Help lunch time mess!

[Inspired by Reggio]

Hello my name is Reggio and I am a hoarder ... a hoarder of childcare information that is ... I have everything I have ever done program wise, every letter I have had to write to resolve a conflict or address an issue and so forth saved on my computer somewhere so often my long posts unless 'specific' to someones unique problem are a copy and paste of a document on my computer somewhere ... there I fessed up

[Crayola kiddies]

Bahahahaha ..... Reggio ...... That is hilarious !!!! But very ingenious ... You rock

[Skysue]

Thank God Reggio I was beginning to doubt my abilities and I was really feeling like an underachiever! LOL

[mlc1982]

Wow, thanks for that post Reggio. I am copying it too ...!!

[mom-in-alberta]

I would DEFINITELY make sure I serve morning snack. The challenge with parents giving the kids breakfast is that so often it's a rush, the kids are still groggy and therefore don't eat that much, and quite frankly, it's not always quality food that is served (because that sometimes takes too much time!).
I would say that instead of doing one of your structured activities, slide in some snack time. It will hold them over a little bit longer at lunch. And in the grand scheme of things it's more important to have kids that are content and don't have growling tummies!

[sunnydays]

I also would add that often kids get up very early (I have some who get up at 6am and arrive at my house between 8 and 9am)...so they eat breakfast very early and are hungry by mid-morning...even if they did eat a good breakfast.

I would DEFINITELY make sure I serve morning snack. The challenge with parents giving the kids breakfast is that so often it's a rush, the kids are still groggy and therefore don't eat that much, and quite frankly, it's not always quality food that is served (because that sometimes takes too much time!).
I would say that instead of doing one of your structured activities, slide in some snack time. It will hold them over a little bit longer at lunch. And in the grand scheme of things it's more important to have kids that are content and don't have growling tummies!

[Momof4]

I serve breakfast here for any child arriving by 8am because I sincerely believe it is much better for me to feed them healthy food than for a child to have a poptart or some other crappy sugary breakfast, even cereal is full of sugar.

I also want the children and parents to be less stressed and happier that way. I remember the days trying to get my children fed and out the door and myself to work and it's HELL!

[Inspired by Reggio]

Also just wanted to add you do not need to 'give up' a portion of your program in order to offer a snack period ... remember that outside time is RIPE with programming options too - we often do creative exploration and sensory outside and when weather is nice I do EVERYTHING outside including circle/story time under the tree on a blanket.

If you are standing at the bus stop 'waiting' for the kids to get off the bus - you can do a circle time there ... I have finger puppets and books packed in my back pack and when we take 'bus field trips' I do a circle time while waiting for the bus so the time passes quicker and they do not get 'silly' while waiting.