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mum2two
07-08-2008, 04:08 PM
I've decided that I want to stop proving tea for the mindees.

I have 2 that have it Mon-Thurs, 2 that have it Tues & Weds, and 1 that has it Thurs & Fri.

It's such a nightmare. The kids all like different things, and I'm finding it hard to get new meals, that they'll all eat. With the cost of food rising, it's cosing me more & more, just to throw loads of it away!!!

Do you think I'd have to give a lot of notice, or if I wrote a letter to the parents explaining that when the children return to school in September, we'll no longer be providing cooked teas. If they've had a school dinner, I don't mind providing a sandwich tea...

That way I can go back to just cooking 1 meal a night, and we can eat with our own children at 6 - 6.30ish. Not faffing about cooking twice, and not having quality time with the kids. It'll be nice to get mealtimes back to be honest.

Just hope the parents don't get peed off.

Kelly x

Spangles
07-08-2008, 04:12 PM
I wrote a letter to my mindee's mum and dad and said that I wouldn't be providing food now as I had planned to when their baby turned 1 but with the costs rising I have decided not to. They didn't mind but then again I didn't know if they wanted me to do lunch anyway.

LOOPYLISA
07-08-2008, 04:28 PM
Im ive decided im not providing breakfast as it would be too much of a rush, i will ask if parents can provide lunch, ill provide snacks and i will also not be providing tea as this is my time with my family x:thumbsup:

mimo
07-08-2008, 04:43 PM
You should be fine .Just explain to them the reasons you have put on here and give them a couple of weeks notice . good luck

mum2two
07-08-2008, 04:53 PM
I've wrote this:

"Dear Parents,

We are writing to inform you, that from September 2008, we will no longer be providing a cooked tea.

The main reason being due to the rising cost of food, and we do not want to increase your fees. We are also finding in increasing difficult to provide a variety of meals to suit all the children, and are ending up with a lot of wastage.

We are happy to provide a sandwich tea for the children, if you require this. Please let us know.

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause."

That's enough isn't it? Should I put about family time too, or just leave it at that - plain & simple.

Kelly x

ajs
07-08-2008, 04:59 PM
i would leave it exactly as it is, it sounds ok to me

i have never supplied tea
i give them a biscuit when we get home from school and some fruit if they are still hungry later on but that's it
we eat much later so i'm not cooking twice
and most of mine eat with their parent's anyway

fionamal
07-08-2008, 05:10 PM
Ive stopped doing Breakfast and Dinners as well.

Only do snacks and lunches as breakfast was becoming a fiasco with kids arriving late and taking too long to eat and at dinner time I like to eat as a family so no longer offering that either.

Alibali
07-08-2008, 05:21 PM
I'd love to stop doing dinners too, it's such a hassle, but the parents really do appreciate it as it means they can spend a bit more time with their lo's after leaving them all day.

crazybones
07-08-2008, 05:24 PM
I stopped doing tea a while back because I was sick of 2 children who would only eat chicken nuggets and smiley faces. During the school hols I provided a menu in advance of hot lunches. Told parents to supply packed lunch if their child would not eat that particular meal. Biggest mistake I have ever made. I was assured by all parents their child would eat that food. :angry: :angry: :angry: I am so annoyed that I spend all Sundays cooking and freezing stuff like Spag bol, Shepherds Pie, Sweet and Sour chicken, only to throw loads away because the kids say, I dont like; mushrooms, onions, rice, ........almost everything. I even had an 11 year old in tears on the day I gave Shepherds pie because he doesnt like mashed potato :rolleyes: . Never again - meals from 1st of Sept during school hols will be provided. Must say all the lo's who are here every day ate everything provided it was just the after schoolers who come in hols that protested.

Gosh sorry that was an essay.

Nicki L
07-08-2008, 06:33 PM
I have never supplied hot meals - i made a decision at the beginning that i would only offer a healthy snack and that mindees had to bring lunch with them. I dont have to worry bout tea as i am a part time childminder and only work until 2.30pm (then i go to work at the bank i have worked at since i left college!)

I always said that if i get the parents to supply the food then at least the children will eat it - if not its the parents money they are wasting not mine.

Sorry if that sounds harsh but the going rate round here is £3.50 per hour so providing a snack is enough i think!!!

