Another "Organic/Healthy Only" DCM

[SignMeUp]

The Pampers Supreme is probably just for show. At home they probably use generic too. Those are the "going out to show the Jones'" diapers.

Hey now. I have kids show off their underwear all the time. If they start showing off their diapers I am gonna be alllll :confused:

[crazydaycarelady]

Certain situations call for "tell them what they want to hear." Now that you know for sure dcm isn't opposed to non-organic food, just non-organic food at your house and on your dime, I would just tell her what she wants to hear. If you give fries describe them as baked potato wedges, etc.

[deliberateliterate]

Certain situations call for "tell them what they want to hear." Now that you know for sure dcm isn't opposed to non-organic food, just non-organic food at your house and on your dime, I would just tell her what she wants to hear. If you give fries describe them as baked potato wedges, etc.

yes, !! I think in my entire daycare career I've had a parent ask *maybe* one time what was for lunch. Maybe. But I always fear that the days when I just throw something together will be the day they ask, so I always try to put a fancy spin on what we're serving, even if it's just for the benefit of the kids. Chicken strips in a wrap with cheese, corn and BBQ sauce become "south-west chicken and veggie wraps", mac & cheese becomes "whole wheat pasta with a cheesy sauce & steamed veggies". It's all about the spin.

[AmyKidsCo]

We buy un-processed, natural, and organic for our family as much as we can afford and the childcare gets the same foods, but if a family required 100% natural/organic I'd definitely charge them more or tell them I couldn't accommodate that request.

[midaycare]

Certain situations call for "tell them what they want to hear." Now that you know for sure dcm isn't opposed to non-organic food, just non-organic food at your house and on your dime, I would just tell her what she wants to hear. If you give fries describe them as baked potato wedges, etc.

Agreed. She is now on a need to know basis re: food.

[sahm1225]

The Pampers Supreme is probably just for show. At home they probably use generic too. Those are the "going out to show the Jones'" diapers.

When my oldest was in daycare, I did just the opposite! I bought pampers for daycare and used genetic at home. I didn't want anyone to know that I used generic !

[Mister Sir Husband]

So here's my question.. if a parent insists on organic, and you do it for them, thus making the child clearly have to choose between something he doesn't like or go without... and you keep this up for months... And then you spot junior and his parents at the local fair stuffing down corn dogs and potato chips, how do you fight the urge to go over to them and question it?

If it were me, I'd not only say something but would be blunt enough about it that I would prolly faint if they showed up the next morning.

[MissAnn]

So here's my question.. if a parent insists on organic, and you do it for them, thus making the child clearly have to choose between something he doesn't like or go without... and you keep this up for months... And then you spot junior and his parents at the local fair stuffing down corn dogs and potato chips, how do you fight the urge to go over to them and question it?

If it were me, I'd not only say something but would be blunt enough about it that I would prolly faint if they showed up the next morning.

I had a mom who insisted on gluten free....her daughter had an intollerance. Another kid had a birthday party and pictures were posted on Facebook .....and there she was eating a great big cupcake.

[laloolee]

I had a mom who insisted on gluten free....her daughter had an intollerance. Another kid had a birthday party and pictures were posted on Facebook .....and there she was eating a great big cupcake.

It might have been a gluten free cupcake. They look and (pretty much) taste the same (at least to me). :: I sometimes bring GF treats to a party for everyone so I am not the only one there not celebrating with the foods.

[Blackcat31]

So here's my question.. if a parent insists on organic, and you do it for them, thus making the child clearly have to choose between something he doesn't like or go without... and you keep this up for months... And then you spot junior and his parents at the local fair stuffing down corn dogs and potato chips, how do you fight the urge to go over to them and question it?

If it were me, I'd not only say something but would be blunt enough about it that I would prolly faint if they showed up the next morning.

Meh.... I have eliminated any reason for me to feel resentful or upset about the different set of standards parents have by earning a few bucks off the parents that request specialized diets.

I try to buy organic when I can but it isn't always available here. If a parent insists on a strict organic or "specialized" diet ALL the time, I charge extra for that. If they want to pay me to feed their kid well so they can stuff themselves with cotton candy and corn dogs on the weekends, then more power to them.

I am being compensated so I don't care about the rest. It has no bearing or impact on me.

[SignMeUp]

Does the FP allow that? I think I asked when I had a child whose mom self-diagnosed her child's allergies to almost everything. I believe I was told that I could not have the parents supply food, and that I could not charge them more either.

