Two Questions!

[debbiedoeszip]

I'm in the process of planning a daycare. I have a couple of questions for the pros.

1. How often do you have children with food allergies/intolerances and/or parents who don't want their kids to eat certain foods out of principle/religion? My plan is for the children to all eat the same breakfast, lunch, snack. As much as possible, these meals/snacks will be prepared in advance, portioned, frozen, and then reheated prior to being eaten. Are my plans realistic, or am I likely to have several kids with different dietary requirements. I really, really don't want to have to be a short order cook for meals and snacks.

2. Due to the price of sand and it's attractiveness to cats, I'm thinking that I'd like to have a dirt box instead of a sand box (dirt will be purchased from a garden center). How stupid is this idea (LOL)? I'm thinking that parents might be horrified at the idea thinking of how dirty their kids will be at P/U. Anyone able to add some insight about this idea?

[Blackcat31]

I'm in the process of planning a daycare. I have a couple of questions for the pros.

1. How often do you have children with food allergies/intolerances and/or parents who don't want their kids to eat certain foods out of principle/religion? My plan is for the children to all eat the same breakfast, lunch, snack. As much as possible, these meals/snacks will be prepared in advance, portioned, frozen, and then reheated prior to being eaten. Are my plans realistic, or am I likely to have several kids with different dietary requirements. I really, really don't want to have to be a short order cook for meals and snacks.


Food allergies and consciously restricted diets are becoming more and more "normal" lately. What I do is try to serve really healthy, low fat, organic foods. I will work with parents who have small and easily accommodating diet requests...such as no sugar or processed foods or substituting soy for cow's mile but anything that is really complicated is hard.

If it's a medical allergy it can fall under the ADA guidelines and then you HAVE to accommodate with in reason but it makes it a different situation that just parents not wanting their child to eat something simply as a choice.

In those cases (of choice) I guess I don't go out of my way to accommodate because group care is group care and individual requests don't always work well in group care. Parents are informed as to my snack/meals and what they contain etc and they can choose to enroll or not enroll based on their individual needs/beliefs but like you, I am not a short order cook and won't be.

I don't allow parents to supply their own food/meals. Too much of a liability for me so just not something I allow

2. Due to the price of sand and it's attractiveness to cats, I'm thinking that I'd like to have a dirt box instead of a sand box (dirt will be purchased from a garden center). How stupid is this idea (LOL)? I'm thinking that parents might be horrified at the idea thinking of how dirty their kids will be at P/U. Anyone able to add some insight about this idea?

Yes! I think a dirt sandbox would be a bad idea. Dirt stains, turns to mud easily with just a little moisture and seems like more work than sand would be.

I have a 14x14 ft sandbox. My city has a leash law so cats cannot run free so that helps with the "litter box" usage. I do try to rake/shift the sand periodically but we really dont' have many issues with cats.

Also our local sand and gravel plant allows us to have free sandbox sand....the only catch is we have to load (shovel it) into our own trucks and haul it ourselves. Also, local golf courses around here change out their sand traps (NICE washed sand) every two to three years...if we contact them, they will call us and let us come get it for free when they change it out.

Have you thought about maybe just not having a sandbox and doing a sensory bin (maybe a large one) outside instead....one that you can change the contents to match the seasons/themes? Seems like it might eliminate the issues you are worried about.

I responded in blue above.

[craftymissbeth]

I haven't had a child with dietary issues so I can't help with that.

As for the sandbox, have you considered a rock digging pit? We have a lot of strays in our neighborhood so I don't want to do a sandbox and as much fun as a dirt pit would be it's just too much work for me cleaning the kids up several times daily.

We are putting in a small-medium sized rock pit using pea gravel.

[debbiedoeszip]

Thanks for the replies to my questions. Lots of food for thought. I'll check into sources of free or low-cost sand. I do like that it can be brushed off fairly easily (and I don't mind covering it with a tarp when not in use).

[debbiedoeszip]

I haven't had a child with dietary issues so I can't help with that.

As for the sandbox, have you considered a rock digging pit? We have a lot of strays in our neighborhood so I don't want to do a sandbox and as much fun as a dirt pit would be it's just too much work for me cleaning the kids up several times daily.

We are putting in a small-medium sized rock pit using pea gravel.

That's a VERY interesting idea!

[craftymissbeth]

That's a VERY interesting idea!

I forgot to add that the cost for the pea gravel is going to be significantly higher for us than sand would be, but long term upkeep should be lower. Not as much need for replacing rocks than there is for the sand

[Blackcat31]

I forgot to add that the cost for the pea gravel is going to be significantly higher for us than sand would be, but long term upkeep should be lower. Not as much need for replacing rocks than there is for the sand

I LOVE that idea....lovethis

But ALL my flowerbeds as well as a big area around my house are covered in pea gravel and misc sized rocks (none bigger than a golf ball) and the kids will throw rocks if I let them near any of them

...then my DH is angry because the rocks ruin the lawn mower blades if any of them are hidden in the grass when we mow. Plus the mower can pick up and shoot a small rock an awful long way that I would be too nervous to have rocks that are suppose to be played with.

The little ones try and eat the pea gravel ALL the time too....

The rock throwing, the eating and the mower issues are enough to make me not want any more rocks in the yard.

It DOES sound super fun idea though....

[debbiedoeszip]

I forgot to add that the cost for the pea gravel is going to be significantly higher for us than sand would be, but long term upkeep should be lower. Not as much need for replacing rocks than there is for the sand

Yeah, I hear you on the initial cost vs. no replacement costs. I want to go for the natural playscape idea, so having one or two more expensive items (pea gravel pit, wooden play structure) would be offset by less expensive smaller items (sensory bins, recycled stuff).