LisaH
07-08-2008, 08:00 PM
I provide breakfast and lunch but no longer tea for the same reasons really. Too much going to waste and having to cook several times in the evening to please everyone!!!

I hate cooking anyway!!

My after school mindees always complain that they are hungry but i just do sandwiches and fruit. They all have a cooked school dinner so imo shouldnt be all that hungry. Lol

madasahatter
08-08-2008, 02:11 PM
I have never provided tea. I am happy to do breakfast if the child arrives before 8am, they get a mid morning fruit snack, cooked lunch and then after school I do fruit and toast (or similar bread type snack) to keep them going until they have tea with their parents. Mind you I'm lucky in that none of my mindees stay beyond 5pm and we don't have our evening meal until 6.30ish. Like a few of you I hate having to do lunches in the hols for the older kids....they are soooo fussy and usually end up having sandwiches whilst the little ones have a cooked meal.

Stacey
08-08-2008, 03:45 PM
I have always asked the parents to provide their own food as it is so much easier also i havent yet completed a food hygeine course. I do provide snacks (biscuits and fruit) and wondered when inspected they will say i shouldnt be because of not doing a course. What do you think?? :panic:

mum2two
08-08-2008, 03:48 PM
Just told my friend, who I mind for, but not do tea for... that I was giving a letter out stopping teas, and her response was 'Oh can you do this? I thought it was expected...'

Now I worried about telling the parents of the kids who actually have tea!

Kelly x

Chimps Childminding
08-08-2008, 05:21 PM
I don't supply any meals except snacks, and I always do toast in the mornings for those that want it. Children bring packed lunch, and if they are staying for tea parents provide something that can be heated up or cooked quickly. That way the parents know what the children are having, I know that whatever they bring is (usually) something they like, rather than cooking meals that get thrown away, and then start cooking again for my family when I have finished work!!! None of my parents have every queried this. :thumbsup:

EllieF
08-08-2008, 06:15 PM
On the 25th July I made my last tea for my mindies after 15 years of cooking 2 course meals for them every day!
I do not regret it one bit, its fantastic!!
The parents were all fine about it (or at least to my face), and i explained that it takes me away from the children, and with rising food costs etc, it was really no longer a viable option. I still do snacks, e.g. potato wedges, fruit, dips, etc etc but they are quick and easy,
Good luck
Ellie
PS I gave 5 weeks written notice to all parents of the change

mum2two
08-08-2008, 08:29 PM
Well, as I've said it's only 3 families I cook tea for. I gave the first letter out tonight, and explained it was due to rising costs & wastage, (as per the letter), and she was fine. She said she understood how difficult it must be.

The other one I'll give to on Monday. (but you know when you get that gut feeling their going to give you notice anyway...)

The final family are term time only & 2 days per week. (mindee has sandwiches on day anyway!)

So come Sept life will be so much easier & we'll get some quality time with our own kids too!

Kelly x

chels55
09-08-2008, 08:16 AM
Im thinking of stopping making tea too
It just takes up so much time expecially the days when i have to make up three different meals for the fussy eaters

EllieF
12-08-2008, 02:55 PM
If they give notice then its likely that they would give notice on something else anyway, and you have to enjoy what you do, and if spending too much time in the kitchen is getting to you then go for what you want, and out yourself first.
The really nice families will stay with you and understand
Ellie

disney
12-08-2008, 03:31 PM
i have stopped providing all food i wrote it in my last news letter as like you said it cost so much and some are so fussy it goes in the bin:angry: i also said that i did not want to be registered as a food business . dont think the parents were too happy but they never actually said they wasnt , and also im the only minder in the village that does food :) and i think that parents would prefer to provid them with a packed lunch than if i started charging extra for food x

Heaven Scent
12-08-2008, 08:16 PM
I think I'll stop providing breakfast and tea from next April instead of increasing my fees and raise it as a H&S issue so as to cover my back. Then I will only provide dinner that I will only until the Sept when I will be likely to lose two families to school so I'm not that bothered. I will then change the mid day meal to lunch and that way I will be getting rid of all the hassle of cooking, I will charge extra if families want more, but it will be a plated up frozen meal that I will put by when I cook for the family - I do that a bit anyway - If we have roast dinner on Sunday then the mindees have it on Monday and when I cook a saucy meal e.g spag bol, stew, casserole or a pasta bake etc etc I just make extra and freeze it in portions so its handy and I don't have to cook every day.