After school problems

[JCrakers]

Hi,

Weds is my quietest day with a 2.5y old all day and then my busiest evening with 5 school children. 2x8yr olds, 1x7yr old, a 6yr old and a 5yr old.
Usually everything is fine but tonight when we came in from School the boys (they are all boys) wanted to go out into the garden so tonight 3 of them went outside, 1 of them wanted to draw and watch TV and the 5yr old played with the 2.5yr old in the playroom.

Because I am busy making tea which is usually sandwiches but tonight was cooked, and I was watching the 2 younger children, the three boys were chasing each other round the garden and one fell over and banged his head on the patio.
Sometimes I just find it easier if they all come in from school and watch TV. I can do tea whilst everything is calm.

Also another problem I have is 3 children have tea here while the other 3 dont. So 3 children sitting down to eat whilst 3 moaning that it looks nice and they are hungry and only get a snack. I usualy make sandwiches as I dont have time to cook.
The reason why the 3 children have tea is because 3 are siblings and Mum pays a lot of money. I dont really want to start cooking for all after school children so they just have fruit and bisc....

Its so hard :angry: How does everyone else manage from 4-6pm :D

[rosebud]

I try to make something so that they can all have the same but I can alter the amount according to whether it is supposed to be a snack or a meal. Sandwiches, cheese on toast, soup, egg on toast, etc. Those just having a snack will only have one piece of toast or a couple of sandwiches, they still moan but I explain that they will be having dinner when they get home, the others having tea have as much as they want to fill them. Its a difficult one isn't it?

[uf353432]

I have 7 tonight ages 3, 2x5, 2x6, 2x8. 4 boys 3 girls. Normally I would have a 1yr old today but she is out sick.

The thing is I do a cooked meal for all of them - I don't and won't get into the whole some having meal and some having a snack. All parents pay for their kids to have evening meal - and every night of the week I cook for all after school kids.

All the kids get on really well the 3 yr old plays with the older ones in their role play games and those who want to play on their own or do something outside of what everyone else is playing finds something to do. Currently one 8 yr old is on the computer. The other is on my eepad. The 5 and 3 yr old are playing in the living room and the other 3 are role playing on the covered deck.

I tend to choose meals that cook through the day so I am spending minimal time cooking when the kids get home. I serve up between 4-4.30pm depending on after school clubs.

I can't remember the last time they asked for the TV on at mine after school - they just play.

[mushpea]

i stopped doing cooked meals as I was finding it too stressful as they would play up whilst I cooked then tidyed up afterwards but i did use my slow cooker a lot and then just dished itup
do you think it would cause much of a problem if you told parents you werent cooking meals anymore? i offer to reheat meals but thats it,, mine just get a snack till home time.

[Zoomie]

I have 7 tonight ages 3, 2x5, 2x6, 2x8. 4 boys 3 girls. Normally I would have a 1yr old today but she is out sick.

The thing is I do a cooked meal for all of them - I don't and won't get into the whole some having meal and some having a snack. All parents pay for their kids to have evening meal - and every night of the week I cook for all after school kids.

All the kids get on really well the 3 yr old plays with the older ones in their role play games and those who want to play on their own or do something outside of what everyone else is playing finds something to do. Currently one 8 yr old is on the computer. The other is on my eepad. The 5 and 3 yr old are playing in the living room and the other 3 are role playing on the covered deck.

I tend to choose meals that cook through the day so I am spending minimal time cooking when the kids get home. I serve up between 4-4.30pm depending on after school clubs.

I can't remember the last time they asked for the TV on at mine after school - they just play.

Do you mind giving an idea of some of the meals you cook during the day for serving at dinner time ?

[caz3007]

I have always done all the children a meal, its just worked out like that. I have lost most of my after schools and wont be offering an evening meal if any others come along. But I do a meal from my LO when she is here until 5.30 as would be difficult for her mum to feed her, bath her and get her in bed by 7

[uf353432]

Do you mind giving an idea of some of the meals you cook during the day for serving at dinner time ?

well this weeks menu:

Monday - Macaroni Cheese. Cooked the pasta in the morning and drained and cooled it down, put it into oven proof dish and then fridged it. Lunchtime I made the cheese sauce and then poured over the macaroni sprinkle with cheese and then put in the oven on a timer to start cooking at 3.40 whilst i'm on the school run. Veggies put on the hob, par boil them - turn the hob off go to school run and veggies have cooked in the residual heat of the water and kept warm.

Tuesday - Pasta Bol - Before school I cook on the hob all the veggies whizzed up in my kitchen whizzer gadget. Onions, carrots, peppers, courgette from the garden and celery this week. 2 pots of passata, 4 cans of chopped toms and leave it to simmer on the hob whilst I go out and run toddler group. At lunch I put in a packet of mince and let it continue to simmer. Before school run I put pasta in a pan of boiling water, let it simmer for 5 mins and then turn off the hob and go off on school run -when I get back the pasta has cooked in the residual heat of the water and its ready to serve.

Wednesday - Pork roast dinner. Pork slow cooked in oven from midday, put it in when kids are eating dinner. 2.45 prep pototoes and carrots (which could be done before school and left in water, but I had time this afternoon) carrots cooked the same way as veg and pasta on a monday and tuesday and pototoes put in oven as I leave on school run, meat put in microwave covered in foil to 'rest' - come in from school run and dish up.

