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Jelly Baby
27-10-2014, 12:04 PM
Wasn't sure if this was the right place or even if some of you call it dinner or tea but here goes!!

I feed all of mine after school a meal inc pudding. I am one of few childminders who does it and tbh I wish id never started. I include it in with my after school fee which is the same as others but they don't have to g through the whole rigmarole of cooking!

Majority of the time i make things like..roast, spag bol, pasta dishes, sometimes chicken burger & chips if we are rushing.

The problem I have is the children are becoming not only very rude and ungrateful about it but they are so badly behaved at the table when it comes to eating. I have just read a thread on negative reports when children go home and that's me with dinner! They cant sit on their chairs and I find myself continuously telling them to sit down, they argue over whose got more/less, drinks have got spilt which has resulted in them now having bottles, they don't like bits despite asking for it and the whole thing is just a nightmare. I find parents sympathise at times with responses like 'just let them go hungry' but they miss the point that ive had to buy it, cook it and then see it thrown away and the whole process seems a waste of time?

I have had a letter from environmental health that im a bit confused about as was worded as me being new and ive been doing it 10 years and they now say we have to have a food hygiene and have to write down foods we prepare..has anyone else had this? I thought it was a good way of getting out of cooking such big meals as just more to do?! and just start doing snacks but don't want to lose parents due to it.

So do you do dinner/tea/snacks and if so how do you find it and any suggestions that could help?
Thanks

tess1981
27-10-2014, 12:49 PM
My cooked lunch is at 1.30
I do a snack for after school kids. What I give them depends on how hungry they are garlic bread toast pancakes fruit cheese on toast and a new favourite at the minute is a bowl of cereal.
I belive children need to sit down with their family at dinner time so I don't offer a cooked dinner.
Also I know your pain over table manners. My rule here is we sit at the table and eat no getting off chairs shouting or demanding at the table

loocyloo
27-10-2014, 12:54 PM
I do feed everyone after school. I do lots of meals in the slow cooker and everything is prepped during the afternoon nap time!
When we get home from school everyone helps lay the table and get the LOs ready for tea whilst I sort veggies etc out.
I have rarely had anyone make a fuss about tea - everyone has a small amount of main and serves themselves veggies ( and what they take they are expected to eat! ) if I know there is something some one really doesn't like, then allowances are made! If a child doesn't eat then I haven't wasted much food and child then eats at home. Parents are told this and agree to it.
I offer fruit or yogurt for pudding or sometimes rice pudding or fruit with custard.
Peer pressure encourages good behaviour and 'setting a good example' to the little ones helps too.
The biggest nightmare was my own ds ... But he is getting older and usually eats later with us now!