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I'm sorry, that sounded snotty and I didn't mean for it to come out that way. What I should have said was: you probably deserve a higher rate, especially if you provide food at your expense. I had no idea that was a going rate in your area, I'm sorry. I'm sure you have a nice place and do nice things for the kids. But wow, it just seems like quality care is really under-priced there. People who care for kids DESERVE more pay, my poorly-put point.
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I'm sorry, that sounded snotty and I didn't mean for it to come out that way. What I should have said was: you probably deserve a higher rate, especially if you provide food at your expense. I had no idea that was a going rate in your area, I'm sorry. I'm sure you have a nice place and do nice things for the kids. But wow, it just seems like quality care is really under-priced there. And under-valued by parents. People who care for kids DESERVE more pay, my poorly-put point.Comment
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I'm from NannyDe's generation and ya - we walked to and from School.. oooh - sometimes in the RAIN! (shudders) I had the cutest rain outfit and who remembers the umbrellas that came all the way down over your shoulders and you looked THROUGH them?
I've seen kids come to Daycare with a Hershey Bar for breakfast. Awesome parents!
And no, parents, fruit bites are not in the healthy food category even if it says Vitamin C on it!
I admit that I fail on occasion with breakfast with my youngest. Just getting calories in him is tough sometimes so we go unconventional. Pizza, TV Dinners, Apple with Peanut Butter. There is the occasional donut and I make him drink milk with it because at least the milk is good
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We have good breakfasts too.
Some parents don't realize that it only takes a minute to microwave an egg! Pop the toast in the toaster before you do the egg, add some strawberries to the plate and something to drink. Voila! Breakfast!
Baked Bean sandwiches are good too - sorry Daycare providers for the end result! ::
Here's some unconventional breakfasts (I don't agree with the ice cream one though.)
This one is neat too (except the hummus - can you imagine the garlic breath first thing in the AM?)
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some parents feel that their time is more valuable than doing menial work like serving breakfast. DCPs are considered hired help and one tiny step above a household servant. Obviously you have nothing better to do than feed their kids so they have time to do truly important stuff (in their mind).Comment
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I don't think that's it.
I think it's really simple.
They don't want to do the work of shopping for and stocking food, preparing a whole healthy meal, serving it, supervising it, and cleaning it up.
I don't think they want to do the work it takes to get up and get ready so that when the kid is up they are able to devote themselves to a healthy meal and the family time having the meal together.
I think most parents want to get the kid up out of bed at the very LAST possible second and get them from the house into the car as quickly as possible.
The car is a buckled in seat where the child is confined and easily managed.
Where the parent HAS to work is getting the child dressed, walking the kid from the house to the car, getting the kid buckled in, unbuckling the seat, and walking the child into day care.
When we see children having candy and treats it is for THESE times. The parent is trying to make the things they HAVE to do as easy as possible so they give candy and allow the kid to have stuff from home to bring to child care.
When you see a kid walking in with candy fruit snacks, five toys, and a ****y cup it is specifically for the easiest possible way for:
getting the child dressed (with diaper change)
walking the kid from the house to the car
getting the kid buckled in
unbuckling the seat
walking the child into day care.
When a provider has a kid arrive undressed in a night diaper it is to get rid of one of five of the "must do's".
I don't think the parent THINKS "I pay you to do that". I think the parent thingks "I don't want to do that".
You want to find a great day care parent? Find the ones who get up with their kids in the morning and make a healthy meal and eat along with their kids. That's one of the highest markers of a great parent in my book.Comment
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Like I said, I think parents have too many options these days and always want the easiest option possible. The less they have to do, the happier they are.
I went to a comedy show about 3 months ago. the comic was about 25years old (male)
He had the funniest standup about kids.
His story line was based on how easy it is to have kids these days, as you have gidgest and gadgest for everything to keep them busy.
I dont recall all of it, other than a lot of cursing. But basically he was saying that he was goign to have about 20 kids becuase it's so easy to just let them wake up, eat junk from a box while sitting in front of the TV. When it's time to go to school, you hand them your ipod so they can watch tv on the way to the car. Once you get in the car you turn on your dvd player for the kids to watch, until you arrive. You give them some more junk from a box or a box drink and then you stop and toss.
Repeat again when you get them from school. His only thing he said that was holding him back from having these 20 kids was that he was waiting until there was a way for them to change thier own diapers and wipe thier own behinds.