Thursday - sausages, home made chips and beans. prep potatoes at lunch cover in oil and put in the oven ready - oven put on timer. Sausages put in over just before I leave on school run - oven on timer meal ready when I get back from school run - heat up beans or veg. and serve.

Friday - Chilli con carne - remember the bol I made on Tuesday? well the rest of the bol is put in the fridge. At lunch I will whizz up some chilli's, add some cumin, cinnamon and paprika and the chillis to the bolegnaise and let it simmer to take on the flavours. Before school run add kidney beans and cook rice when I get home from school run. Dish up...


puddings are made in advance and put in the fridge

home made cake, jelly with fruit, berries and yoghurt, choc mousse, crumble etc etc. or sometimes we make the pudding as part of an activity that day.

[Lincsminder]

well this weeks menu:

Tuesday - Pasta Bol - Before school I cook on the hob all the veggies whizzed up in my kitchen whizzer gadget. Onions, carrots, peppers, courgette from the garden and celery this week. 2 pots of passata, 4 cans of chopped toms and leave it to simmer on the hob whilst I go out and run toddler group. At lunch I put in a packet of mince and let it continue to simmer. Before school run I put pasta in a pan of boiling water, let it simmer for 5 mins and then turn off the hob and go off on school run -when I get back the pasta has cooked in the residual heat of the water and its ready to serve.


Surely you don't leave the hob on and go out is't that a touch dangerous

[Trpta108]

Surely you don't leave the hob on and go out is't that a touch dangerous

I was told by fire brigade never to do this.

[Zoomie]

thanks, glad it works for you.

My school run is too long, and don't have a timer on my oven :(

[JCrakers]

Thanks everyone, the problem I also have is I HATE COOKING :laughing:
I find it hard enough to think of wht to cook my own kids and hubbie so really dont need the stress of having to cook for work.

I usually do sandwiches for the 2 after school kids and a cooked for the 2.5yrs as she has sandwiches at lunch time with the other kids that come.

Think it was just so stressful having to cook and I only did fishfingers.

Ive got two children starting after Xmas who are 12m and 3yrs and i agreed to cooked meal for tea as the 3yr old goes to preschool with a packed lunch.
I'll have to see how it goes

[~Chelle~]

Invest in a slow cooker, it is the best thing I ever brought and you don't have to be a good cook, shove it all in and wait for a gorgeous meal :thumbsup:

Or failing that, I love those bung it all in a bag, add the sachet and bung it in the oven meals. They are stress free and tasty, as it can all be done when the kids are at school.

As for the OP, would it be worth trying to suss out if the other parents would find it beneficial for you to provide a meal for their children??

If not, then they will just have to make do with snacks. The other children have a meal provided and they remaining children will have to make do with either crumpets, sandwiches, wraps, pitta pockets (have a great idea for these, which is cheap too, smother pitta bread in tomato puree mixed with a bit of pesto and sprinkle a bit of cheese on top, you can add ham, tomato or anything you like and then you have a pitta pizza)

Good luck x

[cockatoos]

With regards to the kids and activites, someone on here said 'divide and conquer'.

I have 5 boys tonight (4,5,7,9,11) and normally one 12 month old. They tend to play best in a two so the 4 and 5 year old will play tongether, the 9 and 11 together and then I normally do something with the 7 year old and baby. The pairings change through the week dependant on who is here so no one gets left out. It stops them from ganing up on each other and playing 'war' in the graden which is what they were doing before I split them up a little!

Doesn't always work butif its all going wrong then I repeat 'divide and conquer' like its a mantra!

Amy

[Ali56]

I cook for mindees too, parents are told if their kids are here at 4.30 then they have tea(before they sign contracts-so all is clear. Its their choice to choose me or not!) A bit rigid, I know, but I hate telling some kids no. They find it upsetting when they are hungry and others are eating. Meals are simple, bolognaise, roast, macaroni cheese, tuna pasta bake, homemade burgers, sausage and mash is a huge favourite, casseroles that sort of thing. Sometimes if I have the time they like curry or noodles/chinese. Simplicity rules! I only do one meal so the fussier ones have to give it a go at least. Pud is usually yoghurt, fruit, homemade cake, custard, homemade rice pudding etc. All simple again! All my mindees range in age from 4m-13yrs and are all fab! They muck in, play nicely-olders with youngers, girls with boys! I am lucky. :clapping: :clapping:

[Chatterbox Childcare]

I cook whilst the little ones are asleep in the afternoon if I can and then I can reheat if possible. Sunday I do a roast so it is all done for Monday apart from extra veg to cook which I prepare in advance

I have attached my file menu for Winter months. I have used it for 2 years and it works fine, shopping lists at the bottom for all 5 weeks with the only amendments I do are to the quantities.

Hope it helps

[JCrakers]

Nice idea..great Menu.

I had a menu to start with but it soon ran out of steam. I would find that the food I bought for work would get eaten by hubbie or my children and if I had no car one day and couldnt get to the shops then I would have to use the chicken, meaning I had to do something else the next day.