I Want to Open a Daycare Center - Help!

[KidGrind]

It’s the parents responsibility to make sure the child is fed appropriately on their watch knowing the meal times at the daycare.

The parent altered the schedule, not the provider. The burden is on the parent.

I don’t allow late drop offs for this reason.

[daycarediva]

I agree. He probably slept late, dad fed him late, and then he was brought to daycare, which many parents don't think is a big deal, but he is on a totally different schedule than all the other kids. They have been playing all day, have full bellies and are ready for rest. He recently woke, ate and is ready to play!

I think it is an exaggeration to say he starved, so I wonder if the dcp "yelling" may also be an exaggeration??? I would just bring it up like, "when my mom picked up last time, she said you seemed upset with how little ones day went, so I wanted to speak with you and see if everything is ok?"

which is the biggest issue in group care and why I no longer allow drop offs after 9 unless they are prearranged (eg appt, where the child is up and 'on schedule' somewhat).

The provider should not be expected to change the schedule of the entire group to meet the needs of one child.

I also have scheduled meal times, if a child arrives after a meal time, they are not fed until the next meal/snack. I also serve food every 3 hours, so a child would not 'starve' in that time frame.

Ha! This.

I agree with previous poster that said it probably had nothing to do with him being hungry and much more to do with him being brought in so closely to naptime. Of course he didn't want to nap, he just got there-kids need routine.

I would be pretty PO'd that the provider yelled at your mom like that and I would absolutely be speaking to the director about that.

and this is what I would take issue with. The food issue is on the parent.

[Silly Songs]

Daycare center employee here. This is how we handle late arrivals :
We are happy to accommodate, to a certain point.
If the child came in already fed , he can choose to nibble and sit with the group or sit elsewhere and look at books while friends eat lunch. If it's after lunch ( or breakfast) , he gets a snack if he is hungry. Or we can ask the kitchen if there is anything left from meal time. ( usually not ). We cannot tell people they can't drop off after a certain time. We have had some parents drop off at 3 pm , when other children are going home ! Honestly , it doesn't affect our day as much as a home provider's. That being said , drop off at nap time is tough. Pickup at nap is a little easier. Also , these children are eating constantly, so no one would go hungry for long

[Unregistered]

I might be in the minority here but even if my policy stated that children will not be feed between meals and snacks, I could not let a child be hungry. I understand that the unexpected can happen and a parent might be very late to work or something, so as long as is an exception I would reassure them that their child wasn't hungry.

Is feel terrible to think of a child being hungry to the point of crying. And if is a child that normally goes to nap without any issues it mean that he was indeed hungry.

[Thriftylady]

I might be in the minority here but even if my policy stated that children will not be feed between meals and snacks, I could not let a child be hungry. I understand that the unexpected can happen and a parent might be very late to work or something, so as long as is an exception I would reassure them that their child wasn't hungry.

Is feel terrible to think of a child being hungry to the point of crying. And if is a child that normally goes to nap without any issues it mean that he was indeed hungry.

The problem I have found is that if I make one exception, it becomes a few times a week and then every day. Or it becomes wanting exceptions on other things.

[Rockgirl]

And if is a child that normally goes to nap without any issues it mean that he was indeed hungry.

Or had slept in at home.

[LysesKids]

Or had slept in at home.

In this case the kid had slept in and ate a late breakfast... he wasn't tired @ the normal nap time because his schedule was off...

[daycarediva]

In this case the kid had slept in and ate a late breakfast... he wasn't tired @ the normal nap time because his schedule was off...

and since he wasn't hungry enough at lunch to eat anything just prior to rest time it was an 'I'm awake and ready to play' not an 'I'm so hungry I'm in tears.'

I have had some STUBBORN kids here go all day without eating a bite. None were hungry enough to cry.

[LysesKids]

and since he wasn't hungry enough at lunch to eat anything just prior to rest time it was an 'I'm awake and ready to play' not an 'I'm so hungry I'm in tears.'

I have had some STUBBORN kids here go all day without eating a bite. None were hungry enough to cry.

. I'm surprised on how many unregistered guests pipe in when something doesn't fit their way of thought...

[Jazzii]

While her tone may have been unprofessional, I completely understand her reasoning. I am a daycare provider and I let potential parents, as well as current ones that if they are dropping off after meal times (after 7:50 for breakfast, after 11:45 for lunch) that they are not to expect that their child be fed as we follow a schedule. On rare occasions when parents are running late enough to miss a meal they know that they can bring a small snack, or lunch for their child to eat- yes, this does mean that they miss out some part of the day.

We have a parent who drops off at 12:30 Tuesday-Thursday and we told him if he was dropping off at that time child would have to be fed at home- and he always is....