Feeding Baby Sitters??

[Smee]

Do you? I haven't a clue about this as we've never used a sitter before as parents, etc have stepped in, but are on Friday. Our lovely Child Minder's coming over. What's the accepted idea. Do you leave some food or not?

i usually tell them where the biscuit barrel and fruit bowl are and leave it at that. I'm never really sure about these things tho.

What time is she coming over? Is she likely to have had time to eat before hand?

I would leave cakes, biscuits maybe crisps.
When I was younger and sat I loved the houses that left me a tray out rather than the help yourself ones!!
I usually leave cups and tea coffee out and a packet of bikkies for the in laws

I'm a childminder and helped out my mindees parents at xmas. I usually have mindee til 6.30pm but was needed at theirs then so she finished early (but too early for me to grab something to eat).

Bless her parents - they'd defrosted a yummy pizza for me to bung in the oven . I think it depends on how early the person is needed as I can't force myself to eat any earlier than 7.30pm!

HTH

I sit for a family that tells me to help my sell and tbh i rarely do, as i hate the idea of having to rummage around in their kitchen to find things such as the tea or sugar and would MUCH prefer if things were left out for me as its less awkward for the sitter imo.

I would always leave out chocolate, biscuits, cakes, crisps etc depending on what we had in. If it was earlyish, I'd say a pizza in the fridge if they wanted it would be great. Some lovely parents I used to b/sit for would always order a takeaway to be delivered for me

If she's coming before 6:00 I think you should provide dinner. Even if it's just a frozen meal on offer to pop in the oven.

When i used to babysit the parents of 1 boy used to always tell me to help myself, but i was always too embaressed, anyone one time hunger got the better of me (i used to sit straight after school till about half 9) i did just that and shock horror the little boy came down and caught me with my hand in the biscuit cupboard and had hysterics all night that i was stealing hes chocolate!! i never went back after that!

I'm quite ashamed of myslef now that I never offer more food. Is it different do you think for a professional agency sitter, or should I still offer more food?

I do sitting for Sitters and usually get told where the tea & coffee are & occasionally biscuits etc. As I don't drink either I take a sachet of hot chocolate with me & usually some biscuits or what I fancy. Quite often there isn't much left out or in the cupboards, & you don't want to root around in other peoples cupboards. Some of my regular families leave out treats for me oaccasionally. I guess what I am trying to say is biscuits/snacks are welcome, you can get quite hungry when sitting late at night especially if you have eaten your tea/dinner early in order to sit!

I usually have a pizza to hand in the freezer and offer it if someone is coming early (before 7pm) to look after my lot. Otherwise, I'll point out the biscuit box and the tea/coffee/cold drinks and tell them to help themselves.

Our friends babysat and brought around a shopping bag and made their tea after they had put their dd to bed! They brought all their own cooking utensils too.

always leave snacks out on counter and have cokes etc in fridge. If friends they know where all the snacks are! She never has anything though.... maybe she brings along her own snacks

unless i start before 7pm i wouldnt expect a meal (but do expect to be shown the biscuits or crisps or fruit bowl or something!)

except for my charges (which i very much like a second home as im there all day monday to friday anyway!)

if the parents are going out a bit early then often i arrive earlier and eat tea with the children at 5pm as normal (for a week day!).... but then MUMMY cooks us dinner

if im there and arrive 'later' ie 7ish and beyond, i know i can help myslef to ANYTHING, and cook myself a full meal if i want to or whatevere i want....but again its ME who does alot of the shopping so i know what we have etc anyway!

generally as a rule i dont think babysitters expect a meal (unless starting befoer 6pm)

Oh my - biscuits galore. Thanks everyone. She's coming for 8, but I know full well that she's looking after some other kids up 'til then and then dashing over, so she won't have had time to get something. Think I'll stick a pizza in the fridge and let her cook if she wants to. Seems only fair. She's so precious that I'd hate to upset her!