Breakfast Advice

[mrs.meg]

I wanted to ask you all about breakfast. I am thinking seriously about not serving it anymore, or only serving a small snack around 9 or 10. My kids get up at 6:30 and have breakfast before school. Then I serve it for the kids I watch around 8 am. The problem is that they do not want my type of breakfasts. We usually have a combination of 2 things like, cereal, fruit, oatmeal, pancakes, muffins, scrambled eggs. Sometimes sausage or bacon, but I just kind of juggle these things around. On rare occasions I will have donuts or poptarts, but only once in a while. I do not buy a lot of things that come in wrappers (i have a large family) and I am SO sick of hearing about honey buns and little white donuts! That is ALL the kids I watch talk about. It is like they do not like anything else because that is all they are used to eating. I can't compete with that. One of the parents asked me like 5 times to buy toaster streudels for her kids and I just said, well, I have 5 kids and there are only 6 in a box, I just don't buy a lot of stuff like that.

I am a little below average on what I charge anyway. I have been watching kids for 2 years and have never raised my rates. I am seriously considering letting breakfast go because it is really irritating me. One little girl said she didn't eat blueberry or strawberry muffins! I thought my kids were picky, but not compared to some!

[Live and Learn]

FYI-
I don't do breakfast either. I would be serving breakfast from 7am until 9:30. that is just crazy. I ask parents to bring the kids fed and ready to play!
The parents supply snacks and lunches too. They pack lunch boxes for their kids. That is what works best around here. Parents know best what the child's preferences are. No desserts though. At least one fruit and one veggie. My parents do a fantastic job of packing super great lunches for their kids.
By the way I pack lunches for my own sa children too so occasionally when a parent complains about packing lunch for her one little kid....just one parent really-the whiny one... I remind her that I too pack lunches for ALL of my own kids...that usually shuts her right up.

[DancingQueen]

I currently serve breakfast and lunch and effective 1/1/10 I will no longer be doing so.
No one eats what I serve (I follow the food program).

I was told a long time ago to offer the food and if they say no - then don't even cut/cook/serve it which would save on waste.

My problem is that when I offer it- they all say they want it. Then they look at it - touch it, smell it..sometimes lick it and don't eat it - i hate throwing food away - I am SO done serving meals. Can't wait til 1/1

[TGT09]

I don't serve breakfast nor do I ever plan on starting. I would have to seriously raise my rates if I did. All my kids eat before they come and then I offer a snack between 9 and 9:30.

I have added a little extra if a parent needs a child to have a "small" breakfast before school. I don't plan on putting myself into that position again though.

[GretasLittleFriends]

I have one girl who gets here at 3:45a then leaves for school at 7:45a. She is not a picky eater, and she is the only one that eats breakfast here. My breakfast time is between 6:30a and 7a. The next earliest child I have (right now) arrives at 8:15. Our morning snack is at 10a.

Our breakfasts are pretty boring. Pick a cereal, with milk on it, and a glass of juice. That meets the food program needs. I keep a variety of cereals on hand so it's really not an issue.

[mrs.meg]

Thanks for your replies. I sometimes feel like I am losing my mind with these kids and their complaining about food!

[tenderhearts]

I serve breakfast, usually 2 different times last time about 8:30. Luckily now the 2 I have will each anything I prepare but before I had some very difficult eaters as well, so I would say ok we're having this this and this for breakfast, do you want any or not? Alot of times they would say no so they would just have to wait until morning snack.

[newtodaycare22]

I serve breakfast and, for the most part, my kids are good eaters. I am on the food program and alternate between the following:
-Kix
-Cheerios
-Waffles
-Pancakes
-Oatmeal (I put fruit chunks in it...which is the only way they will eat it)
-English Muffins
-Bagels

[momma2girls]

I cut out my breakfast about 4 yrs. and what a difference it has been!!
I used to have children starving at 7:30 when they first came. I had my own baby to feed, change, etc. then another one about 11 months coming. Then I had my own school ager, and 2 others that I had to make sure were ready for the school bus for pick up at 8:00-8:15. It was way too much!! The otehr baby would come starved also!!! I cut out breakfast and just started serving an am snack around 9-9:30 when I had time to do it. Then when I did get the older children breakfast, 1/2 the time they would waste it!!!