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I serve breakfast in my childcare... which around here I am in the minority... most home providers do not. When I first started, I was serving several times a morning as kids would come in at random times... or not want to eat, and then want to eat later. I was getting worn out, so I finally decided to put a time cap on it. I now have "breakfast is served at *** - if your child wishes to eat breakfast here, they should be here by this time. If not, snack is served at ***" - I did this 18 months ago and I still have people who won't follow it. Even families that started with me after this policy, and never saw the other one... they will come in 20 to 30 minutes after breakfast and say "so and so is hungry" or "hey so and so, tell WDW you need something to eat"... and it's still an hour or more until snack time. I am getting my child ready and off to school, and breakfast is over. I can't seem to find the cajones to say anything in those moments though. Ideas?
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I serve breakfast from 8-8:30 and that's it. I save it for those that arrive between those times and toss it shortly after. My schedule shows and parents are informed of eating times at interview and every day on the daily log. When I have 9:00 kids show up I just assume the kid ate at home.
My snack is at 10 so to feed breakfast at 9 would throw off the kids whole eating schedule here. I'm also VERY lucky I haven't had any issue with this in all of my 2.5yrs.
What I do have problems with is kids not eating jack crap for me at any meal.
I can't offer any advice for a kid besides my own starvin Marvin ds that complains about being hungry because none of the kids (besides my own) whine/ask for food.
Send out a note: "just an FYI breakfast is over at ______ and snack doesn't start till ____. If your child hasn't eaten by drop off and it's past breakfast time I don't save anything and they will have to wait for snack"."Being a parent is wanting to hug and strangle your kid at the same time". -
An easy response is "That's great. We will having snack in about an hour." I have one family that consistently pushes the cut off time. It's almost to the point that I don't even bother saying anything and I just don't feed them if they come in after the cut off.Comment
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last year I had this issue....the only way I could stop it was this...
Children that show up after meal time is served without being fed will be sent home with you and can return after you feed them. A later drop off does not ok a later pick up. Please be here on time for breakfast or feed your child a full healthy breakfast before drop off...
I also require the parents that if their child is expected to be here before breakfast and will not be present to let me know in advance. If they don't then I enforce the above.
Trust me, if you have to do it one time, they will not do it again...Comment
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breakfast is at 8:30 and lunch is at 11:30 come late and I send you to McDonalds and you finish before you come back.It:
: will waitComment
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FWIW...there have been occasions on the weekend where I will sleep in and let my own children feed themselves. I have finally come down 2-3 hours later to find that they still haven't eaten. Even my 2 yo is still alive, and hardly complaining! I think I would say to the parents, "Breakfast is over, if you think little Johnny will be fine until snack at 10am, then okay." If it becomes a recurring problem, and little Johnny does not do fine until snack, then I would have to tell the parents that this isn't working. My issue, is that I do not serve an AM snack, so the kid would need to hold out until 11:30!
MnMum married to DH 9 years
Mum to Girl 21, Girl 18, Boy 14.5, Boy 11Comment
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Are you on a food program?
That's my easiest go-to excuse.
Food programs require set meal and snack times. Although I can be flexible with them if I really want or need to I use it to say I can't have food out all day like that. Breakfast is *-*, lunch is *-*, afternoon snack is *-*....I tell parents I cap them so should a rep come by for inspection I am always in "compliance" as they expect children to be eating during those times and those times alone.
If I don't stay in "compliance" I could lose my enrollment and if I do I'll have to drastically raise my rates to cover the cost of all meals and snacks
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Good point, same thing has happened with my own child..
I'm not on a food program, but not sure my famililes know that one way or another. Good idea.. blame licensing.Are you on a food program?
That's my easiest go-to excuse.
Food programs require set meal and snack times. Although I can be flexible with them if I really want or need to I use it to say I can't have food out all day like that. Breakfast is *-*, lunch is *-*, afternoon snack is *-*....I tell parents I cap them so should a rep come by for inspection I am always in "compliance" as they expect children to be eating during those times and those times alone.
If I don't stay in "compliance" I could lose my enrollment and if I do I'll have to drastically raise my rates to cover the cost of all meals and snacks Just wish people would be considerate enough we didn't have to do that....
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Parents have to sign enrollment forms for their child(ren) to participate in a food program, just so you don't try to slip that by a parent who's been in another daycare that was on one
Definitely blame good old state daycare licensing though, they're always good for deflecting responsibility ::
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Haha! Good to know. I wasn't going to lie anyway.. they would see right thru me.Parents have to sign enrollment forms for their child(ren) to participate in a food program, just so you don't try to slip that by a parent who's been in another daycare that was on one
Definitely blame good old state daycare licensing though, they're always good for deflecting responsibility :: ::
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