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I live in Oregon and i've eaten at my childrens school, the food is disgusting and not worth a $1 let alone the $2 something they charge. My sons elem. school doesnt even cook food anymore they haul it over from one of the middle schools, and the pb&j sandwhiches are gross. We mostly pack lunch just because the food they serve isnt eatible at school. (add to that the rediculous amount of time the children are now allowed lunch and standing in line for a hot meal gives them maybe 5 minutes to eat.) My ex dh is a hr manager for a Lrg food plant and we were pretty disgusted to find out that Prisoners recieve a higher grade of food than the schools..Really the state/government wants to pay more $ to serve scum of the earth a higher quality food than the children we are trying to educate that are our future? Doesn't make sense does it?
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This discussion really makes me appreciate being Canadian -- where any school that has a cafeteria is either a high school or a private one. There is no way I could trust my 7 and 9 year old boys to make good decisions in a lunch line. My oldest would likely go without, and pocket the money to save up for the latest toy!
Whether it's cheaper or not, I much prefer having the control over what my kids are being offered to eat!
But back to Christmas gifts ... This is my first year running a home daycare, so I don't know if I'll get anything. I don't even know some of the families well enough to know if they even celebrate Christmas. I do know that I've got some great families, and I want to show my appreciation to them by giving them something.
And it's always a good idea to give people reasons to say nice things about you to others ... especially in a business where word-of-mouth is the best advertising!Comment
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Doesn't the USDA supply the food for both the schools and the federal prisons? And they also provide the schools with stuff that is excess. I limit my daughters prison food consumption to once a week because she likes the pizza. I guess it's the same reason she's 6 and hasn't eaten at McDonald's yet. Hot or not, it's still crap.
For Christmas presents I get the kids a book and then have them help with an elaborate (mostly me doing it) craft for their parents.Comment
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Tonite is my parents night out. I plan on giving the kids their gifts tonite. The water globes that I want to give the parents have not arrived yet so they will have to waitComment
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Your parent nights out, how much do you charge? How many hrs. etc.?Comment
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Okay, I broke down
I wasn't planning on getting the kids gifts, but when I was at Walmart last night I decided to pick up a book for each one. They are the ones where you push the buttons on the side to make noise and go with the story. I am glad I did though. It will be fun to see the kids excited to open their gifts.
I used to get gifs from a lot of parents when I worked in centers (especially the ones in SanDiego). But honestly, I do not expect a gift from any of my parents this year.Comment
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I dont charge for my PNO. I only do it once a yr, it gives the parents a chance to finish their shopping (or whatever they want to do) Its also my way of saying thank you to them. The hours I set for them is 6-9. I only had one that stayed to 9 last night. The parents went to a movie. We had fun last night, I am glad I chose last nite (cuz they were not cranky) We ordered pizza, I didnt worry about the requirements for the food program. Gave the kids their gifts then a bath & watched Gabba Gabba, a DVD I got the 1 dcb.Comment
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Wait, let me get this straight....because Canadian schools offer no hot lunch program for students, that somehow makes them better??????
Most schools have a charge-type system, so you don't have to send cash on a daily basis for the little thief to skim from, they have accounts, tickets, etc.
Before you bash our school lunch program, you should do some research into what's being offered to them....it's not twinkies, big mac's and soda they're getting, but a main entree (pizza, burger, open faced meat sammich, meatloaf, etc), a fruit, a veggie, milk and usually a potato of some variety (mashed is a fav).
Whether they eat it all or not, that's something that no parent can control once they're out of our sight.Spouse of a daycare provider....which I guess makes me one too!
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I have heard of daycares that do this and charge for it, once a month. Does anyone out there do this? How many hrs. and how much do you charge?
Thanks!!Comment
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"This discussion really makes me appreciate being Canadian -- where any school that has a cafeteria is either a high school or a private one. There is no way I could trust my 7 and 9 year old boys to make good decisions in a lunch line. My oldest would likely go without, and pocket the money to save up for the latest toy! "
Whether it's cheaper or not, I much prefer having the control over what my kids are being offered to eat!"
I'm in the U.S. & my kids don't get free rein to get whatever they want at their school cafeteria. They can pay in advance but they have little control over what they get unless it's to buy an extra milk! At my kids' elementary they don't have access to pop & junk food. I'm not saying the food is perfect, in fact we pack most days to save money. However, the lunch always includes a vegie & fruit.Comment
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I got all my daycare kids the same thing. Coloring book, crayons, $1.00 cartoon dvd, mini bubble bath and bath paint from AVON and a bag of candy.
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I got each of my children a book and something that goes with the book. For example, I got one little guy a Pooh board book called Roo's Adventures, then I got him a stuffed kangaroo to go with it. Most of the kids got stuffed animals. The one exception is the first grader I have. She's my oldest one and growing out of stuffed animals. I got her a book called Beads on a String and to go with it I got her a small beading kit to make keychains out of pony beads. I did talk to her mother ahead of time to make sure that mom and dad were ok with this. I got all of the books at the thrift store (in very good to excellent condition), so I only spent about $5 per child.
I had to terminate one family not that long ago, and being as I had the kids' gifts already, and they purchased with those specific kids in mind I did give them their gifts ahead of time. I have another family starting the week after Christmas, but I figure since they weren't here for Christmas I'm not going to get them anything. If they had started this week or next then I still would.Give a little love to a child, and you get a great deal back.Comment
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Today my parent surprised me with a $50 gift card & several nice little things from Bath & Body Works! I was expecting something but not to this extent. Yeah! I did get her kids all gifts & I did a mini photo calendar for their family complete with pics of her kids.
Feeling appreciated is good!
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parents night out
I offer a parents night out once every 3 months. So 4 times a year. It is a reward for parents who have their copays & payments up to date for the last quarter.
The parents can pick the night. They are just required to give me a 2 wk notice. It can be a week or weekend night. They get 4 hrs free. Or overnight for $25.
They also understand if they are going out drinking and come for their child they will not be released to them.
NO CHILD WILL EVER BE RELEASED TO A PARENT WHO IS DRIVEING WITH ALCHOL ON THEIR BREATH!
If the parent is the passanger I will go out and greet the driver.
This is written in my contract and noterized by them.
I also offer a New Years Eve Kiddie party. 7:00 pm to 11:00 am new years day. The cost is a food item to be served at the party to the kids.
Parents can get drunk and sleep off their hangover & we load up the kids after a big breakfast for delivery at 11 am New Years Day. I have offered this for 10 years and parents have always enjoyed it.
The kids have food, fun, do crafts, bang their pots & pans & drink sparkling apple juice from plastic shanpage glasses. We take pictures & print them out for their parents. We have a slumber party. Girls in the liveingroom & boys in the playroom. I have even in the past had paretns pay a tip on delivery cause they enjoyed themself so much. All children get to call their paretns at midnight to say Happy new Years!
Even children who are school aged & need no childcare or parents are unemployed and do not need daycare anymore call and ask me for their children to come.
I tink we enjoy ourselves as much as the children do.Comment
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Gifts...
I bought my wee ones dolls and cars and threw them a fabulous Christmas party. Most of my parents brought goodies (for the party) and gifts (for me) which made it a special day.
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