Need Your Opinions...

Hi all,

I need your opinions. I have a dck who I agreed to feed breakfast to in the morning, and I was dumb enough not to charge anything extra :( Now, 8 months later, I am really kicking myself. This dck eats a lot and none of the other children eat breakfast here, but they pay the same fees. Do I have to wait until the contract is up for renewal before I start getting extra money for this extra meal, or can I change this in the middle of the contract? I mean, I have been providing this for 8 months now, and it's annoying me that I'm doing this for free even though it costs me more money! What annoys me a little further is the parents act like this is something I owe them, not something extra. On days where he comes later (around 8am) he still hasn't ate breakfast and then I have to go make him something even though the rest of us have already eaten. What would you guys do about this? To be honest, I would rather the parents just feed him breakfast at home and he come ready to start his day. How much extra should I charge per day for breakfast?

Thanks, Ladies!

I don't supply breakfast either but I to offer to feed a parent supplied breakfast for children who arrive prior to 7:30. So I think I would tell the parent that it is something that you will no longer be offering as it prevents the day from beginning and the rest of the kids are wondering why Johnny gets breakfast and they don't. Tell them starting Monday Johnny must come fed and ready to begin the day and you will be providing am snack at xxxx o'clock.
If you are still going to do it but are going to charge then depending on what your serving will depend on the rate ..... If it a simple piece of toast then just a couple if dollars but if you making scrambled eggs and toast and yoghurt or fruit then $5 or $6

how old is this kid. I offer breakfast. My rule is that if you come after breakfast then its the parents responsiblity to feed them and the child will have to wait for the next meal. I don't charge extra but I also don't make anything big or expensive. Right now my group is really into dry cereal, I have no idea why but thats what they want (they are all 2 or 2.5 yrs old). I would just let the parents know that you will not be providing breakfast no more if you find its too hard.

I would use the late arrivals as part of my excuse saying it has become too disruptive to our day and considering other children arriving during the same time frame come having eaten from now on the first food served will be a small snack at whatever time and you expect all children to have a full breakfast before coming to daycare. Then if you want to add that any child arriving prior to 7:30 that brings a parent supplied breakfast will be allowed to sit at the table to eat it while the other children start their playtime - make it sound like eater is missing out.

Since you don't charge any extra for the service there is nothing they can come back and say they expect a reduction in fees because it was a free service they were getting but one that has now gotten out of control based on varied arrival times.

I renew my contracts with my clients every Sept. 1st. It gives me an opportunity to raise rates and make policy changes at that time and I guarantee everything until the next renewal date to make my clients feel confident that they can trust me.

If you don't have an annual renewal date yet or don't have the word Guarantee in your current contract, then I think if I were in your shoes I would either

a) Send out a letter to all clients with new contracts explaining in the letter that you have learned many things over the past months and feel it necessary to add some policies to your contract. Ask them to sign and make next Sept. 1, Oct 1, whatever, your annual renewal date. I think it's much better than Jan. 1st because people are so busy at that time of the year, including me!

b) Send out a letter to all families with a reminder of some rules. Try to list a few things that have been bothering you (come on, I bet you can think of a few!) and include the rules about arriving with children who have been fed their breakfast. Then have a talk with the family who has been taking advantage of you. Sounds like they don't appreciate you so why keep doing it? Put your foot down! Tell them that you are making a few changes in your daycare routines and your morning snacktime will be at ?:00 and no sooner for any of the children because you don't have the time any longer, you are getting too busy.

I feed snack/breakfast at 8:30 a.m. and then lunch at 11:30 a.m, I was feeding breakfast and I found that all I was doing is preparing food, waiting for everyone to arrive with my new schedule, I find it way better.

That's exactly how I feel right now! I feed breakfast around 7 and then at 9:30 snack and then at 11:30 lunch. I seriously am always doing food prep and clean up. I want an easier mornings and I think letting go of breakfast will do the trick! I'm just hoping the parents cooperate.