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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>In the Refrigerator
mamamanda 05:42 AM 03-13-2018
Infant dcg usually naps during breakfast time. Today I'd just got kids sat at the table to serve their breakfast when dcg woke up early. I told them to sit still while I grabbed the baby. I had not served the food yet. I literally walked into the nap room to pick up the baby & walked back to find dcb 2.5 in the refrigerator with a package of lunch meat in hand.
He said, "I want this."
I told him making the food is my job & he is not to get in the refrigerator, but I was kinda shocked by it. He's my nephew & he spends a lot of time here, but I don't even let my own kids go through the fridge. Lol I asked permission to get something out of my refrigerator at home until I was 15 or so. Is that more normal for kids to help themselves than I realize?
This precious boy definitely attempts to exert his control at every turn. I have to stay on my toes.
He said, "I want this." I told him making the food is my job & he is not to get in the refrigerator, but I was kinda shocked by it. He's my nephew & he spends a lot of time here, but I don't even let my own kids go through the fridge. Lol I asked permission to get something out of my refrigerator at home until I was 15 or so. Is that more normal for kids to help themselves than I realize?
This precious boy definitely attempts to exert his control at every turn. I have to stay on my toes.
Pestle 06:39 AM 03-13-2018
Geez; when you said "in the refrigerator" I thought you meant somebody was suffocating in there. 
Which is the reason licensing won't allow them access to the kitchen.
Or that someone had slain your paramour and you were gearing up to go on a quest for vengeance.
Yes, it's normal for toddlers with developing life skills to push those skills to the limit. Many families also encourage their children to develop self-sufficiency by teaching them to get out their own food, set their own place at the table, etc. I knew a family that didn't allow their kids to get out their own food. One day, one of the kids was hungry, opened the fridge, and ate the last of a bag of coconut flakes. So the mom framed the bag and hung it on his wall so he'd never forget what he did wrong. It was still on the wall when he was in high school.
Her kids have not been successful as adults.
Which is the reason licensing won't allow them access to the kitchen. Or that someone had slain your paramour and you were gearing up to go on a quest for vengeance.
Yes, it's normal for toddlers with developing life skills to push those skills to the limit. Many families also encourage their children to develop self-sufficiency by teaching them to get out their own food, set their own place at the table, etc. I knew a family that didn't allow their kids to get out their own food. One day, one of the kids was hungry, opened the fridge, and ate the last of a bag of coconut flakes. So the mom framed the bag and hung it on his wall so he'd never forget what he did wrong. It was still on the wall when he was in high school.
Her kids have not been successful as adults.
LysesKids 07:31 AM 03-13-2018
Originally Posted by Pestle:
Geez; when you said "in the refrigerator" I thought you meant somebody was suffocating in there. Which is the reason licensing won't allow them access to the kitchen.
Or that someone had slain your paramour and you were gearing up to go on a quest for vengeance.
Yes, it's normal for toddlers with developing life skills to push those skills to the limit. Many families also encourage their children to develop self-sufficiency by teaching them to get out their own food, set their own place at the table, etc. I knew a family that didn't allow their kids to get out their own food. One day, one of the kids was hungry, opened the fridge, and ate the last of a bag of coconut flakes. So the mom framed the bag and hung it on his wall so he'd never forget what he did wrong. It was still on the wall when he was in high school.
Her kids have not been successful as adults.
Yep, my young toddlers can get out their own plates & spoons/forks because of where I have them set... I also keep a small table out where I set a their sippies & they all know cups of water sit there unless being drunk from.Geez; when you said "in the refrigerator" I thought you meant somebody was suffocating in there.
Which is the reason licensing won't allow them access to the kitchen. Or that someone had slain your paramour and you were gearing up to go on a quest for vengeance.
Yes, it's normal for toddlers with developing life skills to push those skills to the limit. Many families also encourage their children to develop self-sufficiency by teaching them to get out their own food, set their own place at the table, etc. I knew a family that didn't allow their kids to get out their own food. One day, one of the kids was hungry, opened the fridge, and ate the last of a bag of coconut flakes. So the mom framed the bag and hung it on his wall so he'd never forget what he did wrong. It was still on the wall when he was in high school.
Her kids have not been successful as adults.
hwichlaz 07:45 AM 03-13-2018
My own kids have always been welcome in the fridge. One of the drawers is their snack drawer. It has baggies of cut up fruit, veggies, string cheese etc. in it. 