It was much more funny in person..... I wish I could have a video of it, as all of you would be on the floor laughing in stiches. All of what he said was the truth.Comment
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Sorry I hijacked the original topic, but....
I know this was originally about breakfast, but how can we get you more money? Can I ask some questions? Ok, so you charge $15 a day per child...that's $75 a week. And you provide morning snack, lunch and afternoon snack? I know NOTHING about the food reimbursement program, but do you participate? If not, I'm sure someone here can advise you. If you do not participate, you should NOT provide any food at all. Have parents do breakfast at home, assign each parent a "snack day", and each child brings lunch. Even if you bought the CHEAPEST food, you are still spending at least $3 a day per child right?
So you are not licensed then? Maybe if you were, you could charge a higher rate? Are you sure its really the going rate? Maybe you can send a friend to spy, errr I mean "tour" another home daycare and see how they measure up to you. If you have a nicer home, better activities, better toys, books, etc, you can comfortably charge more. Do you have kids of your own? Maybe when they go off to Kindergarten, you can have more paying clients. How many kids do you have now?
I know its not my business, but I just feel like like crying to see your post that you only made $1600 profit last year. Ouch. I wish I could help....this does not seem fair to you. All that hard work.... But I would definately NOT provide ANY food if you're not on government reimbursement. That's just not right. Or charge and extra $5 a day for food, at least. This reply was probably not very helpful, I'm sorry.Comment
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I understand why your not serving breakfast at $15/day, thats way to low........but I disagree that kids wont eat anything, there to picky. and if they don't eat what you serve who cares, they can be hungry.....
I cook hot breakfast every morning, Mon-Oatmeal(whole oats cooked on stove, not instant) TUE-home made pancakes/french toast/or waffles, WED- Scrambled eggs, THUR-Malt-o-meal, FRI-Homemade bread item(banana or something) Most kids that start that are older have a hard time with the oatmeal and malt o meal, but eventually I find a way they like to eat it, by trying different fruits, rasins, peanut butter, and eventually they all eat it, I have never had a child ask me for a pop tart, and I know I have some that get them, they know what I serve is what they get, they don't have to eat it, but they get nothing else, theres also always a fruit involved and usually one more thing, but thats it, today for lunch I made chicken breast with an olive oil pasta, half ate it up, half didn't really touch it, but not one COMPLAINT, I really think you just have to let them know, I'm just suprised that you say, no one will eat anything all they want is crap, their so picky.....I have never had a child ask me for something else, and why do you care so much if they don't eat it, I always make them try at least one bite, thats all I ask, and no one ever has founght me on that,Comment
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It's okay, thank you for being so thoughtful. I do have my own children, 5 girls.
I actually got into this temporarily, but it has been off and on for 6 years. I have stuck with it for the last 3 years. You have good suggestions, but just cutting out breakfast has been difficult for them. I am hopefully going back to work after the summer is over. I called a licensed provider today to ask about caring for my youngest when I do go back to work and she only charges $90/week with a license and daycare is the same.There was only ONE licensed home daycare provider in my county!
I don't want to work full-time, though, so it might be a trick finding a center or home provider to do part-time care, but I have 3 months and am hoping I can find someone!Comment
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I quit serving breakfast about 4 yrs. ago. I start at 7:30am.
I had older children, that were very picky, didn't eat, etc..
I had something different everyday.
One day really was a strike out for me. A Father came and said to me"you will serve my children breakfast here, whether they waste it or not" That was the last straw- I quit it the next day, with a week notice.
I serve an am snack every am around 9:00 and we eat between 11 and 11:30
I am so happy, to be not serving breakfast any longer.
It was way too much anyways. I have my own school aged children, plus daycare before school, who has time to make breakfast? I would start it about 8:30 every am-Comment
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Wow 5 girls! Awesome!
Well if you're returning to work in a couple months, no need to go through a painful meal policy change at this point. But IF you stay in daycare, I'd definately consider axing meals. In that case, just do it, the parents WILL survive and get over it eventually. "Due to the rising cost of food, we will no longer be providing meals. Children must pack a lunch and parents will provide a group snack once a week."
OR "due to the rising costs of food, my tuition is now $20 per day per child"
I see a possible opportunity here. Only 1 licensed home day care in the whole county?! If she's the ONLY competition....you could probably get 100 a week. Is becoming licensed very difficult in your state?
But it sounds like you're ready to go back to work, so I hope that goes very well for you too and is more financially beneficial to you.Comment
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