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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Is This A Bit Much Or Am I Wrong?
justgettingstarted 05:25 PM 07-09-2012
DCD of my 5 month old DCB shows up this morning with no warning saying they started DCB on cereal and want him to have cereal at every feeding starting today. I have very detailed written instructions from mom telling me to feed him a 2 ounce bottle of breast milk, then feed him cereal, then another bottle of formula until he's full. I didn't even have a high chair out so we skipped it at the morning feeding. The second feeding with the whole routine took about 40 minutes - three times a day! I don't even see why he needs cereal yet but that's another issue. These are the same people that refuse to work with me on his schedule so he sleeps when everyone else is awake and is awake during afternoon nap. Im starting to understand why so many don't do young infants...
cheerfuldom 05:47 PM 07-09-2012
Originally Posted by thinkinboutstarting:
DCD of my 5 month old DCB shows up this morning with no warning saying they started DCB on cereal and want him to have cereal at every feeding starting today. I have very detailed written instructions from mom telling me to feed him a 2 ounce bottle of breast milk, then feed him cereal, then another bottle of formula until he's full. I didn't even have a high chair out so we skipped it at the morning feeding. The second feeding with the whole routine took about 40 minutes - three times a day! I don't even see why he needs cereal yet but that's another issue. These are the same people that refuse to work with me on his schedule so he sleeps when everyone else is awake and is awake during afternoon nap. Im starting to understand why so many don't do young infants...
I think you sort of screwed yourself here....you are already doing "special" for them by putting up with a schedule that does not work for you and it will be even harder, if not impossible, to say no to further individualized care. Its up to you now if you want to continuing offering lots of extra time trying to make a baby eat who is probably not ready anyway. Babies do take a lot of time but the goal is eventually to have them on a consistent schedule that works with the your program as a whole. If you dont think that you can do that or that they are asking for too much one on one attention, then you will have to decide if you are willing to do this or not. I would have no problem explaining to a parent that I cannot do 3 40 minute feedings per day, it takes too much time away from the other children. If she wants him feed cereal three times a day, she can do one for breakfast and one for lunch on her time, you can do one feeding on your time. From the sounds of it though, she isnt up for anything but what she wants done...her way.DCD of my 5 month old DCB shows up this morning with no warning saying they started DCB on cereal and want him to have cereal at every feeding starting today. I have very detailed written instructions from mom telling me to feed him a 2 ounce bottle of breast milk, then feed him cereal, then another bottle of formula until he's full. I didn't even have a high chair out so we skipped it at the morning feeding. The second feeding with the whole routine took about 40 minutes - three times a day! I don't even see why he needs cereal yet but that's another issue. These are the same people that refuse to work with me on his schedule so he sleeps when everyone else is awake and is awake during afternoon nap. Im starting to understand why so many don't do young infants...
Sunshine44 06:11 PM 07-09-2012
From someone who has been there and just got rid of a "special" family...Do NOT do it! Let them go or tell them no. Seriously, nothing is worth it and nothing will change these I'm special, my child is the center of the universe people.
justgettingstarted 06:22 PM 07-09-2012
Thank you both for confirming that this is too much. To be fair these are first timers recently from another country that don't really understand the daycare business. I think it's time to put my foot down and tell them what DCBs schedule will be if they want him to continue coming to MY daycare. This won't be pleasant but I just found out I'm pregnant (!!!) and I need to take care of myself.
BumbleBee 06:28 PM 07-09-2012
If it were me, I would tell her that you can do 1 feeding with cereal a day. Once he gets that down to a reasonable time. 40 minutes seems excessive, but it's probably because he's just learning to eat 'solids.' Perhaps once he gets it down a bit more, you can offer to add another feeding with cereal.
However, them coming in and telling you what to do is a little concerning. They strike me as the type of people who believe they are your boss.
Just my 2 cents. Let us know what happens.
However, them coming in and telling you what to do is a little concerning. They strike me as the type of people who believe they are your boss.