Because of this....I don’t have to get up early on my days off. They have been getting up and feeding themselves since about 3 years old. They’d eat first, then come wake me up.
Because of this....I don’t have to get up early on my days off. They have been getting up and feeding themselves since about 3 years old. They’d eat first, then come wake me up.
mamamanda 07:47 AM 03-13-2018
Originally Posted by Pestle:
Geez; when you said "in the refrigerator" I thought you meant somebody was suffocating in there. Which is the reason licensing won't allow them access to the kitchen.
Or that someone had slain your paramour and you were gearing up to go on a quest for vengeance.
Yes, it's normal for toddlers with developing life skills to push those skills to the limit. Many families also encourage their children to develop self-sufficiency by teaching them to get out their own food, set their own place at the table, etc. I knew a family that didn't allow their kids to get out their own food. One day, one of the kids was hungry, opened the fridge, and ate the last of a bag of coconut flakes. So the mom framed the bag and hung it on his wall so he'd never forget what he did wrong. It was still on the wall when he was in high school.
Her kids have not been successful as adults.
Well that leads me to a couple questions...Geez; when you said "in the refrigerator" I thought you meant somebody was suffocating in there.
Which is the reason licensing won't allow them access to the kitchen. Or that someone had slain your paramour and you were gearing up to go on a quest for vengeance.
Yes, it's normal for toddlers with developing life skills to push those skills to the limit. Many families also encourage their children to develop self-sufficiency by teaching them to get out their own food, set their own place at the table, etc. I knew a family that didn't allow their kids to get out their own food. One day, one of the kids was hungry, opened the fridge, and ate the last of a bag of coconut flakes. So the mom framed the bag and hung it on his wall so he'd never forget what he did wrong. It was still on the wall when he was in high school.
Her kids have not been successful as adults.
I am legally unlicensed, but I do take classes & work with our local childcare resource center. I attempt to follow licensing regs as much as possible, but sometimes I am unclear on things. Our kitchen is gated off unless we're using it. However, in this situation the kids were already at the table so how would you be expected to respond when the baby cried? Should I have taken the kids with me, or should the baby not have been in the nap room while other kids are up? I'm genuinely curious how that should be handled.
Also, I definitely encourage independence. My kids help with chores around the house, dress themselves, help care for pets, even help me in the kitchen. I just don't allow them to go through the refrigerator mostly b/c I'm on a tight budget & meals are planned out in advance. If they eat what I need for the next day's meal then I feel stuck. Also I don't want them snacking between meals or they fill up on snacks & won't eat their meal.
mamamanda 07:55 AM 03-13-2018
Originally Posted by hwichlaz:
My own kids have always been welcome in the fridge. One of the drawers is their snack drawer. It has baggies of cut up fruit, veggies, string cheese etc. in it. Because of this....I don’t have to get up early on my days off. They have been getting up and feeding themselves since about 3 years old. They’d eat first, then come wake me up.
I did try the special snack drawer temporarily, but my oldest is 6 & my others are all 3 & under so it was a lot more mess & stress than it was worth. And the 6 yo would open the gate to get his snack & let the toddlers into the kitchen which was a big mess every time. My own kids have always been welcome in the fridge. One of the drawers is their snack drawer. It has baggies of cut up fruit, veggies, string cheese etc. in it.
Because of this....I don’t have to get up early on my days off. They have been getting up and feeding themselves since about 3 years old. They’d eat first, then come wake me up. I'll have to rethink that once the little ones get older. Also, it seemed normal to me b/c that wasn't a freedom I had growing up. Now I'm trying to rethink that & I'm guessing it was b/c we honestly had very little money. My mom was probably trying to ration.
Blackcat31 07:56 AM 03-13-2018
In all the years I've done this job and all the kids I've had over those years, I've only had 2 or 3 that wanted to help themselves to the refrigerator.
But quickly redirected and the urge to help themselves was curbed within a day or two.
However, in your situation since you now know your kiddos might not mind you and remain seated once you are out of eye sight, I'd just carry my baby monitor with me when I left the room. I have a video baby monitor that has a handheld receiver that I can use as a portable monitoring device. It has audio too so I can talk through it....
My kiddos don't normally have access to the kitchen so once they are seated at the table, they do NOT get down. They seem to know part of eating is remaining seated and like another of today's topics/threads (throwing food) my rules are usually if you get down, you are done so you leave the kitchen area so if I stepped out of the kitchen for a second, I fully expect my kiddos to remain seated...even if they don't have food in front of them yet.
