Parents driving me Crazy

[Sissy]

Why are they so inconsistent and want me to do things they don't bother doing themselves? They nearly drove me to the edge last year and I thought hard about giving up everything (I will do in 2 years time anyway...)

So far this year:

Child 1 (18 months) - mum wants her not to sleep during the day anymore, if she really needs a nap it should be not after 11 am and should not be longer than 1 hour nap. As the child always had problems settling to sleep (even at home) during the day unless you put her in a pram facing you and walks outside, she screams the place down before falling asleep een when tired. Anyway I am not putting her down to sleep anymore as mum requested which means that by 4 o'clock I have a very tired grumpy child....but wait, when she is not in my setting, mum spends the whole day on outings and visiting friends which means that child always sleeps at 4 or even 5 pm, and is late next morning messing up with my school run and pland for the morning. Lovely.
Another issue is feeding. When child came had many feeding issues and was surviving on milk, fruits and industrialized snacks. Mum asked for help and I put the child on track and now she is eating a lot better, she has tried lots of new foods and is eating healthier, but when she is at home, all the snacks are there for her......

Child 2 (18 months) - I have few issues with this family but what is bothering me at the moment is that from the last 2 weeks, mum is complaining girl is doing too much poos and she is worried about my food...now it really pisses me off as this child eats a lot (3 to 4 times more than my 4 year old who is a good eater) and the child come only 2 days and a half...why is it my food?? the other days she stays at home or goes to a creche, so why is it my food that seems to be the problem???
Mum came this morning again talking about poos (thanks god me and my daughter had had breakfast) but guess what? Night before they were having dinner at restaurant and God knows what the child ate....
Now it is the same parent who says that her daughter MUST have porridge every morning for breakfast with lots of BERRIES, and one day before starting talking about poos, this mum asked me how much dairy I have on the menu and I said one portion of cheese, 1 or 2 portions of yoghurt, milk, (and the porridge with BERRIES of course) a day....mum said, this is not enough as her child's body is asking for more calcium...can I please increase the ammount of yoghurt and give her child lots and lots of yoghurt????? WT:censored:

I felt like saying: for what I charge you I can give only the portions I already do and I think it is quite enough, she can have extras with you at home..

Rant over;)

[Zumba-mum]

Parents :angry:. Can't you say to mum she'll need to provide the extra food or pay x amount to cover the cost.

[The Juggler]

Why are they so inconsistent and want me to do things they don't bother doing themselves? They nearly drove me to the edge last year and I thought hard about giving up everything (I will do in 2 years time anyway...)

So far this year:

Child 1 (18 months) - mum wants her not to sleep during the day anymore, if she really needs a nap it should be not after 11 am and should not be longer than 1 hour nap. As the child always had problems settling to sleep (even at home) during the day unless you put her in a pram facing you and walks outside, she screams the place down before falling asleep een when tired. Anyway I am not putting her down to sleep anymore as mum requested which means that by 4 o'clock I have a very tired grumpy child....but wait, when she is not in my setting, mum spends the whole day on outings and visiting friends which means that child always sleeps at 4 or even 5 pm, and is late next morning messing up with my school run and pland for the morning. Lovely.
Another issue is feeding. When child came had many feeding issues and was surviving on milk, fruits and industrialized snacks. Mum asked for help and I put the child on track and now she is eating a lot better, she has tried lots of new foods and is eating healthier, but when she is at home, all the snacks are there for her......

Child 2 (18 months) - I have few issues with this family but what is bothering me at the moment is that from the last 2 weeks, mum is complaining girl is doing too much poos and she is worried about my food...now it really pisses me off as this child eats a lot (3 to 4 times more than my 4 year old who is a good eater) and the child come only 2 days and a half...why is it my food?? the other days she stays at home or goes to a creche, so why is it my food that seems to be the problem???
Mum came this morning again talking about poos (thanks god me and my daughter had had breakfast) but guess what? Night before they were having dinner at restaurant and God knows what the child ate....
Now it is the same parent who says that her daughter MUST have porridge every morning for breakfast with lots of BERRIES, and one day before starting talking about poos, this mum asked me how much dairy I have on the menu and I said one portion of cheese, 1 or 2 portions of yoghurt, milk, (and the porridge with BERRIES of course) a day....mum said, this is not enough as her child's body is asking for more calcium...can I please increase the ammount of yoghurt and give her child lots and lots of yoghurt????? WT:censored:

I felt like saying: for what I charge you I can give only the portions I already do and I think it is quite enough, she can have extras with you at home..