[craftymissbeth]

I LOVE that idea....lovethis

But ALL my flowerbeds as well as a big area around my house are covered in pea gravel and misc sized rocks (none bigger than a golf ball) and the kids will throw rocks if I let them near any of them

...then my DH is angry because the rocks ruin the lawn mower blades if any of them are hidden in the grass when we mow. Plus the mower can pick up and shoot a small rock an awful long way that I would be too nervous to have rocks that are suppose to be played with.

The little ones try and eat the pea gravel ALL the time too....

The rock throwing, the eating and the mower issues are enough to make me not want any more rocks in the yard.

It DOES sound super fun idea though....

Good things to think about!

[Laurel]

I'm in the process of planning a daycare. I have a couple of questions for the pros.

1. How often do you have children with food allergies/intolerances and/or parents who don't want their kids to eat certain foods out of principle/religion? My plan is for the children to all eat the same breakfast, lunch, snack. As much as possible, these meals/snacks will be prepared in advance, portioned, frozen, and then reheated prior to being eaten. Are my plans realistic, or am I likely to have several kids with different dietary requirements. I really, really don't want to have to be a short order cook for meals and snacks.

2. Due to the price of sand and it's attractiveness to cats, I'm thinking that I'd like to have a dirt box instead of a sand box (dirt will be purchased from a garden center). How stupid is this idea (LOL)? I'm thinking that parents might be horrified at the idea thinking of how dirty their kids will be at P/U. Anyone able to add some insight about this idea?

I've tried sandboxes and don't like them. But they do have some with covers so you wouldn't have to worry about cats. Ours was a green turtle one. I gave it away though and opted for a sand/water table. The children stand around it rather than sit in it. Then I just did away with sand entirely and just use the table for water. Lately mine have just been digging dirt in the yard. We have good soil for that but some places don't. Ours is a sandy soil where up North the soil we had was hard as a rock...so it depends. They each started digging a hole and you can spread them out as much as you want. Now they each know which hole is theirs.

Someone on here had a great idea that I have used. It is fake gardening. I give them containers and they dig the dirt for it and then I bought artificial flowers at the dollar store. They love this. You could also buy soil. I did at first but be careful what they add to the soil because children may put it in their mouths. I bought some without any types of fertilizers or plant food in it. Just dirt.

In almost 20 years I've never had anyone with an allergy to certain foods. I've had a handful that wanted to bring their own food so I give that option. Either eat what I serve or bring your own type of thing.

Laurel

[debbiedoeszip]

I would rather not allow the parents to bring in food for their children. For one, I can imagine it causing issues with the other kids (envy, for example) and issues for me trying to get the other kids to eat what I provide. Also, I have some food allergies of my own (medically confirmed). Nothing life threatening (so far) but exposure could lead to a miserable day (of wheezing). I'd rather just provide everything they eat, and maybe only have a special meal (or some other form of accommodation) for kids who bring me a doctor's note (or who are Jewish, Muslim, etc).

I'm glad to hear that it's not a prevalent thing, though. I was just imagining that of the five kids I can legally have at daycare, there might be five sets of parents demanding special diets for their snowflakes LOL. Glad to hear that it will likely be a rare thing.

I like the fake gardening idea. I like it a lot.

[KiddieCahoots]

Have a child in my care now who is allergic to eggs, as well as other things.
I don't find it difficult at all to switch out an allergen item, for more of the "al la natural", that is already on the menu.

As for the dirt, I prefer the sand and water table, pretty much for the same reasons mentioned before.

Don't think I could do the pea gravel though, pretty sure the new regulations in my area do not allow the use of them in a playground structure, for two reasons....not soft enough (obviously), and a choking hazard for the little ones.

[Second Home]

I have had kids with bad allergies to apples. One was school age and only came on days school was closed . On those day I just did not serve apples .

I have some kids who do not like tomatoes so on the days where she is here I just do not serve anything with tomatoes .

Both these kids were part time so it was easy . If they were full time it would have been harder .

[Laurel]

Have a child in my care now who is allergic to eggs, as well as other things.
I don't find it difficult at all to switch out an allergen item, for more of the "al la natural", that is already on the menu.

As for the dirt, I prefer the sand and water table, pretty much for the same reasons mentioned before.

Don't think I could do the pea gravel though, pretty sure the new regulations in my area do not allow the use of them in a playground structure, for two reasons....not soft enough (obviously), and a choking hazard for the little ones.

I recently had a 14 month old pick up a stone outside and **** it like a lozenge. The pea gravel would make me very nervous.

Laurel

[Laurel]

I would rather not allow the parents to bring in food for their children. For one, I can imagine it causing issues with the other kids (envy, for example) and issues for me trying to get the other kids to eat what I provide. Also, I have some food allergies of my own (medically confirmed). Nothing life threatening (so far) but exposure could lead to a miserable day (of wheezing). I'd rather just provide everything they eat, and maybe only have a special meal (or some other form of accommodation) for kids who bring me a doctor's note (or who are Jewish, Muslim, etc).

I'm glad to hear that it's not a prevalent thing, though. I was just imagining that of the five kids I can legally have at daycare, there might be five sets of parents demanding special diets for their snowflakes LOL. Glad to hear that it will likely be a rare thing.

I like the fake gardening idea. I like it a lot.

In my case the children were infants and the others didn't really realize they were eating something different. I had one problem with a school ager who was with me for a week though during break. I made the dumb mistake of charging her less because he was bringing his own lunch. Day one great. Day two he says "Oh can I have some of what you are having? It looks good." Plus, she didn't send him a complete lunch. I ended up supplementing it. So long story short I upped my price and said I would provide lunch. I let them go the week but I said in the future. I still have their younger child.

Laurel