Lunch time, nap time....provider woes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[kidlove]

Some days I find nap time a "stress" to manage ALL kids to go down at the same time and stay down for the respect of the others rest can be difficult, sometimes impossible. The only other time of day, besides when others are sleeping would have to be LUNCH! This is why I have toyed with the idea of bringing your own, dont really get a ton of complaining about what is to eat however, I do feel like I run like a crazy rat, to get ALL the food on the table at the same time, as to not "upset" anyone, and keep the plates full..."can I have more ________, I need more __________,." or the all too famous "when is lunch-time I'm hungry" or (as I'm in kitchen preparing lunch) they all come in one at a time "is it almost time to eat?" you'd think they NEVER eat here. see.....packed lunches could be in fridge, "LUNCH TIME!!!" they all run in grab lunch from fridge, sit down eat...all gone? too bad, thats all your Mother packed! go to bed. Not even sure where this was going but I sure feel a little better, anyone with me on this?????

[Inspired by Reggio]

I am a freak .... I love meal time Everyone contained in one place calm and focused and its a great time for discussion / reflection about our day so far .... this time of year we picnic a lot so their lunch is 'cold style' and in a Tupperware container already portioned out for them so its extra relaxing for me cause they just sit on the blanket and we open up the containers and they eat and afterward they wipe up and go play and I shake out the blanket and put the containers away and clean up is done

However when we are 'home' to eat while I am prepping lunch options are to sit and watch 15 minute TV or sit at the kitchen table and do a quiet sensory activity so that I can focus on cooking knowing they are all 'safe'. For lunch I do family service style at the table ... the first serving everyone gets a little bit of everything so it can cool and I call them to the table and than I have the bowls for 'seconds' on the table and once you've eaten your firsts you can help yourself to the seconds as long as you EAT what you take so I am not up and down from the table at all .... I will be honest that sometimes my issue is that they take so LONG to eat that I am getting bored with sitting there with them so I stand at the counter and sneak on here while they engage in eating

Nap time is also my MOST favorite time ... currently have 4 sound a sleep still and a 6 year old who is coloring mandalas at the table beside me quietly ... everyone has to lay quietly for at least an hour regardless of your age here so this allows the sleepers to get into deep REM sleep so they can sleep through any 'quiet time noise' that the older ones might make and being able to get up and do something while the others is sleeping is incentive to lay quiet for the older ones who are outgrowing the nap cause if they do not REST quietly than the timer for the 'hour' gets reset on them and they might end up spending the whole 2 hours on their cot and miss out on the something 'special' to choose from the quiet time closet

[kidlove]

i have a feeling I have a little less freedom than you guys when it comes to some things: lunch time for example, I would LOVE to serve "family style" but if I do, I am required to throw away ALL leftovers (due to contamination?). not sure, anyway, this way I have to leave all the food on the stove or counter and YES, get up for every little thing every time a child needs it, however alot of times I will ask them to wait for a bit, until i have a good amount of portions to retrieve or at least until I have taken a few more bites, ensuring I also get a little to eat, while catering to all these "sweet little devils ) just tends to run a little more on the stressful side most days for lunch. I think my biggest issue is the "whiney" way everything is asked for, Thats why as much they can do independantly the happier I am, I have small pitchers they use to pour their own water, I only refill the pitcher, will NOT pour for them, lots of spills but thats OK, cuz they are learning doesnt bother me much. Perhaps thats just my "tired" time of day, you know when you hit a wall of "UUUGH!" maybe thats why it all gets under my skin so easy!!!? who knows.

[playfelt]

It sounds like the main issue is handling what to do with leftovers. I fill the plates varying the amount by age and appetite and then serve. They must finish EVERYTHING on the plate before they may have seconds of anything. If they are truly hungry there is more food. If they are just wanting more starch or more corn or whatever the answer is sorry you aren't ready. This at least buys me time. For seconds they may have seconds of an item only once ie no thirds on the starch but may have seconds of other food groups too.

For the most part I cook just enough with very few leftovers. When they are done their plate of food if they are still hungry then we move on to other foods like fruit, yogurt, pudding, etc. The meal is grain, meat, veggies, apple and cucumber slices. Since they get water to drink they may have a small glass of milk and a homemade cookie when their meal is done.