Rant over;)

sending a hug. parent 1, tell her the ONLY way to avoid her LO falling asleep at 4pm is to make sure she has a sleep earlier but you will restrict it to say 50 mins if she likes.

parent 2. tell her 'this is what I offer for breakfast. I understand that LO needs extra fruits for her condition and if she is happy to provide them you will offer them to her with breakfast'. You will provide other normal fruits during day.

:angry::angry::angry: for you

[blue bear]

Sample menus are offered any extra requirements must be supplied by parent or will be charged at £1 extra per meal or snack.


Sleep policy- I will not deprive tired children of sleep as in all developmental areas I put the best interests of the child first and will work with parents requests where feasible.

If lo is napping at home at 4 then how does mum expect lo to understand she can't stick to her routine when at yours?

If lo is Getting so tired she doesnt know what to do with herself my compromise would be a early nap if child will, but if not then I'm sorry child will be allowed to sleep when tired just like mum does.

[Mollymop]

The first parent I would be telling that if child needs her nap then I would let her sleep for an hour as she is getting very grumpy in afternoons

CHild 2 - Children should poo lots, I would be very unhappy too about the way she is insinuating it is your food that cuases her to have lots of poos. WHat is wrong with the poos? Are they runny? If not it is only natrual for a child to poo around 3 times a day

I would be asking mum to bring a packed lunch from now on so that she can monitor what her child is eating.

[Sissy]

Thank you for all your replies.
I will tell parent 1 that child 1 will be going for a 11 or 12 o'clock 45 minutes.
I love the idea of packed lunch! If mum implies one more time my food is making the child poo too much that is exaclty what I am gonna say to her...but anyway, she must have realised I did not like her insinuation coz at collection time on Friday ^pm she said: Oh I just think she is teething coz she was pooing like this last time she was teething...

Anyway, just a question now, do you give breakfest if a child comes at 8 or after? And do you give dinner if a child goes at 6 or only a snack.?

[Mollymop]

Anyway, just a question now, do you give breakfest if a child comes at 8 or after? And do you give dinner if a child goes at 6 or only a snack.?

No I wouldn't give a child breaskfast after 8am, I do school runs from 8:15 so it is not possible. The latest I provide breaskfast is 7:30

I do not provide dinner, as we eat together as a family at 6.30 when hubby gets home so I ask parents to bring a snack if here til 6pm.

- I used to provide all foods but I got so fed up with fussy eaters and the risk and worry of parents not liking what I was providing so now I ask them to provide all lunches and snacks - unless it is after schoolers, I provide their snacks x HTH x

[green puppy]

Anyway, just a question now, do you give breakfest if a child comes at 8 or after? And do you give dinner if a child goes at 6 or only a snack.?

I start work at 8 so to get breakfast lo's need to be with me at 8.15 at the latest as we leave for nursery by 8.35am. I do make porridge some cold mornings but I put the oats and milk in the microwave so very quick, but not after 8.15 and only if convenient, so not on days when I have babies. Otherwise it's different cereals with milk. No, I would not give lots of berries either as these can be very expensive to use daily. I find these often make a child poo more anyway!!
I no longer do tea as it was taking me away from the children, so we have a snack at 4pm that consists of fruit and toast/teacakes/crumpets/sandwich/bagel/crackers and cheese/ham/marmite etc....
The child will be getting enough calcium from milk if she /he is having the correct amount and also from milk in breakfast and also from cheese and spreads, so should not be needing lots of sugary yoghurts.
As others have said, your business, your rules. You have to do what fits best with your routines for you and all of the children. Parents can provide additional food items if they want to.

[samb]

My dd had terrible constipation problems so therefore lots of poos sounds great to me! How many is she considering to be a lot or is there a problem with the poo she is doing? Do you think she poos too much/unusually? If so maybe suggest she sees a doctor and if not just reassure her - you may have more epxerience than her in the children and poo category?!

In answer to your question re food times - I have 1 child come at 8am once a week and I have told his Mum that I do not do a "breakfast" as such however I will offer a piece of toast or fruit as my children may still be finishing off their breakfast and I don't feel it is fair for the other child to watch. She was happy with this - I don't give him as big a snack mid morning as I would do on days he starts later. Other children do not come until 8:30 ready for school run. Then dinner I do at 5 - I have 1 day with 1 that leaves at 5 without a dinner and then 2 more leave at 5:30 who need a dinner so that is a bit tight - other nights I tend to serve up just before 5 so it is not such a rush. it is too late for my own children o have to wait until after the others have gone for me to then cook and so this suits me fine.