Is it that hard to toss your kid some toast??

[CrazyEight]

Ugh just had to vent!

I have a casual 7yrold dcg that I agreed to take 3-4 days a week during the summer. Easy kid, not a problem. It's the parents that are nuts. Today she was dropped off guzzling a "Kool-Aid Jammer," essentially liquid sugar, and then when I casually asked her what she had for breakfast, she said "nothing, just my Kool-Aid"

AGAIN.

I feel terrible for the poor kid. I have spoken to the parents about this before. They blame it on the other random family they get to watch her when they both work super-early or overnight. They both work shifts, both schedules are all over the place, so it's a combination of me, grandma, aunts, cousins, and friends picking her up and dropping her off.

This morning it was aunt, who seems to be one of the more decent ones. I have no idea if she thought the parents had fed her, or maybe she thought I normally feed her? It feels like I am the only constant in this kid's life. She constantly asks me who is picking her up, if she's staying for dinner (sometimes I agree to keep her till 7), there is no consistency.

And once again, I end up giving her breakfast, because it's not her fault none of them thought to feed her, and she's sitting there watching my kids finishing their breakfast, and I don't want to deal with the inevitable sugar-crash after the damn Kool-Aid (which I promptly confiscated)

So I'm out money for breakfast, I've set a precedent yet again, and after all that, she barely ate her oatmeal! Time for another talk with the parents...

[5 Little Monkeys]

That would be frustrating for sure. However, if she was offered something at your place and didn't eat it, is it maybe that she just isn't a breakfast eater? Did she say she was hungry? If a 7 year old told me she was hungry and I took the time to make her something to eat, she would be eating it. That may seem harsh but at that age, they know if they are hungry or not! Why say yes if you aren't going to eat it? (I'm more lenient with the younger kids but not a 7 year old)

I would talk to the parents again and explain that breakfast is needed to be eaten at home before coming or you will have to charge an extra $2-$3/day because you are feeding her at your place (whether she eats it or not, it's still being supplied).

If she isn't a morning eater, I would just leave it be and she can eat at morning snack.

[mickyc]

Talk to parents and tell them she needs to eat breakfast. Do not offer it at an increased fee unless you are willing to take it on. I say chances are the parents would welcome the idea of you feeding her. Yes it isn't the child's fault but around here if you don't get breakfast too bad you wait until snack time to be fed.

I also make sure my daughter is done eating her breakfast before any kids arrive .

[playfelt]

If your own children are just eating their breakfast now then I would move snack time up for everyone and serve it as soon as your own have eaten the ceral/toast part of their meal and give everyone some fruit and a glass of milk and either crackers or toast etc varying the amount by their arrival time. Then later in the morning offer just a drink and cracker or even just a drink of milk - foodish but barely filling as in will be out of the system by lunch. Better yet move lunch up and skip a later snack altogether. That is what I do. Snack is 8:30 and lunch is 11:00.