Just my 2 cents. Let us know what happens.
cheerfuldom 06:52 PM 07-09-2012
Originally Posted by thinkinboutstarting:
Thank you both for confirming that this is too much. To be fair these are first timers recently from another country that don't really understand the daycare business. I think it's time to put my foot down and tell them what DCBs schedule will be if they want him to continue coming to MY daycare. This won't be pleasant but I just found out I'm pregnant (!!!) and I need to take care of myself.
hey congrats!! as someone who has been thru two and a half pregnancies will doing daycare (I am 20 weeks with my fourth child), please do yourself a favor and get all the kinks worked out right now. You need to take care of yourself both physically and emotionally during this time and the last thing you need is a super demanding family. I understand they are new to the country but at a certain point, they have to learn how to work with the daycare provider or look for someone who will do it their (which may end up being a nanny).Thank you both for confirming that this is too much. To be fair these are first timers recently from another country that don't really understand the daycare business. I think it's time to put my foot down and tell them what DCBs schedule will be if they want him to continue coming to MY daycare. This won't be pleasant but I just found out I'm pregnant (!!!) and I need to take care of myself.
Blackcat31 07:33 PM 07-09-2012
Congratulations on your pregnancy!!! 
As far as your issue, why are YOU being asked to feed the baby cereal 3x's per day? As a parent, I would do breakfast (great way to spend some bonding time with my baby) and then expect you to cover a.m. snack/lunch and p.m. snack and I'd do dinner.... Kwim?
How long is baby there during the day? I would have a talk with mom. With infants, I really feel it has to be the parent who bears the burden of a majority of the child's basic needs.... Eating, sleep routines, toilet training etc.
Asking you to do this is expecting way too much and isn't fair to you, the other kids or the baby.
As far as your issue, why are YOU being asked to feed the baby cereal 3x's per day? As a parent, I would do breakfast (great way to spend some bonding time with my baby) and then expect you to cover a.m. snack/lunch and p.m. snack and I'd do dinner.... Kwim?
How long is baby there during the day? I would have a talk with mom. With infants, I really feel it has to be the parent who bears the burden of a majority of the child's basic needs.... Eating, sleep routines, toilet training etc.
Asking you to do this is expecting way too much and isn't fair to you, the other kids or the baby.
BumbleBee 07:34 PM 07-09-2012
Congrats on the pregnancy!
skittles 07:47 PM 07-09-2012
Could you just put the cereal into the bottle? Here all the doctors suggest doing that until you mix the cereal with fruit, just make sure it is diluted and you have a fast flow nipple. Then you could just say sure no prob to the parents, baby gets cereal and no extra time taken up... Everyone is happy.
SilverSabre25 04:55 AM 07-10-2012
You're right, he certainly doesn't need that much cereal at such a young age. Three times a day?! How much are we talking? PLEASE tell me it's a proper serving of just a tablespoon or so...but I have a suspicion NOT. I think that what they are doing is awfully dangerous for the baby, honestly. Poor thing.
Baby cereal has next to no nutrition, either. Certainly nothing on the breastmilk and formula.
I would NOT do that here. My infant policy is that parents can start solids whenever they want at home for breakfast/dinner/whatever, and I will start solids at daycare at 8 months or when they feel baby is ready, if baby is slow to take to the solids. My reasoning is that it gives them time to get baby accustomed to solids and get a good variety of foods introduced and trialed. It also saves me from having to be a party to stupid things parents do to feed their children.
Baby cereal has next to no nutrition, either. Certainly nothing on the breastmilk and formula.
I would NOT do that here. My infant policy is that parents can start solids whenever they want at home for breakfast/dinner/whatever, and I will start solids at daycare at 8 months or when they feel baby is ready, if baby is slow to take to the solids. My reasoning is that it gives them time to get baby accustomed to solids and get a good variety of foods introduced and trialed. It also saves me from having to be a party to stupid things parents do to feed their children.
EntropyControlSpecialist 05:12 AM 07-10-2012
Originally Posted by SilverSabre25:
You're right, he certainly doesn't need that much cereal at such a young age. Three times a day?! How much are we talking? PLEASE tell me it's a proper serving of just a tablespoon or so...but I have a suspicion NOT. I think that what they are doing is awfully dangerous for the baby, honestly. Poor thing.
Baby cereal has next to no nutrition, either. Certainly nothing on the breastmilk and formula.
