CM Club -snacks

[saltire]

What do other cm's do about snacks.
How many do you hand out per child during the course of a day?

The reason i ask is, i have an 18mth old girl, every day, 8am till 12noon, or 8am till 5pm. She is always crying for food, and is starting to eat me out of house and home. Her mum sends her lunch, which can either be really healthy, or the complete opposite. She won't eat her lunch though, as she cries to have what the other kids are having (- my other mindees get their lunch sent as well At the moment she is lying on the floor, screaming because i won't give her anything Am i being mean? She had two slices of toast when she got here at 8am She had a banana on the way to school, and has just had a crusty roll with cheese spread, an apple and some grapes, plus a drink of juice
I have had to lock my kitchen cupboards as she goes in a pinches food, the fruit bowl has been put away as she willt ake bites out of every apple in the place and then throw them away

I just wondered what other CMs do regarding snacks
It is part of my policy that i offer snacks, but i feel as though i am spending a fortune on her Any advice would be welcome

I don't dish out snacks on demand and I don't allow "grazing" cos you end up with bits of food & sticky fingers all over the toys.

We sit down at table at snack time (mid morning, not too late cos it will spoil lunch! and after school) & meal times - if they ask for stuff in between the answer is no, its not lunch time yet. When they want to get down from the table I ask if they are full up and remind them theres nothing else to eat until the next meal/snack time.

Ayla, we do , as a rule sit down at snack time, and mealtimes I give her soemthing on the way to school because if i have to go tot eh shop then she is always crying for food by the time we get there, and then cries all the way round the shop I don't know if she fully understands what i mean when i say "nothing else to eat until lunchtime"
I had a stairgate on the kitchen door, and she broke it by rattling it so much in temper All my kitchen cupboards are getting fitted with cupboard locks next week, this is the second lot, as she broke the first ones by pulling on the door until it opened

As shes only 18 months old i would say that amount of food is way more than enough. The 18 month old i cared for recently was strapped into highchair till snacktime was over.I would give her perhaps a bit of toast,half a banana and cup of milk. If at lunch she didn't eat i didn't offer anything else till the next snacktime.It can be a habit of the grazing thing as ayla says.If you stick with it for a few days she will get used to eating lunch and not nees the big stuff at snacktime.

That sounds like a good idea agalch, the problem is that every other week i only have till noon, then her mum has her and more or less lets her do as she likes

I think tho as long as you are doing the right thing while shes with you it doesn't matter what she does.i think for your own piece of mind you need to do it.it is hard tho when parents don't follow through.

can you make a poster that tells all the children in your care what time breakfast/ snacks/lunchtime is. EG draw a snack and then draw a clock with the hands pointing to the time you would like them to eat.

I often have a different routine to those that parents may have at home, and children certainly seem to "fall into" my routine fairly quickly. How long have you minded this little girl?

Have you talked to the mum about how her dd behaves? Is she worried about it? Does she expect her dd to eat continually with you?

If she wants her to eat more, and you are able to accommodate that time-wise, then perhaps you could suggest that the mum sends some extra food for snacks. You can explain what you normally supply and how your routine works (although I'm sure you probably already have!)

If i were you I would choose a routine and stick to it. In our house the children have breakfast before school, (all mindies, i have none of my own) then snack time is at 10am where everyone sits down and has a little something, fruit, a couple of biscuits or toast, and some juice. then they next sit down at 12.00 for lunch, snack again after school, and then tea at 5pm.

I have never had this problem, the children eat at the times i specifiy. If they are starving then they will be offered a piece of fruit, which they often refuse and wait till the next snack or meal time. I would ensure you stick to your routine, and make sure that the little one knows that in your house she won't get any more food until the correct time. I wouldn't take anything in case you go to the shops, she needs to learn that she can't have what she wants all the time. Her having a tantrum and you giving in won't teach her anything.
Remember that you're in charge, she is eating more than she needs, and as long as you ensure she has enough food, then all will be ok.