Meals yes or no

[mushpea]

i have provided meals since the start for the mindees because my kids were too young to wait untill they went home and my partner wasnt getting in untill around 7pm anyway so we would eat later. Now my children are older and want to eat with us and Oh is now here at 6pm to eat with us I'm not sure wether to feed the mindees or not.
spoke to one mum who it would affect the most last night (3 kids who dont go home till 6pm) and explained my reasons also saying that i would have more time with the kids and she just sorta went hmmm,, for her children it would be far to late to eat when they got home and it would feel wrong saying i would feed her kids and not the others.
should i keep feeding them then us? or do I say no and then her kids are too tierd to eat, part of me says its not my problem but the other part feels sorry for them and then i think its not that much bother cooking for them but then again i am cooking twice , once for other peoples kids, and it means they all have to come in from the garden cause cant see the garden from the kitchen.
what do you think i should do and what do you all do about meal times with kids that go home late?

[suzyblue]

I do cook for mindees and then for me and my kids later. It is a pain though - could the children have a snack to keep them going until they get home?

[mushpea]

I do cook for mindees and then for me and my kids later. It is a pain though - could the children have a snack to keep them going until they get home?

thought about this but as the youngest is 2yrs and is nearly asleep by the time mum comes anyway it wouldnt work, the other thing at the moment is the 2yrold is being typical 2yrold not eating veg and therefore i am throwing away nearly a whole meal each time which is very annoying.

[youarewhatyoueat]

I stopped doing meals a while back now as i've got 4 children of my own.
I do a healthy snack to keep them going, toast,muffins,tea cakes, cracker bread/marmite etc. and then we eat later.
Its much easier when the clocks change as I find mine tend to stay up a bit later and play out for longer so we eat later.
I do have 2 mindees that bring their own after school snack and that works fine, could mum supply meals that you could reheat.
Personally I find it hard enough to sort out my own children coming home at different times let alone mindees!!!

[jelly15]

I do healthy snacks also.

[solly]

I dont do meals anymore, I have 2 LO's 2 & 4 and mum plates up a dinner for me to give them, and also a packed lunch. She was finding by the time she got home the children were just to tired so i now give them their hot meal at lunch time and they eat it so much better and then they have their sandwich etc at about 4.45

[Fabby]

i will be doing a little snack for my mindees. it being sandwich, toasties, crumpets, pasta, bit of salad, fruit, etc etc. My parents have been fine about this. if they were to go a nursery/after school club then this would be the case there also.
hth

[little chickee]

i would ask mum to supply the kids meals for you to heat up - kids still get their tea but much less work for you.

Things like macaroni cheese, mince, casseroles etc all heat up well.

Also it is much less frustrating if they dont eat it if you have not paid for and spent time cooking it.

[Rubybubbles]

I provide lunch and a light tea, which is as people have said crumpets, pancakes, fruit, toast things we may of made ect ect.

I will be working till 6:15 3 days a week soon and the mum of lo said she wanted tea at home which is great by me! I have not got the time to look after all the children and cook looking after the children is what I am paid for not to be a chef

I do provide, baked pots, pasta, couscous and stuff for lunch though

[The Juggler]

I think it's hard if you''ve always offered it as a service. As a parent with young children if I relied on this meal so I could do bedtime when I got home, I'd be a bit miffed maybe. Mind you, my parent I do this for I told him yesterday x didn't eat her food as it was something she's not keen on (but does eat) and he said he'd make her a snack at home so if they can do that they can start feeding them at home. You could say perhaps you're introducing a charge but that the alternative is, you provide a snack and they eat with her later at home. She may prefer to pay for the meals but at least you've tried.

[sunflower]

I dont provide meals..got to give parents something to do with their kiddies!!!

i do provide snacks

[funemnx]

I stopped doing meals 6 months ago and it's bliss! I do have 2 children 2 nights until 6:30 however, mum brings something for me to heat up in the microwave for them which works well for all of us. The children get something I know they will eat and I don't have to cook

[jules j]

could you do a batch of freezable meals ,eg cottage pies,that you could just heat up daily for mindees at lunch time then a snack at teatime?

[little_gems]

i provide meals but am starting to wonder!!
Some of the children don't eat what i've cooked (the food is fine as me and hubby sit down with them to eat)
Some parent turn up while thier eating so leave it
Other parents feed them AGAIN when they get home!!!

I wonder is it really worth it.
The other thing is its such a rush most of mine leave between 5 - 5.30 and we dont get back from school till 3.45.

[SammyM]

Why not cook at lunchtime for little ones, then mom can provide a packed tea for them to eat at a reasonable hour?? Or batch cook, them you have a freezer full of cottage pies, spag bol, casseroles etc.

Then you won't feel like you're in the kitchen all afternoon!

[miffy]

I have always cooked meals for the mindees, sometimes lunch and tea but I've just decided that after Easter holidays I'm only doing sandwiches for the after-schoolers.

I think this will make life much easier as we'll have more time to go to the park after school instead of having to rush back so I can cook tea for those who leave early.

Miffy xx

[hello kitty]

Nope, never have and never will. Well, actually I do heat up tea for the littlies (provided by mum) but not after schoolers.

[Jelly Baby]

Hi i have an after schooler mon and wed for dinner and it is usually a rush due to clubs etc but she loves it! Hopefully in May when the tiwns start i will then be feeding 4 kids (3 mindees 1 my own) and then come Sept another one so 5 of them!! think im mad but tbh they all will go so late i feel as if i cant leave it till they get home.
I wil make sure tue, thur, fr sat and sun i go out for dinner i think as will be fed up of cooking!!

Good luck with what you choose i know how you feel r.e wasted food but seem to have mine sorted now xx

[charliegee]

I have literally just changed to doing no meals

I now ask parents to provide a packed lunch and do a light snack in the afternoons before kiddies have dinner at home

[polly0]

No, used to but then stopped when I found I was chucking food in the bin all the time

I just do a snack, drink and some fruit and then they can have tea with the parents when they get home.