Some Issues Regarding Closing Time and Breakfast!

[Unregistered]

Unfortunately QualiTcare the things you stated are the reason I believe so many child care providers "burn-out" so quickly. I also had to enforce a "no breakfast after 8am" policy at my family day care. It is not something that was meant to inconvenience parents, but instead to ensure that all children in my care are enjoying stimulating, fun and healthy care. I personally would not opt to just not feed a child that hadn't had breakfast yet, but I certainly wouldn't tell a parent that. Instead, I would offer a warning that if it continued I would have to give the my notice to terminate care. I find myself "running around like a chicken with my head cut-off" when I allow parents to run my program. Don't get me wrong, I don't get the whole "name everything parents do wrong" game, I just don't allow parents to take advantage and ruin my program. I have children who are in my care starting at 6:30am and are tired of "free-play" and ready for circle time and other group activities. When parents bring their children in at 8:30-9am needing breakfast I end up with miserable children and a stressful situation. It is just me with 3-8 children..there has to be a schedule!!

[Meeko]

Oh no all my parents know that breakfest is from 7:30 to 8am if there child is here after that and they didnt feed them then they wait till lunch till 11 I know it's not fair to the kids but the parents have to learn. It doesnt bother me if a child is poopy when the parents drop off it probably happened in the car it bothers me when a parent brings there child in a 10 pound diaper from over night because they didnt change them thats gross.

I had to put this in my handbook and let parents know that I was happy to get the kids dressed in the morning if it helped make the morning go easier....but that they must come in a clean diaper. I explained (shouldn't have to be explained...but oh well) that numerous children lying around and sitting on furniture with wet, overnight diapers was a health hazard to my family and the other children. It states that they will be responsible for carpet cleaning if I find wet patches.... I know accidents happen....but you can tell when a diaper is ridiculously full.

[TBird]

Grrrrrrrrrrr!!! I swear I had the same young mom!!! Would bring the child 2 hours late and look at me cross-eyed when I didn't break program and rush downstairs to cook breakfast...AGAIN!!! I think it's abuse not to feed and diaper your kids just so they can eat at daycare and be changed by your provider. Here is what I've since put in my policy....

The Drop Off Policy has been written with your child’s program consistency in mind. Please read very carefully to ensure your child has a great day!

It is our hope that you take full advantage of the program and also avoid disruption by arriving between 7:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. Please be aware that your child may miss preschool or general activities (including projects), due to late arrival (please see the daily schedule for activity times).

At drop off, children must arrive dressed and ready for the day in clean clothes (no pajamas please), including hair groomed, bathed and freshly diapered.

Please do not prolong drop off…it is normal and appropriate for a child to cry right at separation. Crying usually stops as soon as mom or dad leave.

If arriving after a scheduled meal time (especially breakfast), it is required that the meal be served at home (please see the daily schedule for meal times).

If arriving after 9:30 a.m., it is not guaranteed that we will be at the daycare home. We cannot put a hold on activities for individual lateness. If we have left for an outing, it will be the parent’s responsibility to drop the child off at our location.

[TBird]

Grrrrrrrrrrr!!! I swear I had the same young mom!!! Would bring the child 2 hours late and look at me cross-eyed when I didn't break program and rush downstairs to cook breakfast...AGAIN!!! I think it's abuse not to feed and diaper your kids just so they can eat at daycare and be changed by your provider. Here is what I've since put in my policy....

The Drop Off Policy has been written with your child’s program consistency in mind. Please read very carefully to ensure your child has a great day!

It is our hope that you take full advantage of the program and also avoid disruption by arriving between 7:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. Please be aware that your child may miss preschool or general activities (including projects), due to late arrival (please see the daily schedule for activity times).

At drop off, children must arrive dressed and ready for the day in clean clothes (no pajamas please), including hair groomed, bathed and freshly diapered.

Please do not prolong drop off…it is normal and appropriate for a child to cry right at separation. Crying usually stops as soon as mom or dad leave.

If arriving after a scheduled meal time (especially breakfast), it is required that the meal be served at home (please see the daily schedule for meal times).

If arriving after 9:30 a.m., it is not guaranteed that we will be at the daycare home. We cannot put a hold on activities for individual lateness. If we have left for an outing, it will be the parent’s responsibility to drop the child off at our location.

BTW, I didn't break program in front of her but I of course went down and fed that poor baby...it's not his fault his mom is a DITSO!!!

[melissa ann]

I serve breakfast until 8am. We leave for the bus stop by 8:10. Right now, though, I have kids that come between 8:10-8:45. They wait until snack time to eat which is at 9:45. Sometimes, the mom of one of the dcg (who comes at 8:10) will say she didnt' eat anything yet. Not my problem that mom can't get up 10 mins earlier to feed her daughter breakfast.
This is the same mom who will ask me to "fix" her daughter's hair because she didn't have time. This 3 yr old hair is always done up, in ponytails, french braids, reg. braids etc It doesn't take long for it to get messed up when she's playing. I will fix it for her when she wakes up from a nap, that's it.

[TBird]

I serve breakfast until 8am. We leave for the bus stop by 8:10. Right now, though, I have kids that come between 8:10-8:45. They wait until snack time to eat which is at 9:45. Sometimes, the mom of one of the dcg (who comes at 8:10) will say she didnt' eat anything yet. Not my problem that mom can't get up 10 mins earlier to feed her daughter breakfast.
This is the same mom who will ask me to "fix" her daughter's hair because she didn't have time. This 3 yr old hair is always done up, in ponytails, french braids, reg. braids etc It doesn't take long for it to get messed up when she's playing. I will fix it for her when she wakes up from a nap, that's it.

