Do You Think This Would Be Fair?

[DaycareMom]

OK here is the situation: When DCG4 first started coming, her mom packed her breakfast and lunch for her. Once I got more children, it was kind of a hassle to give her something different from the group so about 6 months ago, I asked DCM to pay me an extra $10/week and stop bringing breakfast and lunch and I would provide meals. This has worked out wonderfully until ...

My daughter is now attending Kindergarten, so I need to get her up before everyone comes to feed her breakfast which leads to my son waking up and wanting breakfast. For the last few weeks, as soon as we get back from dropping off DD, everyone sits at the table and eats.

However, the DCKs are always saying they already ate before they come to my house. Since I feed my children before they get here, and it seems to be that the DCKs eat before they come here, would it be unfair to stop serving breakfast and do a morning snack instead?

I guess that I am worried DCM will be upset because I raised her rate to provide meals, but it seems silly to provide that when they are already eating before they come here.

What would you do?

[littlemissmuffet]

Almost all my kids eat breakfast at home and then eat a second light breakfast here. Are they eating it if you serve it? If so, carry on - if not, try a morning snack and see if that goes better.

$10/week wouldn't cover a child's breakfast, lunch and snack here 5 times a week... does it for you?

[DaycareMom]

Sometimes they eat and sometimes they don't. It depends on if they like it or not. I feel like since they are not necessarily hungry they will refuse it more often, ykwim?

I only have DCG for 4 days, and no I am finding it definitely does not cover breakfast,lunch, and snack. I originally asked for $20/week and she refused. I found it easier to take the loss to make my day easier.

[Cat Herder]

I am finding it definitely does not cover breakfast,lunch, and snack. I originally asked for $20/week and she refused. I found it easier to take the loss to make my day easier.

^^^ I think you may have isolated the source of your frustration with this entire situation.

[SSWonders]

Imho, since you are the one that requested she stop sending breakfast, and raised her rates to cover the additional meals, then I think you are obligated to follow through. She might feel like you can't make up your mind. If you do decide to stop serving her breakfast then as a parent I would expect you to adjust the rate. Maybe you can check out a food program to help with the cost.

[Unregistered]

If you decide it still needs to be offered, perhaps serve smaller portions. Less thrown out & less cost.

[itlw8]

does she pay the same as everyone else? or more. I would start serving snack as you want. though if on the food program breakfast pays better than snack and you could just make it later. I think it can be as late as 9 am not positive on that.

so you still serve breakfast but later and she can have a snack at home before coming and you serve a light breakfast when they are hungry.


How long ago did you make the change.. a few months or a year.... I would give new contracts for the new year. stating the rates and hours of meals. Then the same for all

[MyAngels]

I have always served breakfast but my current group seems to always have eaten something before they get here so I eliminated morning snack and now serve a light breakfast a bit later - basically to replace the former snack - and then lunch 15 minutes earlier. It doesn't affect my food program reimbursement because I just started claiming our afternoon snack that I always served but didn't claim.

[TwinKristi]

My own food program lady told me to claim a meal even if it's technically "a snack" as long as it has the correct components. So even if kids go home and have dinner, I can claim a dinner for kids here after 4:30 as long as it has all the components. I can serve a turkey sandwich with lettuce and some baby carrots as a dinner. Or a Corndog with apples and carrots. So as long as you serve a grain and fruit with milk you can claim it as breakfast even if they've eaten breakfast and it's a snack.

[SunnyDay]

You could serve cereal & milk for morning snack. The food program would call it snack, but that's typically what parents would feed them for breakfast.