I would NOT do that here. My infant policy is that parents can start solids whenever they want at home for breakfast/dinner/whatever, and I will start solids at daycare at 8 months or when they feel baby is ready, if baby is slow to take to the solids. My reasoning is that it gives them time to get baby accustomed to solids and get a good variety of foods introduced and trialed. It also saves me from having to be a party to stupid things parents do to feed their children.
I agree.You're right, he certainly doesn't need that much cereal at such a young age. Three times a day?! How much are we talking? PLEASE tell me it's a proper serving of just a tablespoon or so...but I have a suspicion NOT. I think that what they are doing is awfully dangerous for the baby, honestly. Poor thing.
Baby cereal has next to no nutrition, either. Certainly nothing on the breastmilk and formula.
I would NOT do that here. My infant policy is that parents can start solids whenever they want at home for breakfast/dinner/whatever, and I will start solids at daycare at 8 months or when they feel baby is ready, if baby is slow to take to the solids. My reasoning is that it gives them time to get baby accustomed to solids and get a good variety of foods introduced and trialed. It also saves me from having to be a party to stupid things parents do to feed their children.
http://kellymom.com/nutrition/starti.../delay-solids/
AnneCordelia 05:23 AM 07-10-2012
I agree with the two above posters. Perhaps say that withoutnspecific medical instructions from the doctor, it is the policy of my daycare to follow the guidelines set out by the American Pediatric Society and not start solids before 6 months.
SilverSabre25 07:17 AM 07-10-2012
Originally Posted by AnneCordelia:
I agree with the two above posters. Perhaps say that withoutnspecific medical instructions from the doctor, it is the policy of my daycare to follow the guidelines set out by the American Pediatric Society and not start solids before 6 months.
That's a good phrasing.I agree with the two above posters. Perhaps say that withoutnspecific medical instructions from the doctor, it is the policy of my daycare to follow the guidelines set out by the American Pediatric Society and not start solids before 6 months.
My rationale for not feeding solids *at daycare* until 8 months is that I'm worried about obnoxious lazy-ass parents giving ME all the mess and fuss of starting their baby on solids. I can totally see some of the ones I've had doing that. Besides, they don't need three+ solid meals a day until they're older.
Oneluckymom 10:33 AM 07-10-2012
I didn't read all the posts , however I have in my handbook the I DO NOT begin feeding here prior to 7-8 months of age. Not only is it not healthy for baby but it also takes time to get them trained to properly eat solids. I would just tell them sorry but they need to work more on baby at home and you'll try again in a few months. 5 months is really early for baby to be eating three times a day as baby still needs lots of milk. If baby is breast-feeding this is all the nutrion baby needs for at least 2 more months. I suggests politely passing it on to the parents to feed solids at home for a while.
Heidi 11:50 AM 07-10-2012
Originally Posted by thinkinboutstarting:
Thank you both for confirming that this is too much. To be fair these are first timers recently from another country that don't really understand the daycare business. I think it's time to put my foot down and tell them what DCBs schedule will be if they want him to continue coming to MY daycare. This won't be pleasant but I just found out I'm pregnant (!!!) and I need to take care of myself.
Thank you both for confirming that this is too much. To be fair these are first timers recently from another country that don't really understand the daycare business. I think it's time to put my foot down and tell them what DCBs schedule will be if they want him to continue coming to MY daycare. This won't be pleasant but I just found out I'm pregnant (!!!) and I need to take care of myself.
First of all, congradulations!
This is GROUP care. Basically, you are not their personal nanny, and if that is what they are looking for, they need to hire such a person.
There is another post here about the baby eating too much. Look there for some infant meal pattern requirement charts, and give them to the parents.
As far as the napping..yeah...that would be your job to determine, not theirs to demand. THEY aren't with the child 9 hours a day, you are, and you have the needs of the whole group (yourself included) to consider.
harperluu 12:55 PM 07-10-2012
Originally Posted by SilverSabre25:
You're right, he certainly doesn't need that much cereal at such a young age. Three times a day?! How much are we talking? PLEASE tell me it's a proper serving of just a tablespoon or so...but I have a suspicion NOT. I think that what they are doing is awfully dangerous for the baby, honestly. Poor thing.
Baby cereal has next to no nutrition, either. Certainly nothing on the breastmilk and formula.
