Childminders Club; advice needed!

[ssd]

Hi girls! I'm not sure about this and I wanted to ask your advice!

I've stared a little boy aged 4 for 3 full days. I don't ever charge for meals and snacks, I always include it in the hourly cost (£2.50 an hour). But OMG! this little chap is eating me out of house and home! In a day he can eat 3 apples, 2 peaches, 5 apricots, a packet of crisps (asks for more after first packet!),could eat sweets all day if I let him!, 2 slices of toast and cheese and a hot meal eg. shephards pie and spagetti hoops!! Also he drinks "juice" all day - hates water or milk! I just feel I'm feeding him all day and I can't imagine how much it eats into the £2.50 I charge.

My dh thinks I should ask his mum for "meal" money as he thinks I make a pittance as it is.

What do you all think?

Most definatly, I would explain to the parents that because of the amount he eats you need to start charging a meal fee, or alternatively they can proivide his own meals. I am sure his parents would accept that you are trying to run a bussiness

I have just started (signed 1st contract last week) and I charge £3.50 per hour and £1.50 for evening meal - snacks, drinks etc in the price.

I really think you should get money for the food, it's normal where I am to charge anything up to £3 a day for an evening meal (but helps with costs of snacks).

I'd ask but of course if it's not in the contract, you may just have to wait until it's due for review?

I charge £2.60 per hour but this will be rising by 20p an hour next April (should be nvq qualified by then). I then charge £2.50 for a home cooked organic lunch and pud (or dinner and pud). Snacks are included but I have set snacktimes eg 'morning snack time' and 'afternoon snacktime'. Mostly these consist of homemade bread and jam/chocolate spread for afternoon snack or fresh fruit for morning snack.
I would ask his mum for a time to talk and then explain how it just isn't affordable for you to cary on providing so much food. As long as you stay clear and calm she should understand.

Part of the trouble is his mum told me he hardly eats at home, but she is a big lady, so don't know what she's comparing it to......I'm big myself but I don't eat as much as him!!Not sure how to broach it with his mum.

If you generally don't charge for food / snacks, could you limit the food / snacks, and provide his mum with a list of what he'll be offered with quantities?
e.g. morning snack: 1 piece of fruit
lunch: cooked with veg and pud
afternoon snack: toast and spread
tea: cheese on toast + 1 fruit
top up with some bread and marge if needed. Explain to mum that this is all the food that's included, and if he needs anything extra she'll need to provide it herself.
Can you make the juice more dilute?
Could you stop offering crisps / sweets on 'health grounds' (I mean - say it's healthy eating, even if it's really to make it affordable)?

What a difficult situation!

I think as well as not wanting your cupboards cleared, you have a responsiblity to ensure that the child has a balanced diet and is NOT snacking all day.

The foods you mentioned are healthly, but surely it cant be good for the child to think constantly of food? Could you introduce some structure as others have suggested? Or is this up to the parents - i dont know?????

The only other thing I can suggest is along the same line as others - cheaper, but healthy snacks such as bread/ toast or cereal.

I dont think introducing a seperate meal charge is the answer. And if you feel you are being paid a pittance, then increase your fees!

Ask for meal money.
DD is suddenly drinking lots of milk (she used to hate the stuff!) and we now take a pint to the cm with her in the mornings.