, Cheese Straws (I say has to have chunks of cheese as I won't buy these), Fruit/Crunch Corners etc etc came out and silly me had her shopping with me one day and I just went along with it. The pineapple by the way was not in one day, just that it was bought for her as no-one else would eat it.

Tbh, she doesn't tend to eat that much now but she does always ask for tuna sandwich (oh, and makes right mess and uses my towel as a dishcloth - had words now though) and maybe a yoghurt or cereal bar or some fruit.

I'm going to speak to her and her mum and also change my policy to make the 'snack' part really clear and separate from other food provided!

peckarollover - if you're reading this, now you know why I was worried about being shouted at

Have any of you had to explain to children why they can't have XXXX (whatever they ask for)? Do you have any advice about what to say in response? I've made it harder for myself by offering it first but this is all new to me (not been minding long).

HB,
i'm not a c/m but have been a nanny and currently run the after school club where our children have a snack, we have a couple of children who come 5 nights a week and this is our snack menu this week:
Mon: sandwiches(2 slices of bread with either ham, cheese or jam)
Tue: Egg on toast
Wed: Hot Dogs
Thur: Crackers and cheese(as all children only stay until 4.30pm)
Fri:A slice of pizza
for dessert there is always a piece of fruit or yoghurt/strawbeery or chocolate mousse.
we also have beans on toast, chicken+salad wrap,soup+hot bread,macaroni cheese,sausage rolls,
we also make things with the children:homemade pizza,trifle,jelly,cakes
we have a menu and the children can suggest items they would like
good luck with the minding, it's something i seriously considered but house is too small........

Thanks Chatee. Is your menu really a 'snack' menu? It looks more like a light tea to me. Do the children still eat an evening meal at home?

I don't really want to be making anything hot as the house is a bit mad after school for that hour and I start cooking the toddlers dinner as soon as the older mindees have left. I want to make life a lot easier by having just snacks for the after schoolers.

can I come to your house for snacks? Sounds great.

I remember going to my aunties after school everyday, and if I was hungry I got a slice of bread 7 jam. Every day. only bread & jam. To this day I can't eat it. I think all the kids you all llok after are very lucky.

Helly belly, blimey, she's only there just over an hour - she must do nothing but eat. if I were you I'd type up the menu that chatee has kindly provided and stick to it for dear life. problem solved. there's the menu. That's what you can have today. No discussion. Oh, and stick to carrots & apples!

yes, they still eat an evening meal...we have our snack at 4pm so for some of them tea is still another two hours away....
we tend to buy whatever is on offer atm and store
ie:hot dogs are bogof at tesco, wraps(and they normally have shelf life of a week!)buy 4 tins of beans when on bogof.
1 tin of beans can do 3-4 children and we store any unused in tupperware in the fridge and make sure we have a night with jacket potato and they can choose their filling with what we have left eg:beans,ham,cheese,tuna
we also have recently started doing a big monthly shop for any dry goods/stuff with long shelf life
and just picking up perishables on a weekly/ as needed per menu rota and it has made life easier.......would make my life a lot easier if they could accept a tesco delivery receipt but never mind!!
also thought of other things
crumpets,toasted tea cakes, scones, popcorn
will have a look at our menus at school tonight and throw in more ideas of cold /easy stuff if you want

Chatee - that would be great for more quicker idea's as sometimes a mindee may get picked up at 4.15, sometimes 4.45pm etc. To be honest, by the time I've got the 3 toddlers and 2 schoolies inside the house, got them a drink, done spelling tests (for older mindee) etc. time just flies by so I'm after quick things really. I'm sure I'll get used to it given time but I'm still very new to this so want things as simple as possible for now Having said that, I would love to come for a snack at yours as it sounds yummy!

This mindee who wants loads also tried to get me to buy these boxes of milkshake that cost a fortune!!! Kids eh (or should I say 'Me' eh, for being such an obvious softie!! )

Although I have a 'sort of' menu, I think I will type out a more CLEAR one and display it in the kitchen - may make things easier when I explain the change to the older mindees!

This raises another question.....if you change things like menu's etc that are in your policies and procedures, do you have to get parents to sign to say they are happy with the change? I presume so.

I send out my menus at the start of the month - I do not discuss them with the parents at all (occasionally ask for ideas or feedback).

To the children if they question me - I just say my house my rules - last week such and such happened and depending on whether last week or this week is the norm I expalin - either your having a treat now or last week was special

Good luck - we don't mean to shout but you are being taken for a ride, big style

I know Katymac, it's so hard when you have no experience with this age group - I started by reading a thread on here and got the impression it was normal for them to eat this much! I only have one ds aged 2½ (and he eats LOADS so I sort of expected the older ones to eat more).

I know I'm silly so you can all stop shouting at me now. I just need advice on what to provide now. I will just tell the mindees what's what from now on (gosh, I've got to be firm! )

Thanks

Hellybelly, put it down to experience. With regards to my mindees asking for more (which they do) I just say " Thats our tea/dinner that you want to eat"
They soon get the message, and they do like to eat for England at that age!

Hellybelly - come here and have a hug and a cuppa aaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwww even though your way more experienced than me and sorted I cant help think awwwwww on this thread. You are obviously a lovely minder.

I will use the menu idea so I dont fall into the same trap of overspending - totally easy done though.

I think especially when your new and nervous you want your service to be GOOD so its easy to go a bit overboard.

Keep up the good work!

