What About When You Eat?

[blessed mom]

My food times don't always coordinate with the daycare and so it's a bit frustrating. Sometimes I am not hungry for lunch when they are so I wait til after nap. Then they want what I'm eating instead of their snack. More frequently I start getting hungry for dinner about five but they already ate snack. I want to eat but then I'm eating in front of them and that's not cool. So usually I give them another snack. How do you guys handle when you eat while you are working.

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

My food times don't always coordinate with the daycare and so it's a bit frustrating. Sometimes I am not hungry for lunch when they are so I wait til after nap. Then they want what I'm eating instead of their snack. More frequently I start getting hungry for dinner about five but they already ate snack. I want to eat but then I'm eating in front of them and that's not cool. So usually I give them another snack. How do you guys handle when you eat while you are working.

I eat my lunch during their naptime.
I also eat several snacks throughout the day when they are not eating anything. I am pregnant and am REALLY having trouble getting enough calories each day and this is the only way I can get enough. When they would ask what I was eating or stare, I'd tell them, "Please go play! " and they would. Now they don't even pay attention to me when I'm eating something. I usually take snacks with me to the park twice each day and I will sometimes eat a snack during center time.

[blessed mom]

I eat my lunch during their naptime.
I also eat several snacks throughout the day when they are not eating anything. I am pregnant and am REALLY having trouble getting enough calories each day and this is the only way I can get enough. When they would ask what I was eating or stare, I'd tell them, "Please go play! " and they would. Now they don't even pay attention to me when I'm eating something. I usually take snacks with me to the park twice each day and I will sometimes eat a snack during center time.

Wow! I have one child who is ALWAYS hungry. As soon as he hears the crinkle of a bag he's asking me what I'm doing and can he eat? Then if I give him crackers everyone wants them so then they end up with a second snack. I tried the go play thing but he just keeps asking for some food. Course I feel a little bad eating in front of them and all.

[Starburst]

I haven't started my business yet but...

One FCC I worked at we usually just snacked a little during down times when we could (like a little animal cookie) but didn't really eat until either until naptime.

At my school child development program, I know that a student observation reviled that the preschool teachers, aids, and student teachers weren't eating with the kids and the director was actually upset about it because they are supposed to eat with the children (and eat relatively the same food) because it is a form of modeling behavior that teaches the children proper table manners and proper nutrition/ eating habits (the director was also my Health/Safety/Nutrition teacher).

[renodeb]

My hours are 6:30am - 5:15. Breakfast is at 8, snack at 10, lunch is 12, snack 3:30. I usually eat breakfast before the kids come, and lunch after they go down for there nap, and dinner after they leave.
Debbie

[blessed mom]

One FCC I worked at we usually just snacked a little during down times when we could (like a little animal cookie) but didn't really eat until either until naptime.

At my school child development program, I know that a student observation reviled that the preschool teachers, aids, and student teachers weren't eating with the kids and the director was actually upset about it because they are supposed to eat with the children (and eat relatively the same food) because it is a form of modeling behavior that teaches the children proper table manners and proper nutrition/ eating habits (the director was also my Health/Safety/Nutrition teacher).

It's hard for me to eat at nap because they nap in the same room as my kitchen...it's an open sort of kitchen/family room setup. So I have to be SUPER quiet or the babies are up! I'm also on a special high protein diet so I can't eat exactly what they are. Sometimes I'm having left overs from last nights dinner...you know? So for now if I eat I will feed them crackers too. If I'm not eating and they ask for food I just tell them they already had snack so we are playing now or doing crafts or whatever....

[blessed mom]

It's hard for me to eat at nap because they nap in the same room as my kitchen...it's an open sort of kitchen/family room setup. So I have to be SUPER quiet or the babies are up! I'm also on a special high protein diet so I can't eat exactly what they are. Sometimes I'm having left overs from last nights dinner...you know? So for now if I eat I will feed them crackers too. If I'm not eating and they ask for food I just tell them they already had snack so we are playing now or doing crafts or whatever....

