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New Members - Welcome to the Daycare.com Forum!>I'm New, & Come With A Question About Parents & Food
Nissa 02:14 PM 09-17-2014
Hello! My name is Nissa and I've been doing daycare for a year now. I had a boy start here last week and today his mom told me that he is starving when he comes home. I thought he was just a light eater. Looks like he's hungry, but would rather play. She wants the tummy full (understandably) but I can not treat him any differently and would not even if I could. Has anyone dealt with this kind of situation before? For the record, he will shovel meat and bread down his throat, but will not touch either fruits or vegetables. I don't serve seconds unless plates are empty.
Blackcat31 02:18 PM 09-17-2014
Welcome to the forum!
I would tell mom that you serve PLENTY of foods that are filling but her child CHOOSES not to eat.
You cannot force him to eat, you can only provide the foods.
I have the same rule about no seconds unless all the other foods are gone.
I refuse to have food battles with kids or parents.
SHE can feed him more at home if he isn't eating enough at your house.
I would tell mom that you serve PLENTY of foods that are filling but her child CHOOSES not to eat.
You cannot force him to eat, you can only provide the foods.
I have the same rule about no seconds unless all the other foods are gone.
I refuse to have food battles with kids or parents.
SHE can feed him more at home if he isn't eating enough at your house.
daycare 03:13 PM 09-17-2014
I agree with the above....
I also tell parents to expect them to come home hungry, especially in the very beginning as they are still trying to adjust to the foods that we serve. I always have this issue with new kids. I learned to be proactive about it and tell the parents this at the time of enrollment.
I would also tell the parent that depending on that time the child is getting picked up could be a reason why they are so hungry.
I serve snack at 300, some kids are here for another 2.5 hours. THen the ride home and waiting for a snack could be another 20+ minutes.
I also tell parents to expect them to come home hungry, especially in the very beginning as they are still trying to adjust to the foods that we serve. I always have this issue with new kids. I learned to be proactive about it and tell the parents this at the time of enrollment.
I would also tell the parent that depending on that time the child is getting picked up could be a reason why they are so hungry.
I serve snack at 300, some kids are here for another 2.5 hours. THen the ride home and waiting for a snack could be another 20+ minutes.
Heidi 03:15 PM 09-17-2014
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
Welcome to the forum!
I would tell mom that you serve PLENTY of foods that are filling but her child CHOOSES not to eat.
You cannot force him to eat, you can only provide the foods.
I have the same rule about no seconds unless all the other foods are gone.
I refuse to have food battles with kids or parents.
SHE can feed him more at home if he isn't eating enough at your house.
Ditto!Welcome to the forum!
I would tell mom that you serve PLENTY of foods that are filling but her child CHOOSES not to eat.
You cannot force him to eat, you can only provide the foods.
I have the same rule about no seconds unless all the other foods are gone.
I refuse to have food battles with kids or parents.
SHE can feed him more at home if he isn't eating enough at your house.
I serve a heavier pm snack though. I claim it as dinner (allowed here), so it has all the components of a lunch/dinner. They eat it at about 3:30.
Nissa 04:40 PM 09-17-2014
Thanks! This has helped quite a bit.
Hazel 08:06 AM 10-29-2014
The group we have right now are ALL late day pick ups so after a few weeks of whining hungry kids at 5pm every day we decided to change things up.
I now have breakfast from 8:30 to 9. I used to feed them as they came and some were here at 7:30am.. Now everyone who is eating breakfast here waits until 8:30. We skip morning snack and do early lunch at 11:30 instead of 12:15. This way we can actually have 2 snacks in the PM after nap. One at 3pm and another small snack at 5. We are still having lunch and two snacks, and now no one is complaining they are "starving".
I have also have had those kids that refuse to eat anything healthy. I have a "no seconds unless you clean your plate" policy. I try to be kid friendly yet healthy, so no excess sugar (cookies ect.) and always provide some kind of fruit and a veggie. I never serve juice so my kids get used water at snack and white milk for breakfast and lunch.
I now have breakfast from 8:30 to 9. I used to feed them as they came and some were here at 7:30am.. Now everyone who is eating breakfast here waits until 8:30. We skip morning snack and do early lunch at 11:30 instead of 12:15. This way we can actually have 2 snacks in the PM after nap. One at 3pm and another small snack at 5. We are still having lunch and two snacks, and now no one is complaining they are "starving".
