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When I have my daycare kids in the mornings and I'm helping everyone get ready or welcoming kids I can't stay in the kitchen while some kids are eating breakfast. I will walk through and help little put their dishes in the sink and at times I'll see milk in the sink drain. That tells me instead of drinking milk 1 child has decided to dump theirs out. After asking I find out who did it and its special snowflake child who is horribly spoiled and who thinks everyone should feel the same way as her parents feel about her. I tried talking to her about it and give her the smallest amount I can give her but makes me very upset about wasting milk. What should I do? I can't really not give her milk and I can't watch her every minute.
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I wait until everyone has arrived and then serve breakfast. I wouldn't serve a meal unless I could be there to supervise - what if someone starts choking? For those who arrive later or mid-meal, I would have them get their child in and ready so I didn't have to.
Buuuut, if a child doesn't want to finish the milk (or the meal even), they don't have to. I might make the serving even smaller than I was already doing though... -
They are 2,3, two 7 yr olds, and an 8 yr old. The 2 year old is mine and I do watch her. The others are old enough I really don't worry about them choking on cheerios or toast and fruit. The girl doing this is 7 so she is plenty old enough to know better and is big enough to drink a 1/2 cup of milk, honestly.Comment
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IMO, she's old enough to know she doesn't want the milk. Are you on the food program? Even if you're not, just serve the absolute minimum and don't worry about it. You can lead a horse to water but can't make them drink.... your hands are pretty much tied here since you should never force a child to consume something they clearly don't want.Comment
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You are going to have to change your mindset.
Expect them to waste milk & food. ___ amount, per day, per child is theirs to do with as they please. Their parents (and food program for some) have already paid for it so there is NO loss to begin with. It is all in your head.
We have to OFFER ___ amount per child, but we are not to force them to consume it. Simple. Offer it, dump what they don't want.. give water the rest of the day as most regs require.
No more policing, no more score keeping, no more resentment = stress free meals. happyface- Unless otherwise stated, all my posts are personal opinion and worth what you paid for them.
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In the tummy or down the drain...what's the difference?
The milk is gone/used.
I don't fret over "wasted" food.
If I prepare/serve anything, I expect to not have much left over...whether it ends up in their tummys or the waste.
Either way, it's gone.
The child not eating/drinking it should be allowed to have enough control to choose to eat/drink what they are served and if they choose not to eat/drink it, THEY are the ones to suffer the consequence (hunger/thirst).Comment
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You are going to have to change your mindset.
Expect them to waste milk & food. ___ amount, per day, per child is theirs to do with as they please. Their parents (and food program for some) have already paid for it so there is NO loss to begin with. It is all in your head.
We have to OFFER ___ amount per child, but we are not to force them to consume it. Simple. Offer it, dump what they don't want.. give water the rest of the day as most regs require.
No more policing, no more score keeping, no more resentment = stress free meals. happyface
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Family style serving!! Your older kids are definitely big enough to serve themselves. If waste is just a problem with milk, I'd get a small pitcher that's plastic and easy to pour, and let them serve. Take or don't take. You only need to offer it.Comment
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I clear the plates in my daycare, so they ask to be excused and I clean them up enough to allow them to go to the restroom to wash their hands. While they are in there, I clean the plates/cups/table/etc. I use a separate color for each child's cup so everyone knows who's cup is who's. I am allowed (by the food program) to put their cups back into the fridge for the next meal of the day. I dump everything left at the end of the day and start with a fresh cup each day, but this way I'm not dumping out a bunch of milk that no one wants to drink.Comment
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Can you just ASK her if she wants milk? That can be considered offering it without wasting it. Then, when she says no you haven't wasted any milk, she hasn't had to pretend she's drinking it/sneak to dump it/etc. and there is no stress.Comment
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Seven year olds are plenty old enough to know that milk is gross and refuse it.
Smart girl.
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If you are on the FP don't you just have to offer the milk? Maybe you could offer it to her and if she says she doesn't want it then give her water.Comment
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You are going to have to change your mindset.
Expect them to waste milk & food. ___ amount, per day, per child is theirs to do with as they please. Their parents (and food program for some) have already paid for it so there is NO loss to begin with. It is all in your head.
We have to OFFER ___ amount per child, but we are not to force them to consume it. Simple. Offer it, dump what they don't want.. give water the rest of the day as most regs require.
No more policing, no more score keeping, no more resentment = stress free meals. happyface
I'll go a step further - we need to have the minimum AVAILABLE, but we don't have to offer/serve it. So if you know a child never drinks her milk, only pour 2 oz. If she drinks it, give her more. If not, only 2oz is dumped.
ITA agree that as soon as you realize that the food is paid for and is going to "go away" whether in the garbage or in the belly, the sooner you'll be less stressed about it.
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