Meals

[lovemykiddies]

Hi all I'm new to this so please bare with me :)

I had my second visit from my officer last week. The lady said to me I will get more parents choosing myself to look after their children if I do meals. I have thought about this but four nights of the week I'm running round for my own four children to dance/gymnastics/ cadets so my children have a snack till we get home at 6. I prepare tea before i go out my husband gets home at 5 puts tea on and I dish out at when I get in. My question is do other childminders take children they childmind to their own children's after school activities?? and do you still get the work even though your not doing meals?? I just won't have the time to cook and take my children And tbh it's not something I'm will to do if it means my children have to stop what they love. As much I want and would love to be a childminder I love to watch my children plus I love tea time in my house were we are all sat round my table talking about the days events.

[Glitter]

Hello, I provide meals and parents do seem to prefer if you do (it makes it easier for them).

I always take mindees with me to my childrens activities. I make it clear to parents before they start that their child will be part of my extended family, and that means joining in with everything we do.

If you were to provide an evening meal I think it would be fair to say it would be served at 6pm so everyone could eat together, but you may find children are collected before this, most of my later ones go by 5.30pm.

If you were out and about in the evenings could you offer to drop of any mindees who lived on your route, so you don't end up feeding them all.

[munch149]

If you did a cooked meal just for mindees in the day then could just take sandwiches with you later on so it wouldn't take long. When you cook for yourselves on an evening cook a little extra for the mindees the next day so your not cooking twice. Or cook lots and freeze some so you have portions you can microwave when your evening meal may not be suitable. Sandwiches can be taken to your evening activities. I know a few minders that don't provide tea but those who don't normally do a cooked meal lunchtime unless on daytrips.

[CLL]

What would your mindees be doing whilst you were watching your children doing their activities? It sounds as if you are busy most nights and I don't think it is realistic to expect to take several children with you each night to watch your children do activities. Also what time would you give them their dinner? Even if it is a light tea rather than a full meal it needs to realistically be given at about 3.30-4pm. Also small children get tiered in the afternoons and they are likely to get very board and grumpy just waiting around all night. I think it is fine to have a cooked lunch and then a light tea, a lot of childminders do. If you have several minded children, yes you can still take your children to their activities but you will not get to watch them participate much as your attention will be on the younger ones and caring for them. Also many parents pick up between 5-5.30 would you be home by then?

[charlottenash]

I personally can't cope with the headache of dragging mindees to my sons activities. I make sure they are planned around him however his activities are mainly at the weekend.

I provide one hot meal and a light meal a day, which is switched around depending on when were out the house etc. providing food is a massive bonus for my parents.

Good luck :)

[muffins]

So far my childrens activities have been during the day as they are pre-schoolers themselves so mindees either join in or I take something for them to do, meals havent been an issue. From September my oldest starts school so will be goign to gym 4-5 one day, I have said dinner that day will be more of a hot tea (beans & cheese on toast, bacon & egg sandwichs etc) and have reduced the price accordingly. There is an upstairs room at gym where mindees can play and I can take activities etc and watch my daughter through the window, so all happy:D

When I told parents I gave them plenty of warning and offered for them to change days if they wished, one actually only comes to play but parent was still happy.

[caz3007]

I believe not all childminders cook a hot meal in the evening but I think it would be difficult to take mindies and keep them occupied whilst watching your own children at their various activities 4 evenings a week. You wouldn't actually be able to watch your children, your priority would be keeping the mindies happy

My son did swimming and my hubby was able to take him, which made life easier and it was lovely one day when I finished work early so could go and see him, but he understood and wanted me at home with him, so sacrifices had to be made.

[loocyloo]

I did have to take mindees with me to ds swim lesson when it changed. I used to do a cooked lunch that day and a picnic tea. Mindees were then picked up from the pool as mum almost drove past door!

Currently I take mindees with me to drop my children off at activities and for a couple of them mindees go too! I tell all parents at the start that sometimes I need to ferry my children around and they are all happy with that.

I wouldn't do it every evening and I wouldn't be hanging around whilst they did activities. I have moved my own children's activities sometimes so that it doesn't interfere with me working. Before we moved a couple of years ago, most of their activities were at weekends as not possible to get them anywhere during the week as I worked everyday.

Xx

[lovemykiddies]

Thank you all so much for your letting me pick your brains. haha. it's given me a lot to think about. Lucky enough for me when I take my girls to dance on a mon and fri we have a play area for children in the parent room so that might keep little ones entertained. If they want to join in and do dance they can if they are old enough that is. One of my boys do gymnastics on the same nights and time as dance class. My eldest boy who is 14 does cadets on tues and thurs and i have spoke to my son tonight and he has said he is more than happy to get a bus. tbh he is probably glad I'm giving him some freedom although I think I will be time watching till he enters the door.he might be 14 but he's still my baby haha
Anybody else find it hard to let their children go I can feel myself panicking thinking about it :/

[Samijanec]

My youngest is only three so no activities just yet but I'm contemplating him starting a martial arts class that one of my after schoolers goes to so one night every other week( my hubby can take him every other week) I will be taking my other mindees with me!

[loocyloo]

Thank you all so much for your letting me pick your brains. haha. it's given me a lot to think about. Lucky enough for me when I take my girls to dance on a mon and fri we have a play area for children in the parent room so that might keep little ones entertained. If they want to join in and do dance they can if they are old enough that is. One of my boys do gymnastics on the same nights and time as dance class. My eldest boy who is 14 does cadets on tues and thurs and i have spoke to my son tonight and he has said he is more than happy to get a bus. tbh he is probably glad I'm giving him some freedom although I think I will be time watching till he enters the door.he might be 14 but he's still my baby haha
Anybody else find it hard to let their children go I can feel myself panicking thinking about it :/

it is hard to let them go! my eldest is 11 and off to high school in September by bus. he already goes to and from a couple of activities on his own ( walking distance away ) but I know a couple of parents that will be there and can always call them ( or even the coaches! ) if I need to reassure myself!

I think they key is to talk to prospective parents and tell them your current routine and ask how they feel about it but equally tell them, that this IS what you do. also, it is worth pointing out to them that these activities are not set in stone - the times/days might change, your children might not want to do this activity anymore, plus, as you said, if older mindees wished to attend then they could as well ( as long as parents pay for it! )

good luck xxx

[caz3007]

Thank you all so much for your letting me pick your brains. haha. it's given me a lot to think about. Lucky enough for me when I take my girls to dance on a mon and fri we have a play area for children in the parent room so that might keep little ones entertained. If they want to join in and do dance they can if they are old enough that is. One of my boys do gymnastics on the same nights and time as dance class. My eldest boy who is 14 does cadets on tues and thurs and i have spoke to my son tonight and he has said he is more than happy to get a bus. tbh he is probably glad I'm giving him some freedom although I think I will be time watching till he enters the door.he might be 14 but he's still my baby haha
Anybody else find it hard to let their children go I can feel myself panicking thinking about it :/

There you have it worked out already, so everyone is happy. I agree with Loocyloo as long as you make it clear to parents when they first visit that this is how it is at this time, subject to change then they will choose you if they are happy with it all.

As to your son, he will be fine and its nice to give him some freedom and as long as he has credit on a mobile you can get him to text you when he arrives at cadets safely and as he leaves. He may even find another parent is going your way and happy to give him a lift.

You have to let go at some point, but know its not easy my grown up ones are 24 and 21 and I have to go through it all again with my 10 year old...lol