charging extra for lunch

[Joannechildmind]

I have posted about this before but still havent managed to work out a way of doing this fairly so here goes-:

I care for 2 part timers 3 hours a day for 3 days a week 12pm until 3pm.
they never arrive with lunch and never eat beforehand even though soemtimes they are an hour late.
The other mindies are here from 8am until 4.30pm and i dont charge them for food but see it as finacially viable as i have them for longer hours each day.
could i charge this family £1.50 per day per child for lunch (snacks will be in with the price) and not charge the other family, or charge for both? iyswim
The way i see it i earn £15 per day and pay out around a £5 of that on lunches per day just for these two children.

[cuffleygirl]

They arrive with lunch or they are charged for it - simple as!

Doesn't 12-3 stop you going out for the day 3 days a week? with your cost of providing their lunch is it worth it? especially if you're hanging around waiting for them to arrive it must be like working in cafe at lunch time!

[Joannechildmind]

i can go out and just have to arrange a place to meet them. Mum doesnt start work until 1.30pm so brings them anything up until 1pm, it is a pain in the bum, and yes i do feel like a cafe preparing 5 or 6 sandwiches a day.

[~Chelle~]

Charge for it.

I charge one little boy for food and the other 3 all bring their own lunch. If they didnt, they would be charged also.

Like you say, it hardly seems worth it if you are paying out for their food.

[Chatterbox Childcare]

If you feel that they are eating £2.50 worth of food each then charge the parents that or ask them to bring a packed lunch when they come. Don't let it cost you anything.