I would NOT do that here. My infant policy is that parents can start solids whenever they want at home for breakfast/dinner/whatever, and I will start solids at daycare at 8 months or when they feel baby is ready, if baby is slow to take to the solids. My reasoning is that it gives them time to get baby accustomed to solids and get a good variety of foods introduced and trialed. It also saves me from having to be a party to stupid things parents do to feed their children.
I love this and so true! I always let first time parents especially know, that baby food is for practice. It shouldn't be substituted for nutrition or take the place of feedings. I frequently see parents shoveling large quantities of baby food in increasing jar sizes to their young infants. They get stuck in a rut, and transitions to finger foods are difficult because babies get used to the shoveling and don't always want to do the developmental work for their food. You're right, he certainly doesn't need that much cereal at such a young age. Three times a day?! How much are we talking? PLEASE tell me it's a proper serving of just a tablespoon or so...but I have a suspicion NOT. I think that what they are doing is awfully dangerous for the baby, honestly. Poor thing.
Baby cereal has next to no nutrition, either. Certainly nothing on the breastmilk and formula.
I would NOT do that here. My infant policy is that parents can start solids whenever they want at home for breakfast/dinner/whatever, and I will start solids at daycare at 8 months or when they feel baby is ready, if baby is slow to take to the solids. My reasoning is that it gives them time to get baby accustomed to solids and get a good variety of foods introduced and trialed. It also saves me from having to be a party to stupid things parents do to feed their children.
I have a one year old right now, that will not take a bottle or sippy unless someone is holding it. I won't hold it per se, but mom reports with a sigh and oh well, that she just wants mom to do it for her. I offer the sippy, encourage her to hold it at each feeding and we play the game of she holds it for a sec until she realizes I'm not holding it then lets it fall and tears. Getting her to take finger foods has been a chore, with open bird mouth as I approach and hold a food up for her to grasp. So frustrating, but she's figuring out I'm not hand-feeding her, when she is developmentally able to feed herself.
Sorry, but that was a rant. Just identifying with the stupid things parents do to get their kids to eat bit.
justgettingstarted 09:30 PM 07-10-2012
Thanks everyone! I'm so excited to be pregnant again 
it's a big reason I started my daycare.
I agree that its too early to start solids especially for this little guy. He can't even sit up in a highchair yet without shoulder straps - DCD actually told me to be careful because he falls onto the tray sometimes
DCD does drop offs and pick ups so I never see mom but I know she's the one calling the shots, so tonight I'm going to send her an email letting her know that I'm not comfortable starting solids yet here at daycare. I appreciate the suggested wording and will definitely use some of them!
I was really ready to term yesterday and am feeling a lot better about things now. I'm such a people-pleaser and hate saying no because I have such good relationships with all of my parents and don't want that to change. But being pregnant changes things so much. I also changed things around so that nap times are stress free even though he's on an opposite nap schedule.
it's a big reason I started my daycare.I agree that its too early to start solids especially for this little guy. He can't even sit up in a highchair yet without shoulder straps - DCD actually told me to be careful because he falls onto the tray sometimes
DCD does drop offs and pick ups so I never see mom but I know she's the one calling the shots, so tonight I'm going to send her an email letting her know that I'm not comfortable starting solids yet here at daycare. I appreciate the suggested wording and will definitely use some of them!I was really ready to term yesterday and am feeling a lot better about things now. I'm such a people-pleaser and hate saying no because I have such good relationships with all of my parents and don't want that to change. But being pregnant changes things so much. I also changed things around so that nap times are stress free even though he's on an opposite nap schedule.
justgettingstarted 03:26 PM 07-13-2012
I talked to Dad at pick up about delaying feeding here at daycare and he really didn't get it - his answer was, he'll be 6 months in a few weeks, isn't that close enough? I also talked to Mom over email again about them keeping him up in the mornings so that he can be on a more regular schedule while here and they just aren't willing to work with me at all. So...I termed! I HATE having to term, its uncomfortable, I was cringing the whole time but I feel SO much better now that I did. I gave them 30 days notice and I can't wait to get back to my normal routine with my toddlers! I also already have two interviews scheduled for Sunday to fill the position. One is a one year old that would be fulltime! (current DCB is Monday thru Thursday which is a pain because I can't ever fill just Friday). Whew!