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Original poster

Should I be concerned about food at CM's?

35 replies

Maccapaccawacca · 23/03/2012 13:54

DS is 14 months, been going to CM for about 3months. 2 sessions a week, has 2 lunches there and one evening meal.

CM is kind enough to provide daily diary of activities and food eaten. DS seems very happy there. They have plenty of days out etc.

Just recently though his diet there leaves me a little uncomfortable. For example, yesterday for his lunch, he had chips from the chip shop (they were out and about at park/ducks) and an ice cream. He had curry for tea (which is obviously ok), biscuit and yoghurt.

Now, i'll hold my hands up and admit he is my first baby so I know i'm probably more uptight watchful of his diet than I will be with any subsequent children. But really, chips?? as a meal?? I note the absence of any fruit or veg (I know potatoes are veg Wink).

Part of me thinks that it will help him feel happier at the CM if this food is reserved for when he's with her, and it's only twice a week.

Be nice to hear other's thoughts....

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BlackSwan · 23/03/2012 13:57

He is 14 months old and she is giving him chips, ice cream and curry?! Too much salt and saturated fat. Just sounds like lazy child care to me.

Eggrules · 23/03/2012 14:02

I would be happy with chips for a meal if they were part of an afternoon out.

It would depend on the type and frequency of this type of food.

nannyl · 23/03/2012 14:02

you are not being ott

chips is not a suitable meal when you are being paid to look after (which includes nutritionaly if feeding) someone elses child

if you as a mum want to feed your child chips as a meal then up to you, but when you are being paid to care for other peoples children (unless perhaps as an absolute once in a blue moon) not acceptable.

should be served proper balanced meals at every meal time... end of.

Eggrules · 23/03/2012 14:03

My DS was weaned on curry and still loves it. Eats curry, chili, spicy food etc no problem.

Original poster
Maccapaccawacca · 23/03/2012 14:05

Well, he only eats like this with the CM, so i'm thinking I should get a grip chill out about it.

Normally with CM he will have cheese spread sandwiches (or similar) for lunch with yoghurt and banana and then pasta - based dinner. But obviously, as the weather is improving the days out are increasing and I note he's now had a Cornetto, a Twister lolly, a Mr Whippy......

OP posts:
DowagersHump · 23/03/2012 14:07

I'm not very demanding as a CM user but even I would be unhappy with chips and icecream for lunch

Original poster
Maccapaccawacca · 23/03/2012 14:39

Tips on broaching subject without upsetting the apple cart then?

OP posts:
DeepThought · 23/03/2012 14:55

send packed lunch for him, in a wee insulated bag, she can grab and go

?

Original poster
Maccapaccawacca · 23/03/2012 14:57

That's a good suggestion but I doubt he's going to be too interested in that when the others are eating chips Wink

OP posts:
jendot · 23/03/2012 16:18

If it were me and my son only had 3 meals a week with the cm and the majority of them were acceptable I would try not to stress about it.
I would also be really pleased that she was telling me the truth about what he was eating (I know a number of cms and have seen plently of 'diary' manipulation going on eg. merrily served Dominos pizza for tea and then written in the diary 'homemade lasagna, freshly cut chips and home grown veggies!)
I don't think chips/ ice cream once a week as part of a balanced diet is going to do any harm is it?
Maybe she was at the park and they were all having so much fun she didn't want to drag them away and the chippy was there.....

Only you can decide ..If it bothers you then say something... I tend to look at situations as a 'whole picture' if I am happy with the majority of things I don't rock the boat on issues I am not that bothered about.

LucyManga · 23/03/2012 16:20

I wouldnt worry about chips and ice cream, but on their own they aren't balanced meals. She should really be providing him with better quality food, especially if you pay for it. I would have a quite word. You arent being precious - come on! Chips on their own for lunch for a baby? No.

LucyManga · 23/03/2012 16:20

quiet

redglow · 23/03/2012 19:24

Sorry I dont think the occasional portion of chips will do any harm. He did have a proper tea. Actually just noticed he is only fourteen months no not acceptable. Just nicely suggest they take a packed lunch.

Purplehonesty · 23/03/2012 19:37

Not acceptable. My ds is nearly 3 and he wouldn't be having chips for lunch - no way!

My cm gives him snacks and I provide the main meals. It works well cos she is really healthy too and she gives him fruit and yoghurts and pancakes/toast.

She always asks if she can give him a particular thing for a treat i.e ice cream.

LetsKateWin · 23/03/2012 20:02

I wasn't too pleased when my CM told me she had given chips to DD (2.3 at the time) for lunch. They were out and about too so it was a total one off.

thisisyesterday · 23/03/2012 20:09

it wouldn't bother me as a one off, but i wouldn't be happy if it was happening regularly.

to clarify, i actually don't think there is anything wrong with chips at all, am a firm believer in everything in moderation. so chips WITH a meal once a week wouldn't concern me at all.

