Providing dinners

[mumofone]

What happens if one family wants you to do their child dinner but another doesn't? How does that work with the children? Do they just have to accept they are not getting dinner or does it cause problems?

[moggy]

I avoid these problems by having food included with in my fees (so no one opting out of meals because of cost).

I serve dinner at 5pm and if they are here they get dinner (I will not have some at the table eating and some not at the table because they eat at home, I need to supervise all so all sit at the table).

If they do not want dinner they need to pick-up before 5pm. I have always made this clear to new parents and never had a problem.

[natlou82]

I do exactly the same as Moggy. All meals are included in my fees. If children are picked up before 5pm they will not get Dinner. Otherwise I kindly ask parents to pick up after 5:30 as to not disturb dinner. All of the children I care for have dinner here.

[loocyloo]

I provide all meals, included in my costs.

We eat at 4.30 as I have children collected from 5.15 onwards. I have had the occasional parent who doesn't want their child to have 'tea' as such, so they have a snack, but it is usually a component of the main meal, or a very small portion! again, everyone sits at the table. the only exception to this is a baby who is on a different routine, but I usually quickly bring them round to my routine, plus I've yet to find a baby who ( if awake! ) doesn't want food if everyone else is eating!

I also say no collections between 4.30 and 5.15.


I was just thinking about it, and at the moment meals are a moveable feast - as DD and other schoolies do clubs a couple of afternoons and so we have tea a little later to accommodate them ( although I have a LO who just couldn't wait those extra 15 minutes, so he has tea earlier before we collect the schoolies! ) and then another afternoon, we have tea earlier as DD ( and a schoolie ) have an early dance class! but it works!!!

[FloraDora]

I provide lunch, but not dinner.
I provide an afternoon snack, which keeps them going until they get home and have a family dinner.
My dinner is at 6.30 if any child is here they are welcome to share it at no extra cost - this has happened once.

Like others have implied, I think you need to have one system, you all eat food provided by you, or they all bring a packed dinner.
I personally would not want lunch / dinner box envy and so think it's better to provide for everyone within the hourly/ daily costs. I wouldn't want a situation where I have several meals to prepare from a lunch box, heating up, opening and serving etc...

I personally think though that children should be having a meal at home with parents, it's important for families. If you can pick your child up before 5.30 then you have time, with organisation to have a meal together at night.
so perhaps your parent that doesn't want child to have evening meal at the childminders early wants to have a meal at home together?
It must be tricky for parents when choosing a CM - they might want an evening meal as a priority and what the child does activity wise, secondary. Or they might like that the activities are priority and eating secondary, they might like a CM but not the fact that they don't provide meals or they might go with the meal but not be so keen that the CM is occupied for part of that time preparing a meal....I have put off parents because of meal not being provided I know one has chosen me because of me, but loves it if the snack has been more substantial, left over pizza from lunch rather than crackers because they want their child to be in bed as soon as poss.

[bunyip]

I provide lunch, but not dinner.
I provide an afternoon snack, which keeps them going until they get home and have a family dinner.
My dinner is at 6.30 if any child is here they are welcome to share it at no extra cost - this has happened once.

Like others have implied, I think you need to have one system, you all eat food provided by you, or they all bring a packed dinner.
I personally would not want lunch / dinner box envy and so think it's better to provide for everyone within the hourly/ daily costs. I wouldn't want a situation where I have several meals to prepare from a lunch box, heating up, opening and serving etc...

I personally think though that children should be having a meal at home with parents, it's important for families. If you can pick your child up before 5.30 then you have time, with organisation to have a meal together at night.
so perhaps your parent that doesn't want child to have evening meal at the childminders early wants to have a meal at home together?
It must be tricky for parents when choosing a CM - they might want an evening meal as a priority and what the child does activity wise, secondary. Or they might like that the activities are priority and eating secondary, they might like a CM but not the fact that they don't provide meals or they might go with the meal but not be so keen that the CM is occupied for part of that time preparing a meal....I have put off parents because of meal not being provided I know one has chosen me because of me, but loves it if the snack has been more substantial, left over pizza from lunch rather than crackers because they want their child to be in bed as soon as poss.

I agree. Same reasons why I do one simple system: I provide food, it's included in the cost so the only choice - take it or leave it.

Btw, do you mean proper "dinner" at dinner time as in civilised parts, or this weird Midlands/Northern thing of having "dinner" at "lunch time"?

[FloraDora]

I agree. Same reasons why I do one simple system: I provide food, it's included in the cost so the only choice - take it or leave it.

Btw, do you mean proper "dinner" at dinner time as in civilised parts, or this weird Midlands/Northern thing of having "dinner" at "lunch time"?