But I am open from 6am to 6pm so sometimes I'm starving for dinner and my family is eating in the other room.

[rmc20021]

I always eat breakfast as the kids are eating, as well as lunch. Sometimes I will grab a bite here and there while I'm preparing their meals if I'm giving them something they need more help with and know I won't have much time to eat while they are.

I seldom snack when they do, so I do my 'snacking' during nap, or sneak a bite here or there out of their sight.

I never eat in front of them, and I never eat anything other than what they are eating at the time.

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

Wow! I have one child who is ALWAYS hungry. As soon as he hears the crinkle of a bag he's asking me what I'm doing and can he eat? Then if I give him crackers everyone wants them so then they end up with a second snack. I tried the go play thing but he just keeps asking for some food. Course I feel a little bad eating in front of them and all.

I can't give them more food than the food program allows, so even if I wanted to ... can't!

I'd tell him once, "Go play, please!" and then IGNORE IGNORE IGNORE. Walk away if you have to. Keep walking away. Pretend you don't see him/hear him when he is asking for more food when it isn't his mealtime/snack time.

[mema]

I try to eat with them, but sometimes things happen. If I don't get to eat with them, then I may munch here and there while they are playing. If they ask, I just tell them that they had their breakfast, but I didn't get one remember since the baby was fussy or whatever. Lunch will be soon. Usually they are like, oh yeah, and go off. Most of the time tho, they don't even notice that I'm eating

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

It's hard for me to eat at nap because they nap in the same room as my kitchen...it's an open sort of kitchen/family room setup. So I have to be SUPER quiet or the babies are up! I'm also on a special high protein diet so I can't eat exactly what they are. Sometimes I'm having left overs from last nights dinner...you know? So for now if I eat I will feed them crackers too. If I'm not eating and they ask for food I just tell them they already had snack so we are playing now or doing crafts or whatever....

I eat in the same room that several of the kids are in, and the other kids are in a room connected to the kitchen (with no doors). I am not quiet at all. ::

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

I always eat breakfast as the kids are eating, as well as lunch. Sometimes I will grab a bite here and there while I'm preparing their meals if I'm giving them something they need more help with and know I won't have much time to eat while they are.

I seldom snack when they do, so I do my 'snacking' during nap, or sneak a bite here or there out of their sight.

I never eat in front of them, and I never eat anything other than what they are eating at the time.

That would ABSOLUTELY not work for me. I am allergic to 1/2 of what they eat.

Seriously, I wouldn't give it a second thought to eating what you want to eat when you want to eat it.

[kitykids3]

I eat when my body tells me to eat (of course unless I am in the middle of 'witch hour') I usually eat something before they come, snack in the morning, lunch when they nap, snack in afternoon and eat dinner after they leave about 6:30. When I snack I have no qualms about eating in front of them if it is not junk food. If they look at me or ask I tell them they already ate, that this is my snack and to go play. They're used to it. Whatever I have is usually gone in a minute or 2.

[Play Care]

While I agree in theory that my meal/snack times should coodinate with theirs, the reality hardly works out! Like another poster I eat breakfast before they come, lunch (and snack) at nap time and dinner after they leave (this is why I close at 4:45). But when I was pregnant I needed calories! And therefore I did have healthy snacks thoughout the day that might not have coordinated with their snack times.

In addition, my dc space is also my home. And there are times where my DH or kids need to eat in order to get out for early evening activities. I have no problem telling the dc kids to "go play!" and not feed them additional food - keeping in mind I feed TWO full meals and TWO full snacks each day, so they have had plenty of opportunity to eat. I know my dc clients do not like when the kids eat before pick up because then many do not eat dinner, but then are crying about being hungry at bed time.

[SilverSabre25]

I also eat what I want, when I want it pretty much. I am usually able to do it out of their sight but if they see and ask me, I tell them something along the lines of "it's a grown-up privilege to be able to eat whenever. You had your [meal/snack] half an hour ago and I didn't. Now I'm having mine. Go play !"