But quickly redirected and the urge to help themselves was curbed within a day or two.
However, in your situation since you now know your kiddos might not mind you and remain seated once you are out of eye sight, I'd just carry my baby monitor with me when I left the room. I have a video baby monitor that has a handheld receiver that I can use as a portable monitoring device. It has audio too so I can talk through it....
My kiddos don't normally have access to the kitchen so once they are seated at the table, they do NOT get down. They seem to know part of eating is remaining seated and like another of today's topics/threads (throwing food) my rules are usually if you get down, you are done so you leave the kitchen area so if I stepped out of the kitchen for a second, I fully expect my kiddos to remain seated...even if they don't have food in front of them yet.
Jupadia 08:14 AM 03-13-2018
My own kids can grab a snack when they ask. We are only beginning to teach this to the 5 year old and the 2 year old is to young yet. But the 5 year old only can do this in non daycare hours. During daycare hours food is only available at meal times. As well my daycare kitchen is behind a gate the eating area is in the daycare room. The upstairs kitchen is gated off a lot of the time as well since while there are no chemicals or Sharp things in the drawer and cupords I don't have locks on them upstairs. (Just the downstairs kitchen cubordds stove and fridge).
MomBoss 08:21 AM 03-13-2018
My own kids have to ask before going into the fridge or cupboards. I dont really like kids touching food and dont want them to drop anything so I usually get it for them. I also dont want then to just eat anything and whenever they want because some things i may need for a recipe or I may find they are not hungry for dinner because they went snacking in the fridge.
My daycare kids dont have access to the kitchen so I dont have any problems there, i actually have a really good group of kids that respect boundries. They never go anywhere or touch anything, other than the ordinary, without asking.
My daycare kids dont have access to the kitchen so I dont have any problems there, i actually have a really good group of kids that respect boundries. They never go anywhere or touch anything, other than the ordinary, without asking.
Homebody 08:37 AM 03-13-2018
Happened to me on 2 different occasions, with a 7 year old and a 5 year old on their first day. They didn't like what I had to offer for snack, and immediately went to the fridge to see if I had anything better. I was in shock when it happened. I don't allow the kids in my kitchen anymore except to get a drink because of this.
Pestle 08:57 AM 03-13-2018
Our kitchen is gated off unless we're using it. However, in this situation the kids were already at the table so how would you be expected to respond when the baby cried? Should I have taken the kids with me, or should the baby not have been in the nap room while other kids are up? I'm genuinely curious how that should be handled.
So are the kids fed inside the kitchen? Is that why they can't be gated out of it?
I know the situation seems impossible--how do you provide safe oversight of children in a dangerous space and also attend to a child outside of that space. In your situation, I would have let the baby cry for a little while if I knew they were safe inside a crib, but there are other situations so I think the only all-purpose answer is to change the environment by relocating where the kids are fed.
I do everything I can to avoid leaving children unattended while eating. It only takes a moment for an airway to get obstructed. My changing area is in the back corner of my playroom and doesn't have line of sight to the dining room. I have been known to change an extra-yucky diaper in a corner of the living room where I can still see the kids who are eating in the dining room.
So are the kids fed inside the kitchen? Is that why they can't be gated out of it?
I know the situation seems impossible--how do you provide safe oversight of children in a dangerous space and also attend to a child outside of that space. In your situation, I would have let the baby cry for a little while if I knew they were safe inside a crib, but there are other situations so I think the only all-purpose answer is to change the environment by relocating where the kids are fed.
I do everything I can to avoid leaving children unattended while eating. It only takes a moment for an airway to get obstructed. My changing area is in the back corner of my playroom and doesn't have line of sight to the dining room. I have been known to change an extra-yucky diaper in a corner of the living room where I can still see the kids who are eating in the dining room.
Pestle 09:10 AM 03-13-2018
If it's a big, eat-in kitchen with a breakfast nook, putting a play yard gate around the kids' area will at least slow them down and draw a visual barrier.
homeishere 09:20 AM 03-13-2018
I have a child lock on the fridge. I have an open floor plan so no way to gate of the kitchen area. The fridge stays locked during Daycare hours and and then unlocked during evenings/weekends.
daycarediva 09:27 AM 03-13-2018
My own kids had to ask for snacks between meals, but if given permission, are able to help themselves.