I grew up with dinner at lunch time - and tea at teatime, but I was a free school meal child- then went to university and realised there was such a thing as 'lunch'. I loved it , salads that had more than cucumber and tomato and lettuce, pate!! (Although my mum did make 'potted meat' which was the same except it had a horrible name. ) quiche ( our version- bacon and egg pie - but it had a top) crudités - not cooked veg?? , open sanwiches, a variety of bread - not just sliced white. My biggest discovery was mushrooms and pasta. Can you imagine a world without pasta? So I left after 3 years and had become a lunch and dinner person....teatime cakes tended to be eaten at coffe time in the morning, my parents thought I had become 'posh'. Food was fuel.
So I am a Midlands person, but now have a ' light lunch ' meal and a bigger dinner in the evening- though, the experts do say that you shouldn't eat late. I love the wind down after a day at work , music on, together preparing with DH. We don't eat fancy meals midweek, but enjoy the togetherness of deciding and chatting as we cook. By the time we have eaten and cleared the table then a big part of the evening has gone though, but as we don't watch much TV it doesn't bother us. Far from the food fuel scenario.

[FussyElmo]

I agree. Same reasons why I do one simple system: I provide food, it's included in the cost so the only choice - take it or leave it.

Btw, do you mean proper "dinner" at dinner time as in civilised parts, or this weird Midlands/Northern thing of having "dinner" at "lunch time"?

Im being strange and having dinner for lunch

And we will be having tea later

[Maza]

We digress! Being a Northerner I was also a dinner and tea girl. When I moved down south I became a lunch and dinner girl - and yes, Floradora, my family also thought I had 'got all posh' because of it! I had friends at uni who would use the word 'supper' for their evening meal - I never got that!

It's the same with trousers and pants...

[bunyip]

Ah, that got the discussion going.

Now, time for tea................and scones (..............however you pronounce them.)

[Mouse]

We digress! Being a Northerner I was also a dinner and tea girl. When I moved down south I became a lunch and dinner girl - and yes, Floradora, my family also thought I had 'got all posh' because of it! I had friends at uni who would use the word 'supper' for their evening meal - I never got that!

I'm originally a southerner, so grew up with lunch and dinner (a cooked evening meal) or tea (a lighter meal, usually cold, so sandwiches, quiche etc)

Now I'm further north I'm often told I'm posh because we have lunch. All my mindees call it lunch - one mum told me they laugh at home because lo will tell them off for calling it dinner not lunch!

[Mouse]

Ah, that got the discussion going.

Now, time for tea................and scones (..............however you pronounce them.)

That causes more arguments in our family than any discussion on religion or politics!!

I'm a 'rhymes with con' girl whereas the rest of the family are very much in the 'rhymes with cone' camp

[bunyip]

That causes more arguments in our family than any discussion on religion or politics!!

I'm a 'rhymes with con' girl whereas the rest of the family are very much in the 'rhymes with cone' camp

I think I'm the only person on the planet who pronounces "scone" to rhyme with "spoon".

My reasoning is that they make lovely scones in Scotland, where the 'Stone of Destiny' is also known as "The Stoon of Scoon".

[Lal]

It doesn't matter how you say it. What's important is that you make a proper job of scone and put the jam on first and then the Cornish clotted cream

[FloraDora]

It doesn't matter how you say it. What's important is that you make a proper job of scone and put the jam on first and then the Cornish clotted cream

I say scone rhyming with con but have a preference for cheese scon ,chilli jam ( home made) and mascopone cheese ...my parents would not have approved!

[bunyip]

I say scone rhyming with con but have a preference for cheese scon ,chilli jam ( home made) and mascopone cheese ...my parents would not have approved!

Out-flippin'-standing.

(Do you do deliveries?)

[FloraDora]

Out-flippin'-standing.

(Do you do deliveries?)

If you are ever nearby I will serve you - but will it be elevenses, light lunch or an afternoon snack?? Currently we don't do home delivery...but we do provide 'take aways' - DH often does the M&S meal deal equivalent for £7 - home made elderflower wine included - Friday night take away for our parents - they love it.

[JoRo163]

I avoid these problems by having food included with in my fees (so no one opting out of meals because of cost). I serve dinner at 5pm and if they are here they get dinner (I will not have some at the table eating and some not at the table because they eat at home, I need to supervise all so all sit at the table). If they do not want dinner they need to pick-up before 5pm. I have always made this clear to new parents and never had a problem.

This is what I do, and never had any probs!

[Simona]

What happens if one family wants you to do their child dinner but another doesn't? How does that work with the children? Do they just have to accept they are not getting dinner or does it cause problems?

If you include meals in your fees then you could offer a snack to the child whose parents do not wish you to provide dinner for and children would accept that.
If that is explained then the child can sit with all the children....this happens at school I think...those who have school lunch provided free sit along those who do not.

[hectors house]

If you are ever nearby I will serve you - but will it be elevenses, light lunch or an afternoon snack?? Currently we don't do home delivery...but we do provide 'take aways' - DH often does the M&S meal deal equivalent for £7 - home made elderflower wine included - Friday night take away for our parents - they love it.

When I say to the parents that their child has had eg: home made lamb tagine or fish pie, they often say they wish they could come for lunch - maybe I could make extra and offer a take away option.