I would not like it however if my child was regularly given just chips for a lunch.

tbh given that he is only there for 2 lunches and one meal each week I think if you are happy with everything else I would ignore it. If it happens more often then ask if she can give him something else, or take a packed lunch out with them

thisisyesterday · 23/03/2012 20:11

I guess the way I am looking at it is that I would want any childcare to resemble as closely as possible my child's home life

and that home life does occasionally involve ice creams or chips from the chippy... cos they're NICE and it's a treat and it's a fun thing to do.

FootprintsInTheSnow · 23/03/2012 20:14

I don't think there's an awful lot to choose nutritionally between chip-shop chips with ice cream versus cheese spread sandwich with yoghurt.

Fatty? Tick
token dairy? tick
starchy? Tick

Tbh - I'd prefer the chip shop chips for my dc as it's a hot meal, and not so much wheat ( my DC get a bit squitty if they eat too much wheat). Obviously you don't season DC chips. I'd generally also divvy up a portion of fish (pick out the fish from inside the batter and put some with their chips portion).

I'd also be pleased at honest reporting, and lovely outdoors fun days.

Zimbah · 23/03/2012 20:16

I wouldn't be happy with it at all. No reason for a 14 month old to have chips for their meal, unless it's just a part of a meal now and again. And I really wouldn't want a toddler having icecream frequently, it's just empty calories and sugar, and bought lollies are far too big anyway - ok a little bit of icecream in a bowl occasionally, but a whole Twister at 14 months?

Also, I think one of the nice things about being a parent is being able to treat your child to an icecream etc now and again, but if he's already getting that at childcare then if you give it at home as well it will really be too much.

MadameChinLegs · 23/03/2012 20:18

Chips arent the work of the devil but if they are given regularly, I would speak to her. I also think that chips from chipvans / chip shops are somehow much more unhealthy than say, oven chips/wedges/etc cooked at home. That may just be my opinion, I have no evidence for that, it just feels like that would be the case.

Therefore, I'd be happier if chips were provided at her home, rather than as more of a convenience food, iyswim. I don't think Im explaining myself Confused. I would have thought the ideal food for a trip to the park would be a picnic?

FootprintsInTheSnow · 23/03/2012 20:40

I'm the opposite. I think oven chips are Frankenstein food - whereas thick cut chip shop chips are a classic that's raised generations. I don't think they're a great choice for me - but as an occasional thing for an active DC I think it is fine. Healthy exercise - hearty food.

Like I said before - I see more issues with too much wheat in a DC diet than with chips.

glenthebattleostrich · 23/03/2012 21:42

I'm a childminder and take kids out for days out now the weather is improving. I have an insulated bag which I take sandwiches, fruit, yogurts and water in. It's not hard (probably easier than finding a takeaway).

The children do occasionally have ice cream but it's not a regular thing.

I don't think you are being OTT, have a chat with her and say you'd prefer it if she took food with her.

Flisspaps · 23/03/2012 21:52

Hmm.

For my own daughter at 14mo, then I'd probably have happily have given her chips and an icecream as a one off (given the rest of her diet was healthy at that age) during a trip to the park.

Working as a CM though and taking other children out with me though, I'd probably have taken a picnic lunch out with me, but if it was a last minute decision to go out on a sunny day, and hadn't had time to make and pack a lunch and supervise the children then I wouldn't have expected anyone to have a problem with some chips (with no salt or vinegar on them!) or an ice cream.

If it's a rare thing, then I don't think I'd bother saying anything - but if you notice it becomes a regular thing then I'd definitely speak up. A healthy, balanced diet is about everything in moderation.

Blondeshavemorefun · 23/03/2012 22:39

is this the first time ds has had chips with cm or even in his life (ie not with you?)

i agree a 14mth doesnt really need chips in his diet but maybe was a one off at the park

agree cheese spread isnt really a nutritiousness filling in a sandwich but again with veggie sticks and fruit, it isnt the end of the world

bramblina · 23/03/2012 22:56

I'm completely on the fence- everything in moderation but not neccessarily the case for a 14m old. I was very anal with my first dc but not my 2nd so I can see where you are coming from. Yes they are a veg, but they are deep fried. Yes she took him out but should have been more prepared. Yes she was honest but it sounds like it was something you wouldn't have done and you are paying her to care for your child so you should lay down the ground rules. Having said that I'm pretty sure you haven't written down anywhere on a wish list "do not feed ds chips" so where you can't really criticise you can perhaps explain you weren't overly happy.

As someone else said, I look at the bigger picture, and my view is that I would not want anyone looking after my child to take him out over a meal time without having planned it first, ie if she knew there was only a chippy then I would have expected her to make a sandwich or similar. If she didn't know there was only a chippy then she didn't know there would be anything and so there would have been no food. I would hope that's not a risk she would take and therefore it sounds like the chippy was planned, which IMHO is unacceptable for a 14m old, period.

But as I said, this is MHO.

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