I have also have had those kids that refuse to eat anything healthy. I have a "no seconds unless you clean your plate" policy. I try to be kid friendly yet healthy, so no excess sugar (cookies ect.) and always provide some kind of fruit and a veggie. I never serve juice so my kids get used water at snack and white milk for breakfast and lunch.
Cat Herder 10:30 AM 10-29-2014
He may also be "hungry" for what is offered at home. Especially if the meals there are not what is required to be served in childcare.
Most kids would claim to be "starving" for nuggets and fries on the way home when the options at daycare were baked chicken, steamed broccoli & baby carrots, orange wedges and brown rice. (my menu today
)
The trick is for parents to learn the code.... Do you give out weekly menus?
Most kids would claim to be "starving" for nuggets and fries on the way home when the options at daycare were baked chicken, steamed broccoli & baby carrots, orange wedges and brown rice. (my menu today
)The trick is for parents to learn the code....
Do you give out weekly menus?
nicole14 09:03 PM 10-29-2014
Every center in my area serves lunch before nap time and I changed lunch until after nap. Now the kids are not as hungry going home. Maybe trying adding late snacks if possible or ask mom to pack foods she knows he will eat..: Sunny:
Play Care 03:14 AM 10-30-2014
Of COURSE he's hungry when he gets home - it's usually around DINNER time when most kids are picked up from child care. Unless he's being picked up MUCH earlier (before 3:30/4:00) then I would just reassure mom that this is normal as it IS dinner time, and it is typical that the child be hungry around that time. I would suggest she serve the vegetable portion of the dinner to her child at the kitchen table while she's preparing dinner - GREAT bonding time, and he might learn to love the carrots I would NOT mess around with snack if what you are serving is healthy and working for you.
The one thing I would suggest (if you don't already) is that when you schedule meals and snacks, everyone comes to the table. At my child care, there is no playing during meal or snack. Everyone comes to the table - they can then choose not to eat, but they have to sit and make "nice" conversation with friends - they wind up eating
On a side note, I did away with AM snack over a year ago. We have a large breakfast, lunch and hearty PM snack. Frankly, I think the constant snacking we seem to engage in has more to do with the obesity issue in our country than anything else (I mean how many times does a child start to fuss and the first "go-to" is a baggie of goldfish or cheddar bunnies?!). It's GOOD for a child to "feel" what hungry is. That's how they learn to eat when they are hungry. I understand it's different for infants and very young toddlers, but once kids get to 2 - 2 1/2 here, we do away with the AM snack. I do NOT carry food with me when we go places either (to the library, or playground) when a child says they are hungry my answer is "Good, it's almost lunch time and you will eat a yummy lunch!"
No one is ever "starving" here - with less than 3 1/3 hours between breakfast and lunch how could they?!
I would NOT mess around with snack if what you are serving is healthy and working for you. The one thing I would suggest (if you don't already) is that when you schedule meals and snacks, everyone comes to the table. At my child care, there is no playing during meal or snack. Everyone comes to the table - they can then choose not to eat, but they have to sit and make "nice" conversation with friends - they wind up eating
On a side note, I did away with AM snack over a year ago. We have a large breakfast, lunch and hearty PM snack. Frankly, I think the constant snacking we seem to engage in has more to do with the obesity issue in our country than anything else (I mean how many times does a child start to fuss and the first "go-to" is a baggie of goldfish or cheddar bunnies?!). It's GOOD for a child to "feel" what hungry is. That's how they learn to eat when they are hungry. I understand it's different for infants and very young toddlers, but once kids get to 2 - 2 1/2 here, we do away with the AM snack. I do NOT carry food with me when we go places either (to the library, or playground) when a child says they are hungry my answer is "Good, it's almost lunch time and you will eat a yummy lunch!"
No one is ever "starving" here - with less than 3 1/3 hours between breakfast and lunch how could they?!
grandmom 03:00 PM 10-31-2014
Tell her it's your plan for him to go home hungry. That way he will sit and eat dinner with his mom and dad.
Snack is snack. Dinner is a meal with mom and dad.