Oh, I've had the old "do my kid's hair" request before. Mommy wanted me to CORN ROW her daughter's hair. I had 7 daycare kids at the time....UM....NO.

[Garfed]

I serve until 8 am breakfast. We left the bus stop at 8:10. Now, though, I have kids come between 8:10-8:45. When they eat the snack time is 21:45. Sometimes, in the dynamic electrocardiogram (who came in 8:10) A mother will say she did not 'eat anything. Not my problem, my mother could not get up 10 minutes early to feed her daughter's breakfast...

[DancingQueen]

None of that would be a big deal if that were the only child you were providing for and that is where so many parents go wrong. They act as thought their child is the only child being cared for.

I used to do breakfast but I stopped as of 1/1 and I don't allow them to bring food. I do have an occasional drop off with 1/2 a pop tart left and I let him go to the table to finish it but they NEVER do. They just want to play.

WHEN I fed breakfast I fed it 8:15-8:45
in order to participate you had to be here by 8:30 the latest. I am not a short order cook.

I do still provide snacks. and I have times for that as well.
i have one mom who is on mat. leave and brings her daughter (older sib) later in the mornings because they are just not in much of a hurry to leave their house.
I am totally fine with that and she is nice enough to always ask and to let me know when they are on their way.
But I feed morning snack now at 9am and the kids are done at 9:15

If she arrives at 9:25 - she waits til lunch to eat.
Mom knows this.

The diaper thing? I haven't had to deal with it so it doesn't seem like that big a deal to me. But I'm sure if it happened regularly it would upset me enough to have to say somehting.

[cheerfuldom]

I don't serve breakfast, period. I open at 7:30 and it is the parents responsibility to get their kid up, fed, dressed, changed and ready for the day. Like another poster said, I am not keeping all the kids waiting around and bored while ONE family shows up late and expects something different. I do feel bad for these kids but OP you will drive yourself crazy trying to create your program around one immature parent. If she can't follow the rules, then she doesn't belong there.

[PitterPatter]

I serve every meal of the day (3 meals and snacks)

I didn't want to serve breakfast but all of my families bring their kids and say little johnny hasn't eaten yet he needs fed, type things so I just started feeding and claim what I can on my food program. My daycare opens at 8:30 and kids are all in by 9:00 am usually. What stinks is I can only claim 3 times per day, per child. 2 snack and 1 meal or 2 meals and 1 snack. I have a child that is here for over 10 hrs sometimes so I have to feed him everything and just not get paid for some meals (breakfast and evening snack are unpaid usually) Sometimes I hate the fact that my family doesn't get a single meal to eat together without DCKs attending as well. Even worse are the parents who tell me things like "oh I am so glad I don't have to feed Johnny because u do it all for me I just wake him up bring him and know he will be fed good nutritious food. At the end of the day no worries I just pick him up and get him ready for bed with a full belly" Yeah it's nice to compliment me for my serving of nutritional meals but at the same time she doesn't hear the sad part of her child going without his Mom. I know she has to work but wake the child earlier or spend time with him before bed etc.

Another peeve I have is what we can't claim on the meals. If I take the kids out to a restaurant or eat at the parks/zoos I can't claim it because I didn't cook it. Same with ordering in subs or pizza and pasta, salads, etc. Even though I paid for it I can't claim it because I didn't cook it in my home.

[kidkair]

I serve breakfast at 8 and snack at 10 so any kid arriving after breakfast just waits til snack. I've never had a child complain about being hungry.

Make sure you give the parents warning about sticking to your 5:30 closing time. And impose a fine for late pick ups. Often times when more money is involved the parents find a way to follow rules. Also be prepared to loose the client as they may find a daycare that's open later.

[kidkair]

I serve every meal of the day (3 meals and snacks)

I didn't want to serve breakfast but all of my families bring their kids and say little johnny hasn't eaten yet he needs fed, type things so I just started feeding and claim what I can on my food program. My daycare opens at 8:30 and kids are all in by 9:00 am usually. What stinks is I can only claim 3 times per day, per child. 2 snack and 1 meal or 2 meals and 1 snack. I have a child that is here for over 10 hrs sometimes so I have to feed him everything and just not get paid for some meals (breakfast and evening snack are unpaid usually) Sometimes I hate the fact that my family doesn't get a single meal to eat together without DCKs attending as well. Even worse are the parents who tell me things like "oh I am so glad I don't have to feed Johnny because u do it all for me I just wake him up bring him and know he will be fed good nutritious food. At the end of the day no worries I just pick him up and get him ready for bed with a full belly" Yeah it's nice to compliment me for my serving of nutritional meals but at the same time she doesn't hear the sad part of her child going without his Mom. I know she has to work but wake the child earlier or spend time with him before bed etc.

Another peeve I have is what we can't claim on the meals. If I take the kids out to a restaurant or eat at the parks/zoos I can't claim it because I didn't cook it. Same with ordering in subs or pizza and pasta, salads, etc. Even though I paid for it I can't claim it because I didn't cook it in my home.

Just remember to document every meal you serve for tax purposes. It ****s you can't claim meals you don't cook keep track of them too though. In MN we are allowed to claim meals at restaurants and such as long as they still follow food program guidelines.