Please tell me it gets better

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  • MyAngels
    Member
    • Aug 2010
    • 4217

    #16
    Maybe you could assign each family one day each week that they would provide food for all of the children that day. If you attempted something like that I would definitely give them some guidelines so you don't end up with a bunch of junk food brought in.

    Comment

    • godiva83
      Advanced Daycare.com Member
      • Mar 2011
      • 581

      #17
      That makes sense....I hope these Grants are good.
      as for food you are right it doesn't make sense to feed them on that rate. I say stick to having them bring their own food- seperate the DCB or move further away like you said so he can't be a food theif it is hard to want what you don't have but it is also a part of life that you have to understand at somepoint, right? Maybe make a 'Social Story' about Lunch time issues and what is going on at your lunch time, read the kids the book so they can connect the two??

      Secondly, perhaps write home and include a list of appropriate foods, Kool aid jammers not on the list explain the health and importance of healthy foods and with that say you will not give foods that you seem unfit. Also, if it is in your budget perhaps suggest you will provide the 'Sweet' treat to lunch whether it be a homemade muffin, cookie, granola bar sort of deal.

      Good luck

      Comment

      • dEHmom
        Advanced Daycare.com Member
        • Dec 2010
        • 2355

        #18
        sorry I've been running around like a chicken with my head cut off all afternoon. first chance i've had to come check back in.


        what i ended up doing, which actually only took me about 5 mins, was to print up a quick newsletter page. just little snippets, along with a thankyou to the new families and previous families through the licensing period.

        also included a reminder that children need appropriate clothing, (this is just into week 2 of being licensed, with mostly new families), so I stated that as of monday, we will be going outside daily, whether or not children have appropriate outdoor clothing. if they come in shoes, and not boots, their feet will get wet and cold. etc.

        also, stated some suggestions for lunches and snacks, like dry cereal, fruits with or without yogurt to dip, yogurt with or without additives like granola, fruit, etc, leftover dinners. yada yada.

        Comment

        • Unregistered

          #19
          Originally posted by dEHmom
          sorry I've been running around like a chicken with my head cut off all afternoon. first chance i've had to come check back in.


          what i ended up doing, which actually only took me about 5 mins, was to print up a quick newsletter page. just little snippets, along with a thankyou to the new families and previous families through the licensing period.

          also included a reminder that children need appropriate clothing, (this is just into week 2 of being licensed, with mostly new families), so I stated that as of monday, we will be going outside daily, whether or not children have appropriate outdoor clothing. if they come in shoes, and not boots, their feet will get wet and cold. etc.

          also, stated some suggestions for lunches and snacks, like dry cereal, fruits with or without yogurt to dip, yogurt with or without additives like granola, fruit, etc, leftover dinners. yada yada.
          as much as you may want to send them outside with whatever they came in with.........not smart. Makes you look brainless. Letting the child become cold and wet and then possibly sick is not fair to the child because the parents are ........insert your own word. I would reword your letter home that if the kids don't have proper outside play clothes, no one is able to go out and you will have to start calling parents to bring them in or take the child home, because its not fair for all the kids to have to stay inside. Another alternative is to have a supply of extra clothes-but then your parents will depend on that.

          Lunch- I have done it both ways. Had the parents bring in lunches, taught the kids that they had to eat what their parents packed and made a list of what was acceptable. Make it clear- no junk foods, and give them a list of what they can bring. Explain that anything else will be taken away and sent back home and they will get a call to bring the child a lunch. When you put it back on the parents, usually you see results, until they get comfortable and then you send out the reminder again. If a parent knows they are going to get a call at work and possibly have to leave, they learn quick. Or- do a menu and provide food and up your price. If you have a providers association, you should find out if there is a food program available in Canada and if not recommend one. The food program is a great help, worth the aggravation of the paperwork and visits.

          Comment

          • nannyde
            All powerful, all knowing daycare whisperer
            • Mar 2010
            • 7320

            #20
            Originally posted by dEHmom
            sorry I've been running around like a chicken with my head cut off all afternoon. first chance i've had to come check back in.


            what i ended up doing, which actually only took me about 5 mins, was to print up a quick newsletter page. just little snippets, along with a thankyou to the new families and previous families through the licensing period.

            also included a reminder that children need appropriate clothing, (this is just into week 2 of being licensed, with mostly new families), so I stated that as of monday, we will be going outside daily, whether or not children have appropriate outdoor clothing. if they come in shoes, and not boots, their feet will get wet and cold. etc.

            also, stated some suggestions for lunches and snacks, like dry cereal, fruits with or without yogurt to dip, yogurt with or without additives like granola, fruit, etc, leftover dinners. yada yada.
            The parents can't give you permission to do the wrong thing. If they don't provide proper winter gear you still can't take them outside without it. Them understanding or agreeing that THEY should provide appropriate gear doesn't have anything to do with your decision TODAY to take them out knowing it isn't sufficient.

            A child who suffers from exposure under your watch will be completely and totally on you. Nobody will care whether they had proper gear or not. What will matter is that you took them outside without it. It will be completely on you.

            You can either refuse to allow them admittance without it, have the parents provide it and leave it at your house, provide it, or stay inside. That's your only options.

            Parents who aren't supplying the proper stuff don't care if anyone else suffers from it. They don't have any problem at all with you keeping everyone in because of what they haven't done. Telling them the other kids were kept from it because of their actions will just be info to them.

            I provide everything the kids need for outdoors regardless of the weather. I didn't have the problem of parents not bringing outdoor gear. I had the problem that what they came in was too cumbersome, ill fitting, and by October.. November the closures and velcro would fail.

            I made a decision to stock my home with full winter gear in every size and in multiples so that no matter what kids I had I could completely dress them with my stuff from head to toe. That's made my life SO much easier. It's also saved a TON of cash in staff time because the stuff I have here is easy on..... has excellent hardware......... fits beautifully........... and is super warm. It doesn't matter what the parents bring the kids in... I don't use it. I use my own stuff so it's perfect every day.

            You have a high chance of having noncompliance on the food issue too. Just be prepared to have a lot of work to do with what they bring and to have a lot of treat food. You can suggest what they should bring and put rules in place regarding the work you have to do to support the meal but you run the risk that they will bring junk that needs a lot of adult time to heat, serve, and dice.
            http://www.amazon.com/Daycare-Whispe...=doing+daycare

            Comment

            • dEHmom
              Advanced Daycare.com Member
              • Dec 2010
              • 2355

              #21
              oh of course i would never force a child outside in inappropriate clothes. And i have backups, but i know that the "well no one gets to go out then" speech is exactly that, just words that are coming out of my mouth, and goes right over their heads.

              I have in the past put the kids booty slippers on, and then put plastic bags over top so the kids can go out and not get their feet wet.

              As for the junk, I deal with it. I don't have a choice. I just sent out in the newsletter a few suggestions, and I started it with "some parents have approached me and said they are strugglin to find some ideas on what to send daily for lunches and snacks, here are a few suggestions you may not have thought of...." etc.

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