DC kids? Oh heck no. My entire supply of groceries would be gone in 2 days and nobody would eat meals- only snack.
I have a baby lock on it, but most can open it. They don't, but I have had almost all of them try to.
DC kids? Oh heck no. My entire supply of groceries would be gone in 2 days and nobody would eat meals- only snack.
I have a baby lock on it, but most can open it. They don't, but I have had almost all of them try to.
mamamanda 09:31 AM 03-13-2018
It is an eat in kitchen, but very small. The table is against the wall & there is a walkway between the table & cabinets on 2 other sides with high chairs on the fourth wall. I definitely don't see a way to gate around it for them. No dining room. We have a living room & family room, but both have newish carpet & my husband is pretty firm about no food out of the kitchen b/c of that. This particular boy just graduated from a booster with straps so he may have to go back. The baby usually sleeps & it's never been an issue before b/c I'm always right with them during mealtimes & it's gated otherwise.
I feel like this little guy finds every potential loop hole in our environment. I should probably thank him for that. Some providers pay big money to have professionals come in & find their weak spots, right?
I feel like this little guy finds every potential loop hole in our environment. I should probably thank him for that. Some providers pay big money to have professionals come in & find their weak spots, right?
mamamanda 09:34 AM 03-13-2018
Is it weird that the kids who challenge me the most always find their way closest to my heart? He's a little stinker at times, but oh how I enjoy him.
daycarediva 09:36 AM 03-13-2018
Originally Posted by mamamanda:
Is it weird that the kids who challenge me the most always find their way closest to my heart? He's a little stinker at times, but oh how I enjoy him.
SAME! The hardest kids, remind me of myself. My assistant says it all the time "Whhyyy is THAT CHILD your favorite?" Is it weird that the kids who challenge me the most always find their way closest to my heart? He's a little stinker at times, but oh how I enjoy him.
Because I understand rebellion and independence, duh.
mamamanda 09:40 AM 03-13-2018
Originally Posted by daycarediva:
SAME! The hardest kids, remind me of myself. My assistant says it all the time "Whhyyy is THAT CHILD your favorite?"
Because I understand rebellion and independence, duh.
SAME! The hardest kids, remind me of myself. My assistant says it all the time "Whhyyy is THAT CHILD your favorite?"
Because I understand rebellion and independence, duh.
love it!
Annalee 10:14 AM 03-13-2018
Health Dept Monitor requires us to have kitchen gated off due to the stove so my kids aren't allowed free will to the fridge and I have never even had a kid ask. I did come in from outside play once to find a parent in the fridge....needless to say she NEVER done that again!!!!
Pestle 10:19 AM 03-13-2018
Originally Posted by mamamanda:
We have a living room & family room, but both have newish carpet & my husband is pretty firm about no food out of the kitchen b/c of that.
That's your area of potential, then. You can't adjust where your walls are placed, but you do have control over your flooring and how you and your husband balance authority/submission in your marriage vs. your ability to do your job with integrity. If having access to the fridge is at all a danger to the kids, you need to prioritize their safety over keeping the carpet clean. I'd have a conversation about buying foam tiles to protect the carpet and setting up a children's dining area on it.We have a living room & family room, but both have newish carpet & my husband is pretty firm about no food out of the kitchen b/c of that.
daycarediva 10:27 AM 03-13-2018
those large commercial plastic mats worked well over our rug in my former, former, dc space.
HappyEverAfter 01:00 PM 03-13-2018
I’ve had a baby unexpectedly wake and cry once I had the others seated at the table or in high chairs. How I handled it was my mobile kids had to get up and follow me to get the baby while the high chair kids stayed put and strapped in. No child will ever be allowed to help themselves to food at my house. If they ask for a drink, one will be provided. If they ask for food I let them know when the next meal or snack is. Even my SA nephew who I occasionally keep knows better than to help himself to the fridge or pantry.
hwichlaz 02:18 PM 03-13-2018
Really glad that’s not a licensing reg here. I don’t think my fridge has ever been empty enough to for a child to get in without dumping everything out anyway...it’d be obvious REALLY quick. We do have to lock empty fridges though...or remove the door.
Baby Beluga 03:19 PM 03-13-2018
I've never had a DCK try to enter my fridge or cabinets....I prob just jinx myself and it will happen in the next few days now
I do let DD get her own food though. I keep lots of fresh/washed/prepped fruits and veggies in the fridge. DD asks if she can have a snack and if I okay it she picks something. Same with the pantry. She has her own section of snacks she can pick from with permission. This lets her feel like she has some control.
