Childminder picking up after school - do you provide snacks?

[TheGoddessBlossom]

Hi,

Have met our lovely (thank god as she is the only one around) prospective childminder and if all goes well she will pick DS1 up after school when he starts in September and have him at hers till I collect at 6. But I know he will be famished, and intend to supply her with snacks to tide him over till tea time.

Does anyone else do this? What sort of things do you pack? Does your child know not to eat it during the day? Or would it be better to give her more money or do a mini shop for her at the beginning of every week?

Thanks,

Bloss

its agreed between you and your CM, but i think most CMs do provide snacks.

If you are not oicking him up til 6pm would it not be possible for him to also eat his main meal there.
i fond when children start school they get so tired, and would probably need to be eating his tea before 6.30 (assuming thats what time he would get it at home)

in the first term after my charge started school i was giving him tea at 4.30 as he needed it by then... even now (end of year 1) we are always eating by 4.45

Hi nannyL. Yes it did occur to me that he would need to eat tea about 5. So, as he will have had a hot lunch, I could pack a tea? It's going to be a bit ropey after a day at school thhough isn't it....hmm, think I should agree with her that she provide sandwiches and snacks and I pay accordingly. I know what my boy can eat though, and I just want to avoid any resentment that I am not paying enough...

I'm a CM and provide a snack straight after school followed by an evening meal at 5pm for those who want it (all but 1 of my children eat their dinner at mine). I don't charge extra but some childminders do. I would be very surprised if your childminder expected you to provide the snacks although some don't like to cook so may not provide the meal.

HTH

I did ask her and she said she would provide snacks, but I thought that was a bit above the call of duty! Shows how used to this I am! I will talk to her about giving him a main meal. Appreciate all your inputs.

Hi Bloss

As you know i am a CM. I provide snack 2x a day and all drinks as well as a lunch. I charge extra for dinner tho.

Ask your CM what she provides in her price and ask her what you need to provide.

Bless you, but you need to be asking her!
All cm's are different so we can only say what we provide.
Will she have other kiddies til 6?
It may be easier to feed everyone around 5pm.

Sally x x

I do tea at 4.30 and increased my hourly rate to cover the cost. If parents turn up early before mindees have eaten, all hell breaks loose .