I also eat at the counter and not with the kids. I have found that when I am at the table they are more likely to put up a fuss over the food then when I am in a sense not there to engage with them and then they just eat or just sit their choice.

[Inspired by Reggio]

Ya I should clarify the 'family style bowls' are still small portions not the 'entire prepped quantity' to minimize waste and I do have to occasionally 'refill' those self serve bowls for them ~ I hate waste and would not reserve something that they had been 'into' either even though I am no longer having anyone regulate that on me.

I personally 'hate' leftovers so its my spouse who ends up getting those for lunch next day if there are any.

[fruitloop]

I don't mind meal time either. I get everyone's plate ready at the same time while they are playing or coloring and just give them their plates at the table already made up. It's all in being organized. If you're not organized with a good routine, you will have problems and feel overwhelmed. I also love my nap time. Everyone is required to nap and everyone does. I have no sleep issues with any of the kids in care right now. Everyone knows I mean business and nap time is not a time to test limits. I'm guaranteed 1.5 hours of quiet time/day and it's pure bliss for me to do what I want.

[Momof4]

I don't have any problems at naptime (right now but I have a newbie starting next week so it may change) but I have blackout curtains, put them all down and stay beside them and shush the one who has trouble falling asleep so he's quiet while the others drift off.

At lunchtime I have them all freeplay in the toyroom while I get everything on the table including milk cups and don't let them out to the table until I call them. The fruit is already prepared in the kitchen for after lunch. Pre-prepping saves the day so that I can read them a story while they eat or talk to them instead of being a harried waitress. That's how I started and I learned to be more organized before I called them to the table.

[Kellybelly83]

I realize this thread is old, but it's worth expanding on!

I recently changed my lunch menu to almost all "cold" lunches, that I pre-make (sometimes the night before, sometimes when I have a few moments in the morning) and keep them in little tupperwares from the dollar store. I try and make then look interesting but simple to make eg. turkey sandwiches cut into triangles, each kid gets 2 triangles and i lay them out like a butterfly, carrot "body and antennae" and snap pea "grass" underneath, with a couple slices of cheese on the side. I sometime's make a veggie soup that I can keep in the in the fridge and heat it up for those who have bigger appetites... I got a lot of ideas that I made my own on google under "bento lunches" etc.

nap time is a crap shoot lol! I have a new one starting and it's messed with my routine but we are working on it!

[daycaremom9]

I have the parents bring lunch and snacks. Lunch is crazy enough with pre packed lunch, I just couldn't imagine having to prep it too! While the kids are washing their hands I get the lunches out and organized. I remove their treats so they don't eat those until after eating healthy food first.
They are required to wait for their friends to finish their lunch before they get their treat.
Now for nap time , I have fairly good nappers except 2. One of the boys decided about a month ago that he didn't want a nap anymore so I've set up my couches so that he is almost enclosed between the couches. The other 2 nappers are on the other side of the couches. The boy keeps peeking over the couch and goofs around with one of the girls. I've slowly trained him to have quiet time with books and stuffies. He's required to be quiet or he doesn't get to play with the cars or trucks after nap time which is his favorite thing in the world to do. Seems to be working so far.

[Polkaroo]

I do like Momof4. I've been lucky at nap time and my little ones know I mean business. Two of them plus my ds sleep together in my son's room. I recently started a new dkb who's 14 mths and was a bit more difficult so I separated her in a different room. That seems to be working.

To save time at lunch, most days I make extra at dinner time the night before and serve left overs the next day. This way I warm up the food and it's ready to go. On the days when I don't have leftovers I prepare lunch at 11:00 while the kids play and serve all the plates at the same time. I'm also like playfelt and I don't serve any seconds until the plate is empty. Once everyone is done, I give the little ones milk, take one by one upstairs, change diapers, and put them to bed. By the time the last one is down most of the time they are so pooped they fall asleep very fast. If they're having a hard time (crying) I stay beside them and hush them, rub their back. The only one that plays sometimes is the little one. Since she's alone I say dodo time, kiss her and close the door, she plays a little and falls asleep on her own. I try not to stress. It's my favorite time of day will be interesting once my fourth ft starts in April. She'll be the littlest of all.