meals dilemma!

[tigwig]

I currently charge a daily rate and offer a hot tea in the price. I now have so many fussy eaters etc am thinking of not putting my fees up in sep and offering a snack instead or reducing fees and asking parents to provide tea. Or I could keep things the same lol. Not really sure how to procede. What are everyone's thoughts?

[QualityCare]

I would send a letter out to parents saying instead of putting fees up this year you have decided to stop providing a meal and will give all children a small snack instead similar to mid morning snack.

[Kiddleywinks]

I do meals, but not fussy eaters lol

We all eat the same, obviously I don't do meals I know a particular child doesn't like, but they either eat or don't and I let parents know whether they ate or not.
I do make it clear to parents that I don't 'force' a child to eat, so if they don't eat here, they may still have to do them an evening meal.
Touch wood, (other than 1 but that's a control thing) it's not been an issue.

You could ask parents to provide evening meal/pack up, but I personally think that could also cause more problems than it's worth x has crisps, I want crisps, y has a mini roll, 'I don't like ham, your mum made it, but I don't like ham, take it up with mum lol', z has chocolate spread - I want chocolate spread - aaaaargh!!!

You could do as Quality Care suggests, good idea :thumbsup:

With the warmer weather do more 'pick n mix' type meals - salad, cous cous, veg rice, quiche, HM chicken skewers, Fajita's (my kids lurve making wraps), stir fry, noodles.
That way you may find even the fussy ones will eat more varied foods when they have the opportunity to choose what goes on their plate, rather than dictate what they will or won't eat what's in front of them.

I have one that doesn't eat mashed potato, but will eat mashed spuds :blush:
They also won't eat pasta, but love 'psgetti meatballs' or 'spag bol'

[bunyip]

I don't charge for meals, keeping it all-inclusive to be clear and fair. However, having frequently had 'fussy eaters' of my own I really do sympathise.

Btw, be careful not to incur additional costs through fines. I believe the Professional Childminders' Thought Police may soon be starting to levy fines on those of us who are found guilty of "labelling" IYKWIM. :rolleyes:

[tigwig]

So how does 35 per day for hot tea (which is what I do now), 33 for snack tea or 30 for parent to provide sound? It is a drop for me if all chose the cheapest but im trying to attract new parents for sep too. If I was full I dont mind the drop in price especially if I dont have to give tea! Does it come across wrong how it's structured like tea is £5 and that's expensive. Or that I've offered the alternative of a very reasonable rate?

[mama2three]

tigwig if they all chose different options you might end up being even worse off. the ones eating tea will be even less likely to want to sit and eat if others aren't - other children eating snacks or fruit , others having chicken nuggets sent from home......theres nothing to say that its the fussiest eaters parent who will choose the 'no meal' option.
I think you just need to decide what you are going to do , and inform parents rather than asking them.

Mine all have hot meals here. I don't tolerate fussy eaters beyond not giving them 'known' dislikes. They eat or don't eat , no alternatives offered , no pudding if they haven't had a fair try of their main meal. My fussiest eaters have soon improved when they aren't mollycoddled , helped along by peer pressure and the fact that they all sit together whether or not they are eating and we generally wait til everyone is finished.

[AliceK]

tigwig if they all chose different options you might end up being even worse off. the ones eating tea will be even less likely to want to sit and eat if others aren't - other children eating snacks or fruit , others having chicken nuggets sent from home......theres nothing to say that its the fussiest eaters parent who will choose the 'no meal' option.
I think you just need to decide what you are going to do , and inform parents rather than asking them.

Mine all have hot meals here. I don't tolerate fussy eaters beyond not giving them 'known' dislikes. They eat or don't eat , no alternatives offered , no pudding if they haven't had a fair try of their main meal. My fussiest eaters have soon improved when they aren't mollycoddled , helped along by peer pressure and the fact that they all sit together whether or not they are eating and we generally wait til everyone is finished.

I do exactly the same. I do have 1 fussy eater though and it was really getting me stressed but now I just give this child a very small portion so that if it's not eaten I don't feel like I am throwing away good food. There will be a time in the next couple of years when if I am still doing this job I will stop providing a hot tea as my own children wont want to be eating that early which is why I started providing hot dinner in the first place because my own children had to eat. At which point I will just provide a snack at tea time and a more substantial lunch for those that are with me at lunch time.

xxx

[Koala]

tigwig if they all chose different options you might end up being even worse off. the ones eating tea will be even less likely to want to sit and eat if others aren't - other children eating snacks or fruit , others having chicken nuggets sent from home......theres nothing to say that its the fussiest eaters parent who will choose the 'no meal' option.
I think you just need to decide what you are going to do , and inform parents rather than asking them.

Mine all have hot meals here. I don't tolerate fussy eaters beyond not giving them 'known' dislikes. They eat or don't eat , no alternatives offered , no pudding if they haven't had a fair try of their main meal. My fussiest eaters have soon improved when they aren't mollycoddled , helped along by peer pressure and the fact that they all sit together whether or not they are eating and we generally wait til everyone is finished.

Totally agree with Tigwig. I do the same, I charge to include meals for everyone, no one gets different treatment or different meals, it would be a nightmare pandering to everyone's whims, don't get me wrong, I do agree with choice but I'm not an a la carte restaurant :thumbsup:

[Kiddleywinks]

I wouldn't be reducing my fees, but as meal times are creating so much friction you could word a letter along the lines of:

Dear Parent

Due to the rising costs of everything from food to utilities, I have tried to not increase my fees as I understand you are probably feeling the pinch also.
It has however, come to the point where something has to give, so I have decided to take the least painful option of providing a snack instead of a full meal, from xx date.
By changing to a snack rather than a full meal I will be able to keep my fees at the current rate.
Snacks will consist of things like:
Provide a list of things

If you would like me to continue providing a full meal, I am happy to do so at the following rates:
Breakfast @ £x amount, Lunch @ £x amount, Dinner @ £x amount

If you could please advise which option is more suitable to you by xx date.