Snack is snack. Dinner is a meal with mom and dad.
nannyde 07:04 AM 11-01-2014
Just respond with "all the kids are hungry at this time of the day. I am too. It's supper time."
You don't get a kid with a full belly at 530 pm. You get a hungry kid who needs to eat supper with his family.
Suggest she may need to have dinner ready right when she walks in the door. Crock pot suppers easily solve this issue.
You don't get a kid with a full belly at 530 pm. You get a hungry kid who needs to eat supper with his family.
Suggest she may need to have dinner ready right when she walks in the door. Crock pot suppers easily solve this issue.
Givingthemgrace 10:39 AM 11-07-2014
I had an older kid (4yo) who was doing this. I was serving real food, and he was not eating. He didn't like anything because it wasn't processed Junk.
spinnymarie 12:15 PM 11-07-2014
Originally Posted by Play Care:
Of COURSE he's hungry when he gets home - it's usually around DINNER time when most kids are picked up from child care. Unless he's being picked up MUCH earlier (before 3:30/4:00) then I would just reassure mom that this is normal as it IS dinner time, and it is typical that the child be hungry around that time. I would suggest she serve the vegetable portion of the dinner to her child at the kitchen table while she's preparing dinner - GREAT bonding time, and he might learn to love the carrots I would NOT mess around with snack if what you are serving is healthy and working for you.
The one thing I would suggest (if you don't already) is that when you schedule meals and snacks, everyone comes to the table. At my child care, there is no playing during meal or snack. Everyone comes to the table - they can then choose not to eat, but they have to sit and make "nice" conversation with friends - they wind up eating
On a side note, I did away with AM snack over a year ago. We have a large breakfast, lunch and hearty PM snack. Frankly, I think the constant snacking we seem to engage in has more to do with the obesity issue in our country than anything else (I mean how many times does a child start to fuss and the first "go-to" is a baggie of goldfish or cheddar bunnies?!). It's GOOD for a child to "feel" what hungry is. That's how they learn to eat when they are hungry. I understand it's different for infants and very young toddlers, but once kids get to 2 - 2 1/2 here, we do away with the AM snack. I do NOT carry food with me when we go places either (to the library, or playground) when a child says they are hungry my answer is "Good, it's almost lunch time and you will eat a yummy lunch!" No one is ever "starving" here - with less than 3 1/3 hours between breakfast and lunch how could they?!
I'm with PlayCare 100%. I'd tell mom I was glad he was good and ready for dinner, and I often tell kids that feeling hungry is the perfect way to feel when we are getting set for the next meal. We do breakfast at 8:30, lunch at 11:30 and PM snack at 2:30. Eating dinner at 5:30 still puts kids at eating every 3 hours which is a VERY reasonable time frame.Of COURSE he's hungry when he gets home - it's usually around DINNER time when most kids are picked up from child care. Unless he's being picked up MUCH earlier (before 3:30/4:00) then I would just reassure mom that this is normal as it IS dinner time, and it is typical that the child be hungry around that time. I would suggest she serve the vegetable portion of the dinner to her child at the kitchen table while she's preparing dinner - GREAT bonding time, and he might learn to love the carrots
I would NOT mess around with snack if what you are serving is healthy and working for you. The one thing I would suggest (if you don't already) is that when you schedule meals and snacks, everyone comes to the table. At my child care, there is no playing during meal or snack. Everyone comes to the table - they can then choose not to eat, but they have to sit and make "nice" conversation with friends - they wind up eating
On a side note, I did away with AM snack over a year ago. We have a large breakfast, lunch and hearty PM snack. Frankly, I think the constant snacking we seem to engage in has more to do with the obesity issue in our country than anything else (I mean how many times does a child start to fuss and the first "go-to" is a baggie of goldfish or cheddar bunnies?!). It's GOOD for a child to "feel" what hungry is. That's how they learn to eat when they are hungry. I understand it's different for infants and very young toddlers, but once kids get to 2 - 2 1/2 here, we do away with the AM snack. I do NOT carry food with me when we go places either (to the library, or playground) when a child says they are hungry my answer is "Good, it's almost lunch time and you will eat a yummy lunch!"
No one is ever "starving" here - with less than 3 1/3 hours between breakfast and lunch how could they?!