I also have her help me when preparing meals. "DD, grab the butter, grab the green beans. Please put the sauce away, etc." It's the beginning steps to self sufficiency.
I do let DD get her own food though. I keep lots of fresh/washed/prepped fruits and veggies in the fridge. DD asks if she can have a snack and if I okay it she picks something. Same with the pantry. She has her own section of snacks she can pick from with permission. This lets her feel like she has some control.
I also have her help me when preparing meals. "DD, grab the butter, grab the green beans. Please put the sauce away, etc." It's the beginning steps to self sufficiency.
jenboo 10:01 PM 03-13-2018
We have breakfast, lunch, atter nap snack and dinner. ds usually isn't hungry outside of those times. When he gets older, I'm not sure how ill handle snacking. He is very independent. I had to ask to have a snack up until high school.
In your situation, i would have let the baby, served the food and then grabbed the baby. That way the kids at the table would have been engaged with eating.
In your situation, i would have let the baby, served the food and then grabbed the baby. That way the kids at the table would have been engaged with eating.
flying_babyb 06:38 PM 03-14-2018
I second the fridge lock!
MrsJ 05:01 AM 03-15-2018
Originally Posted by mamamanda:
I feel like this little guy finds every potential loop hole in our environment. I should probably thank him for that. Some providers pay big money to have professionals come in & find their weak spots, right?
I have seen this w/ this age dck. Without one-on one attention it's hard to catch in time some days. I feel like this little guy finds every potential loop hole in our environment. I should probably thank him for that. Some providers pay big money to have professionals come in & find their weak spots, right?
We also tried a snack basket but had to take it out as my DCP started going through it for aftercare snacks for the ride home when I wasn't looking
They thought it was free snacks for all even when I clearly said it wasn't. Moving to a separate area where they can pick from is nice at times but it's more mess at the end of day.
The fridge locks work well for a while to keep them out in case you've looked away for just a moment and they aren't a permanent thing. Just a sticky you can clean off later.
Pestle 05:54 AM 03-15-2018
Originally Posted by MrsJ:
We also tried a snack basket but had to take it out as my DCP started going through it for aftercare snacks for the ride home when I wasn't looking They thought it was free snacks for all even when I clearly said it wasn't.
We also tried a snack basket but had to take it out as my DCP started going through it for aftercare snacks for the ride home when I wasn't looking
They thought it was free snacks for all even when I clearly said it wasn't.
hwichlaz 02:48 PM 03-15-2018
Originally Posted by MrsJ:
I have seen this w/ this age dck. Without one-on one attention it's hard to catch in time some days.
We also tried a snack basket but had to take it out as my DCP started going through it for aftercare snacks for the ride home when I wasn't looking They thought it was free snacks for all even when I clearly said it wasn't.
Moving to a separate area where they can pick from is nice at times but it's more mess at the end of day.
The fridge locks work well for a while to keep them out in case you've looked away for just a moment and they aren't a permanent thing. Just a sticky you can clean off later.
How’d your parents know there was a snack basket? Mine isn’t for daycare kids, it’s for my own children. This is their home...and it’s how they know what’s okay for them to eat without messing up my daycare menu.I have seen this w/ this age dck. Without one-on one attention it's hard to catch in time some days.
We also tried a snack basket but had to take it out as my DCP started going through it for aftercare snacks for the ride home when I wasn't looking
They thought it was free snacks for all even when I clearly said it wasn't. Moving to a separate area where they can pick from is nice at times but it's more mess at the end of day.
The fridge locks work well for a while to keep them out in case you've looked away for just a moment and they aren't a permanent thing. Just a sticky you can clean off later.
MrsJ 06:06 AM 03-16-2018
Originally Posted by hwichlaz:
How’d your parents know there was a snack basket? Mine isn’t for daycare kids, it’s for my own children. This is their home...and it’s how they know what’s okay for them to eat without messing up my daycare menu.
DCK brought them back inside the door. She knew I'd walked away back to dc area away from entry. This kid will take anything she can get. I have to check her little paws on the way out now and make sure nothing in pockets!How’d your parents know there was a snack basket? Mine isn’t for daycare kids, it’s for my own children. This is their home...and it’s how they know what’s okay for them to eat without messing up my daycare menu.
Parents (should) know better than this.