What I could do was charge everyone more (raise my rates to everyone) or let the parent opt out of the FP.

Although - if it were a new family requesting special diet, I suppose you could just quote a higher rate to compensate for the special diet.

[Blackcat31]

Does the FP allow that? I think I asked when I had a child whose mom self-diagnosed her child's allergies to almost everything. I believe I was told that I could not have the parents supply food, and that I could not charge them more either.

What I could do was charge everyone more (raise my rates to everyone) or let the parent opt out of the FP.

Although - if it were a new family requesting special diet, I suppose you could just quote a higher rate to compensate for the special diet.

My rate includes all meals/snacks for everyone (equally) served while the child is present. (meets legal equity rules )

If parents want "extra" on top of that service (ex: organic only etc) then they pay for that option.

Just like the parent who gets the basic picture package for school pictures. Everyone pays the same. Those that want MORE on top of what's already offered pay more.

My FP rep has always okay/supported this as allowed so unless I'm told otherwise, that's how I present it.

[Blackcat31]

The mom with self diagnosed allergies is similar to a situation I had a while back too...

First she tried to get a Dr's note but since I watched her forge the Dr's signature and refused to accept the diet statement, she went the supply food route....

She had the option of not participating in the FP and supplying her own meals but suddenly realized that meant supplying ALL components of each meal/snack was going to be hard so her child was miraculously cured of any allergies they previously had.

[SignMeUp]

The mom with self diagnosed allergies is similar to a situation I had a while back too...

First she tried to get a Dr's note but since I watched her forge the Dr's signature and refused to accept the diet statement, she went the supply food route....

She had the option of not participating in the FP and supplying her own meals but suddenly realized that meant supplying ALL components of each meal/snack was going to be hard so her child was miraculously cured of any allergies they previously had.

That is similar to what mine did too. Opted out of the FP, and then I asked her to supply the most expensive/hard to find special items. I basically supplied fruits and veggies (though supposedly he couldn't have many of those either). But week after week, she dropped items from his allergy list so that I could buy them instead of her.
She wanted her child to be "special" in many other ways too, and after two years I decided not to renew our contract. She took that badly, unfortunately.
And then my most recent fiasco family hooked up with her family for playdates, right before fiasco family terminated me. But they say I terminated them ::

I hope they're happy together I really do. But their poor children are hot messes, because their parents are. I could worry for my reputation/record (and do, a bit) especially since one is a neighbor. The other is neighbors with other former families (who loved it here).

Prior to these unhappy souls, I have terminated one (1) family in thirty plus years, and that was thirty years ago. And no one has ever terminated me before.

At the time, I took it personally. But now I don't

[TwinKristi]

I kinda have the opposite problem! I insist on feeding DCB a gluten-free diet because I know he functions much better on it but his family isn't really on the same page at home. When he starts having blowouts I call for pickup and that usually gets them back on track! But Tuesday he had one for the first time in months and I know he ate gluten over the long weekend and told mom it sucks that I pay the extra money and take the extra time for GF foods but they don't seem to do the same. I even offered to shop with mom so she can buy the foods I buy and serve because she claims he won't eat stuff at home. I even took a video of him eating broccoli for her to see! She couldn't believe it!
He hasn't been diagnosed but has major blowouts and chronic diarrhea when he eats gluten. He doesn't have insurance so his mom hasn't been able to take him in for testing (very pricey) so we just did a food diary and eliminated gluten which helped tremendously with his bowels, his bruising, speech, etc. I just substitute normal component of meals with a GF option for him or just serve it to everyone. Like corn tortillas for quesadillas instead of flour, actually cheaper! I get him GF bunny grahams or graham crackers, rice crackers, etc. and get everyone else the regular variety. I get him Chex for cereal and everyone else gets Cheerios or Frosted Mini Wheats. He gets a box of GF waffles, everyone else gets Eggo. Chicken nuggets (when we have them) I do GF for him but regular for everyone else, chicken sausages I buy GF for everyone, pasta I used to do separately but now I either serve GF to everyone or serve regular pasta when he's not here. Bread for sandwiches I buy one loaf GF and keep in the freezer and defrost 2 slices at a time... Lasts about a month. It's definitely more expensive but I usually make a profit on the FP when it comes to daycare since they pay me for my kids too during daycare.