Originally Posted by daycare_jen:
I believe that in my area, parents may opt out. However, the center I was at would not give that option. I felt it was wrong of them to require me to bring in meals for my daughter that they were counting as if they had served them. They also falsified the meal records after teachers marked the meals for each child, they would fill them out for children that were not there. Many of the teachers there thought this was ok. I only worked there a few months after my daughter started there and then I began my own in home daycare. I am not on the food program, because I want to be able to be accommodating to my families I provide for. A DCM recently said to me, "oh, we are avoiding oranges and orange juice because of his diaper rash." I replied, we haven't had any recently (he still was having issues) and I was able to suggest that I thought dairy was giving him problems. So, we did almond milk and dairy free for his last week here before summer.... and his bottom was looking so much better. So, no actual diagnosis or doctor's order, but yes, we had made some progress.
I totally get that the center was not right for me or my daughter, I was doing what I could in that situation, as it was my income at the time. Her doctor agreed with me, given my husband's health history. I just think that there should be some flexibility in what we provide children. I know there is no easy answer to this, as the number of food allergies and intolerances has increased dramatically over the more recent years. Ultimately, it is up to each provider what they are willing to do or not do... so if OP does not want a child to bring their own meals or make changes to the daycare meal plan, let that family know so they can move on.
I completely get what you are saying. I'm not really concerned about the food program as I just signed up this month and am still trying to figure out how it works. I just feel like shes not being honest about things and that's why there is no documentation. If she would've said he was on an organic gluten free diet by choice then I wouldn't have enrolled because that's not how my program works. This mom also said her son has asthma and an attachment anxiety disorder but there is no paperwork about it. His medical states there are no medical or food issues. Its kind of funny because at playtime dcb was playing with the McDonalds cash register and scanning items saying it was his organic happy meal from McDonalds that mommy always buys him for being a good listener.