I say when they want lots more that they wont eat their dinner and i stick with that. They seem to accept it.

I only offer boring healthy stuff though like raisins,prunes, sultanas fruit sticks (which can be alot) rice cakes, bread sticks and onion bread sticks which the kids adore. I dont really give them much else so i know that it is within budget and being healthy.

Chatee - I still think that what you are offering is more than a snack. Doing egg on toast or macaroni cheese for my half-a-dozen children, and then a pudding is definitely a meal! It would be a nightmare for me to cook anything because I wouldn't be able to cope with all the children. I assume you have more adults to be able to do this.

Helly - don't feel bad, just think how much more money you'll be saving (therefore increasing your profit!!) I do buy "treat" snacks from time to time anyway, which are more expensive but, hey, I'm just so cool and the kids love me more!!

Well, mindees late again so I thought I'd pop on here!

Thanks kcemum, I will put this down to experience - certainly won't be getting into this trap again

Peckarollover - thanks so much for your lovely words. I must admit I felt a right fool about all this! I was just concerned as this mindee had an awful childminder before and I suppose I was just trying to settle her in and make her feel welcome etc etc. Well, she went from being very reserved and shy to confident mindee who started trying it on. Anyway, had words last night when she said "do you have any chicken mayo for a sandwich" and tutted when I said I didn't. I once had some I'd made for dh which he didn't eat and I let her have some. She seemed very put out that I didn't have any!! I therefore said that everything will be changing and I will make it very clear what can and cannot be eaten. I said I am not prepared to give any more food meant for my family and told her she was lucky she'd had what she had so far. She just responded 'so and so let me when I was there (a friend who had her after left old childminder). I basically said I wish I could afford to be that generous but can't. I think that this rudeness actually helped me deal with it as I had no problem saying no! I would have found it harder if she asked really nicely but as she grunted when I said I didn't have any, I decided I no longer care.

jelly - had said all that about not eating dinner from the start and she said she does still eat her dinner and told me to ask her mum which I did. After that I didn't know how to deal with it but I'm ok with it now!

Theprisoner - I'm so pleased I'm not the only one who couldn't manage a snack like that! I was beginning to think I'm just not cut out for this job as there's no way I could manage that every day!

Yes, I AM going to save money now AND....if I want something from my own fridge, I'm certainly not going to feel bad any more (as she thinks certain things are HERS!!). I don't at all mind treats from time to time, just not going to go mad every day like I have. She's also tried it on trying to get me to buy her toys when we happen to pop into a shop for a loaf of bread or something. She's very spoilt (which I knew anyway) and is used to getting most things she wants but to try and get me to buy her things that cost £10+ is a joke!

Anyway, just need to decide on my new menu etc and I'll feel much more confident!

Katymac - can you give me an example of what your monthly meal plan looks like (what you send parents)? Maybe you would be kind enough to email me? I'd be very grateful

rtkm if you are a childminder hwo do you mumsnt s o much?

I inherited a schoolchild once whose minder had given notice as she said he was "bored" being with her. I had him for about two years and he used to love telling me how much nicer this old minder was - apparently, the afterschoolers were allowed to help themselves to bags of crisps and sweets from a large bowl in middle of table!! He was certainly never "bored" whilst with me, but he did suffer from e-number withdrawal symptoms! (His mum tells me that he has admitted recently that he thinks I was actually "OK"!!)

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im not a CM yet but will be soon and i have found this thread interesting, please keep adding ideas.

i have a dd who is 6 and she has
breakfast cereal
snack at school fruit
packed lunch (sausage roll or sandwich & 1 peice of fruit & a yogurt also add a scone or a scotch pancake or a box of raisens with squash and water.)
At home if she asks for a snack its either fruit or yogurt, pancake or scone sometimes.
Dinner - things like spag bol, chicken and chips and beans, sauage and mash, fishfingers veg and boiled potatoes, pasta with sauce etc
if she eats all of her dinner (or enough) then she can choose what else she would like usually either a 5p lolly or a fab ice cream, choc bar or yogurt.

i will probably stick with this when mindees come my dd sometimes has slices of pepper, cherry toms and cucumber which she loves.

maybe if my mindees are really hungry i would give them crumpets or toast. i think that is enough.

i am currently planning on charging £2 for a full day, what do you charge? or do you charge per meal?

I charge by the meal and the parents seems to likethis but i found hat i could not provide a high quality meal and that the parents would approve of for £2.00 so i charge a higher amount.

Hello

I charge a high hourly fee that includes good quality all organis home cooked food........but it is included in my fee!

But I save money by getting my veg/fruit delivered by riverford, and I get a discount becuase I am a business as I order a lot!

Also, we only eat fruit/veg that is in season and therefor cheaper! There is no way that I would give them strawberries etc this time of year as they are so expensive!

As you've probably read already, I only provide snacks/juice for children, which is included in my charges. I don't provide full meals (unless it's an emergency and I don't charge) - I do feel a bit guilty about it, especially reading what the rest of you do, but there is absolutely no way I would have time to fit food preparation in as well as everything else. I'd love to know how you guys do it!!

If I did provide full meals, I think I would charge for each meal. Most of our food at home is organic, and I would definitely want to produce good quality, home-cooked stuff. I checked my "blurb" to new parents, which says that I can provide meals for £3.50 , but I do actively encourage them to provide their own!!! I am totally honest about it with the parents ie. that I don't want to do it!