Childminders Club: For minders who mind with their own kids still at home......

[ssd]

Do you find the mindees want everything your kid has? Maybe it's just me but it's really bugging me. I practically have to beg to get my ds to eat during the day whilst my mindees try to eat me out of house and home. Whilst it's great they are good eaters and finish everything I give them, I certainly don't let them go hungary. But usually my ds wants lunch about 2pm when the mindees have all eaten their lunch, for them examlpes are a ham sandwich, fruit, breadsticks then extra toast whilst ds has a cup of milk only(his choice). Then when I know the mindees must be full ds might have a toastie or something. But then the mindees want his lunch too. It annoys me as I feel they can't see ds get anything , they must have what he has also their own lunch too.

What I wanted to ask is do you feel the mindees feel they have to have everything your own kid has as they are jealous? I can't work it out.

Any advice appreciated.

[ssd]

sounds good!

[katymac]

I'm full to the end of the week (then 2 go)

I make the menu (based on a monthly meat shop) - then DH checks the menu each week and shops on a tuesday for all the bits

Lots of veggies meals/lots of one pot meals and when ever I can I make 2 or 3 lots and freeze one

In the freezer I had 3 cheese & potatoe pies, Lamb Hotpot, Cottage pie, 8 pasta mix (tomaote - whcih can also be used as tomato soup or added to mince for bolagnaise) and enough yorkshire puds for toad in the hole.

[ssd]

Ugh KM the fleas sound awful!!

Will be stricter from now on, I like the one comment "the kitchen is closed", it does feel like I'm running a cafe and I only mind part time!

KM how do you manage to prepare menu's so far in advance? Do you do a big shop then that's it? You are always so organised, how are you doing with filling up all your spaces - or with 9 for lunch are you full again?

[katymac]

"Well it's very difficult as I have 2 big dogs....and I don't have much time......I'm very busy.....this all costs money.....I have lots of problems.....I can't get on top of them....etc"

Useless - get rid (obviously getting rid of children is easier than getting rid of fleas)

[jellyjelly]

Have you given her the names of good fleas killers such as the 4 week one, or does she not want to deal with the problem?

[katymac]

I think I will

[agalch]

can u afford to get rid of the mindee? sometimes it's the easiest thing?

[katymac]

Oh I don't know I'm so pissed off with it all

[agalch]

have you tried speaking to your development officer? maybe she could give advice? can't see it would be discrimination if your other kids coulg catch fleas.can you threaten with exclusion?might be enough to scare them a little,and get rid of the fleas?

[katymac]

The other parents are unhappy that we have fleas.....and that we cannot effectively treat the fleas until the family with the problem deal with it

[katymac]

It would be discrimination - I think

I am not happy

[agalch]

why are they unhappy? because you want to discuss?

[agalch]

it's awful for you and your family that you can't exclude till the family sort it out

[katymac]

I am slowly discussing it with the parents

They are unhappy

I'm stuffed

[agalch]

katymac,as a parent i would not be happy if my dd came home fron the cm with fleas,do the other parents know?

[katymac]

Apparently according to the "Communicable Diseases" people and the Vet, Dog fleas are not a risk to children's health

Just my nerves and stress levels

[agalch]

katymac could you not exclude like kids who have infectious disease eg chicken pox? yeuch sounds orrible. im scratching as we speak

[katymac]

I gently suggested that the action she had been taken has not been effective. This did not go down very well

I am a bad childminder

[jellyjelly]

Use some flea powder might be a good reply.

[katymac]

One of my families has dog fleas atm......the dogs have them and so do the children and so does my cat now

What on earth can I do?

I've mentioned it - but she shrugs and says "well what can I do?"

[agalch]

i minded for a kid who had no teeth at the age of 4 and i do mean no teeth!!!! Drank coke from baby bottle so i had to be tough and stress no sweets.i do actually provide a healthy brekkie but the sweets are a snack on way in car

[katymac]

OMG - I'm glad I provide breakfast

My parents know that I'm a bit odd about food - I so couldn't cope with that - it would freak me out completely

[agalch]

has anyone ever had to ask parents not to let their kids come in the morning with cans of coke and a mars bar for brekkie? needless to say i have written yet another policy on healthy eating

[blodwen]

Oh sure Katymac. Under ones are an exception. Sometimes it works better to feed them together at 1130 before playgroup pick up at 12. Other times they eat with the others. Poorly children do get a bit of compassion too! {wink}

[katymac]

I agree with you Blodwen - only exceptions are for under 1's (who might be asleep at mealtimes) and poorly babies (of any age)

But I'd be running a cafe otherwise (I nearly do anyway)