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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

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Original poster

childminders do you cook?

42 replies

ivet83 · 15/02/2006 18:45

i love preparing meals for my DD and generally i love home cooked food.i always cook at home very rearly would have a take away.i think if i am a childminder i would enjoy serving the kids healthy home cooked meals.do you think mums would appreciate that?do all of you cook i mean real cooking?

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Hulababy · 16/02/2006 16:16

As a mum I would always prefer to choose childcare that did provide my child with a home cooked, hot meal once a day, ideally at lunch time. I would also prefer an all in price, rather than a price plus food on top. The food then saves me a lot of hassle in the evening. If running late I can get away with giving my DD a snack dinner at night, safe in the knowledge she has eaten properly already. Hope that helps.

If doing this and out during the morning, how about cooking in batches in an evening or weekend , and freezing?

HellyBelly · 16/02/2006 16:21

I charge the evening meal outside of hourly fee as some parents need a meal and others don't and they (so far) have all preferred it separate. I have mu hourly fee plus meal fee but only one parent has their child here for dinner and she knows her daily fee is £30+£1.50 so £31.50 a day - this is all in the contract and is very straight forward.

freshstart · 16/02/2006 16:30

ivet83 - what are they paying us for?

They pay us to look after, care for and nurture their precious children - with or without meals!

Original poster

ivet83 · 16/02/2006 17:21

yes i agree they pay for the care and everything but i think the food and drink is also part of the price .in my opinion they shouldn't just eat all day cold sandwiches.i think cooking a lot and freezing is the best option.but everyone has different opinion

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bigisbeatifulwasoldandfat · 16/02/2006 17:34

we could cook alot in the evenings but when does one suggest we do it. before all the paper work, putting our own meals on the table, doing homework with our own children, spending time with our own children, spending time with our husbands.....or after.

bigisbeatifulwasoldandfat · 16/02/2006 17:35

sorry. im still in a bad mood

Original poster

ivet83 · 16/02/2006 17:52

sorry hope i didn't upset anyone i suppose is really hard to combine everything so......ohh and can anyone tell me about the slow cooker

OP posts:

HellyBelly · 16/02/2006 17:54

There's no way I could do this in the evening without having an earlier time to stop minding - no time unless I want to be working through the night. I haven't come across anyone with a problem with cold lunch i.e. sandwiches, pitta etc. as their child is always getting a hot dinner.

HellyBelly · 16/02/2006 17:55

I think once you start minding, if you are working a full day, cleaning and doing paperwork, you'll soon know why this would be hard to fit in

Original poster

ivet83 · 16/02/2006 18:01

probably

OP posts:

Original poster

ivet83 · 16/02/2006 18:01

probably

OP posts:

Original poster

ivet83 · 16/02/2006 18:02

sorry didn't want to send it twice

OP posts:

ThePrisoner · 16/02/2006 19:29

I already spend many many of my non-paid-for working hours doing stuff around my childminding - I do courses, I do assignments, I do all my childminding paperwork, I am on county childminding committee, I work as a mentor and a soon-to-be-phased-out vacancy co-ordinator. I prepare activities most evenings for the following day, or at the weekend. I also have a family of my own, housework/shopping and, believe it or not, like to have a life too!

I work jolly hard during my paid working hours (full-time, Monday to Friday, 7.30am-6pm currently). I have three small children full-time during the week, plus a morning and afternoon school run ... and then there are the school holidays! I can be really busy, but we have a lot of fun, and I wouldn't swap what I do for anything else.

I like the idea of providing an all-inclusive meal service to parents, but the reality of it would be so much more work for me. I am already knackered!!!

Isyhan · 17/02/2006 15:17

well I agree and you are full so your obviously doing fine without having to spend your nights cooking.

ayla99 · 17/02/2006 21:05

to ivett83 - missed your post about the slow cooker earlier
its brilliant, got it 4 xmas. just bung everything in the morning (you can brown meat first but you don't have to) and you'll have beautifully tender meat casserole ready to dish up at tea-time. Am trying Hawaiian pork next week.

I also wouldn't be without my combination microwave and my steamer.

jellyjelly · 17/02/2006 22:56

I love my slow cooker, but gutted i cant use it at the moment because of myleg. Have you checked out the slow cooker thread on either food or recipes?

lunavix · 18/02/2006 21:37

I do cold at lunch (mostly sandwiches fruit crackers crisps etc) but make up for it at dinner with homecooked food. We only have junk (to me! fish fingers etc) if I've felt very ill (am pg) and it's not often.

I've tried 'posher' lunches quiche, etc but kids won't eat it.

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