Thread: Portion Amount?
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My4SunshineGirlsNY 07:09 PM 10-17-2010
I used to just lay out the snacks and let the kids help themselves, until it seemed it was getting out of control. I have one daycare girl age 9 that will eat like a horse. So now I portion out the snacks and give it them and if they are still hungry, I have many other cheaper things I give them an option for, and most of the time the 9 year old girl will suddenly be full.

If it's an apple, my school age kids will eat a whole one, but for the younger ones I split an apple.

I only get paid so much for one child, I don't feel I should spend half of what I get paid on their food bill. Groceries are very expensive...I just spent $70 on a very few items for my own family and didn't seem it got me much.

My 9 year old daycare girls is constantly implying that she is hungry, a lot of times right before pick up and after I already fed her snack. I just politely tell her she will be eating dinner soon at home.

I also buy off brands for the daycare kids where I buy name brands for my family...is that bad? I prefer brand names for my family, but I have a hard time buying all that for the daycare kids because as I mentioned above, I can't see spending over half my daycare money on food as I'm doing daycare to pay my bills, not their grocery bill. My school age daycare girls are here 11 hours/day during the summer and I only get $150 for both of them M-F...that's only $75/piece and I'm feeding them breakfast, snack, lunch snack, AND drinks on that...even buying off brands I'm getting very little for my time.

I know I should raise my rates to accomodate food costs, but I'm just too nervous to, afraid I will lose a couple families over it as they are struggling now and I certainly can't live without this income.
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