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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>OMG If I Hear This One More Time!!!!!!
littlemisssunshine 07:46 AM 07-09-2012
OK so i have a new dcf of 3 kids they come from 6am-3:30 p.m. as soon as the children get here at 6 am they say they are hungry and want to eat.. not only that but every hour they tell me they are hungry and thirsty. my meal time are BFast at 8am AM Snack at 10am Lunch at 12 and right after lunch they take a nap as soon as they wake up from nap they tell me they are hungry!!!!! all day they tell me they are hungry and thirsty!! im about losing it i cant make them food every single hour!!! none of my other dck's are like this. what would you do? i am in the food program but they only reimburse 3 meals and i already give an extra PM snack at no charge
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sharlan 08:14 AM 07-09-2012
I can understand why they're asking for food and drinks in the morning. They probably get up about 5AM and you don't serve breakfast for another 3 hours. That's really a long time for a little tummy.

Ask the parents to give them a granola bar or some yogurt to hold them over until you serve breakfast. You can even ask the parents to bring a box of granola bars or some yogurt for you to keep on hand for them.
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Blackcat31 08:23 AM 07-09-2012
Every once in a while I will get a kid like that.... personally I think they are either used to "munching" all day at home or eating out of boredom. But no matter the reason, I will respond by saying "Well Johnny, lunch (snack or whatever meal) is coming up soon in just XX more minutes." I say nothing else. If the child continues to ask for food I will repeat the samething.

I don't do meals/snacks outside the scheduled times.

I do try to do a water break inbetween meals/snacks so ALL kids can quench their thirst but even then, if they start asking for water when we just had a drink, I will say "Sorry Johnny, you will have to wait til next water break".

Keep saying the same thing and they will catch on. Like I said, I'm betting they have no meal times/schedule at home. I would mention to parents too how you are handling this (and why) so they know too.
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cheerfuldom 08:45 AM 07-09-2012
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
Every once in a while I will get a kid like that.... personally I think they are either used to "munching" all day at home or eating out of boredom. But no matter the reason, I will respond by saying "Well Johnny, lunch (snack or whatever meal) is coming up soon in just XX more minutes." I say nothing else. If the child continues to ask for food I will repeat the samething.

I don't do meals/snacks outside the scheduled times.

I do try to do a water break inbetween meals/snacks so ALL kids can quench their thirst but even then, if they start asking for water when we just had a drink, I will say "Sorry Johnny, you will have to wait til next water break".

Keep saying the same thing and they will catch on. Like I said, I'm betting they have no meal times/schedule at home. I would mention to parents too how you are handling this (and why) so they know too.
Agreed. OP, your meal schedule is very reasonable. There is no reason why they cant wait. Make sure mom is giving them something in the morning to tide them over till breakfast. Outside of that, it sounds like boredom and bad habits.
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christinaskids 09:34 AM 07-09-2012
They could just possibly be thirsty. You could keep a drink available to them at all times. My kids have cups sitting on the table for whenever they want. Otherwise, i dont give them things to munch on either they can wait, i serve three meals and a snack.
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Crazy8 10:03 AM 07-09-2012
agree with Blackcat.... they are probably just used to grabbing a snack any time they want and are saying "I'm hungry" out of boredom. I would tell parents they need to eat a little something before they come over - I would not give it to them at your house unless they are the only ones there that early or before you know it everyone will be coming in with their pre-breakfast snack.
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Heidi 10:25 AM 07-09-2012
I agree with Black cat, except the water thing. Most of my kids know where there cups are, and can get a drink of water from the fridge door (although once the shine wears off, they rarely do). Our food program is adamant about water being "available at all times".

If you have a cellphone, try this...set a ring tone (we use the Gummy Bear Song) for each meal time, sort of like the lunch bell at school. If they ask when's breakfast, just say "you'll know when you here the song". My kids LOVE this, and it's helped a lot.

As for breakfast, maybe they are hungry at 6 if they get up at 5 to get there. Maybe their parents could give them some milk and a granola bar before comming, just to hold them over? Or a banana? Just a little something...healthy? One of mine gets here at 7, and breakfast is at 8:30, so they usually give him a handful of cereal, a banana, or a few animal crackers in the car on the way here. He still eats a good breakfast.
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seebachers 10:45 AM 07-09-2012
I would have to agree with Sharlan. I know that there are a lot of people who are hungry and need to eat pretty soon after waking. Many daycares serve breakfast up to a certain time especially for children that come so early. Ask the parent to give them something to hold them over. It is not the chilren's fault that they have to be up so early and then have to wait almost three extra hours to eat seems to be extreme - if they eat supper at 6:00 p.m. (maybe a small snack in the evening). You are asking them to wait over 10 - 12 hours. Some children just can't do it.
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saved4always 12:52 PM 07-09-2012
I would just tell them every time they ask that it is not snack time yet (or breakfast time or lunch time, etc.). Eventually they should get it. If you do not want to serve them breakfast right when they come and the parents don't have time to serve it before drop off, I would ask the parents to pack a small healthy snack for them to have right when they arrive. Let the parents know when the snack and meal times are on your schedule and that those are the only ones you provide.
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DaisyMamma 12:56 PM 07-09-2012
If your breakfast is not until 8am then the parents should be feeding them before bringing them. That is a long time to wait, but it is not your responsibility to feed them at 6. But you do need to let the parents know that they are hungry upon arrival and remind the parents that you do not serve breakfast until 8, so maybe they should eat at home before coming.

The other times of the day really sound like boredom. I'm sure they can eat at home whenever they like all day long.
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