friend/family watching your kid? do you pack a lunch?

Need to settle a debate so if you can answer, that would be great.

If a friend or family member is doing you a favor and watching your kid for you since you have to work all day...

do you pack the kid a lunch/snacks to send him with?

Maybe we're wrong and i'm curious to know, but we've watched my nephew a few times for her while she's had to work all day and she never sends him with food/snacks ever.

The kid eats a tremendous amount of food. I'm not joking. He eats all of our snacks. Sometimes we have to cut him off or we'll have none left. My DH has said stuff to his sister about it and she feels she shouldn't have to send him with food.

She says when she drops him off at other people's houses, she doesn't send food, nor do they. She says we're the only ones that send our kids with food. However when he goes to a babysitters house, she packs a lunch. Not sure how it's any different, but...

Now i'm NOT talking about a playdate or a sleep over. I get that. But this is us doing her a favor for 9 hours each time. You know how much food this kid eats in 9 hours? he's going to be 7 and a growing boy!

We always send food with our kids in this case. Our friends always do the same. So i don't get it.

thoughts? opinions? what do you do?

Message edited 4/18/2014 9:58:06 AM.

Re: friend/family watching your kid? do you pack a lunch?

Unless you watched them every day or on a regular basis, like a few times a week.

No i probably wouldnt think to send stuff.

Re: friend/family watching your kid? do you pack a lunch?

Yes I pack snacks and lunch. I think it's rude not to, plus I want to know what DD is eating.

friend/family watching your kid? do you pack a lunch?

I always offer but no one takes me up on it. I always pack snacks just in case but he usually just eats what my mom or SIL eat. They typically only watch him for date nights which RARELY occur though.

My ILs watch DS 4 times a week while I work and they rarely take anything from us, not even diapers! If I want to give them something for DS, I have to sneak it over and claim I got a really good sale.

friend/family watching your kid? do you pack a lunch?

Yes, I send the main meal like lunch or dinner if my parents are watching my DD. Not snacks though because I know my parents have that at their house.

Re: friend/family watching your kid? do you pack a lunch?

Yes, for an entire day of you babysitting him I believe they should pack a lunch. If he is just coming over for a short time then no food necessary, but you doing them a favor I think some food should be packed. They don't have to provide snacks, but a sandwich or frozen pizza, etc.
I watched my niece and nephew earlier this week for a few hours and they sent them with food. She didn't want what was packed and wanted what my DS was eating, which is fine, but at least there were choices. She wound up eating one packet of chili or something that was packed and a banana. Whatever they didn't eat was sent back home with them.

ETS - it is different with my parents though bc they keep stuff in the house for their grandchildren. When the grandkids aren't there they don't eat it, but it's different at other homes. THe stuff in the house is for all the kids. Again, I don't care if they only eat my food, but still nice to send and makes it easier.

Message edited 4/18/2014 9:22:47 AM.

friend/family watching your kid? do you pack a lunch?

if I am sending her to my mom I ask her if she has anything for her to eat and if she does I wont send her with lunch, but I probably would send her with snacks since my DD likes ceartin things no one else really has watched her if i brought her to someone else i would pack a lunch esp. since she is a picky eater also for play dates I either bring her lunch if I don't I will buy something for everyone and i bring snack enough for everyone just in case they want some

friend/family watching your kid? do you pack a lunch?

I normally do

friend/family watching your kid? do you pack a lunch?

Hmm. My inclination is no, I would not, but I would still ask. I know my mom and MIL have no interest in me packing food. Having said that, if someone were doing me a favor, and then they asked me to send food, I definitely would!

Re: friend/family watching your kid? do you pack a lunch?

I send a lunchbox with food. I can't assume whomever it is has food that my child likes.

Re: friend/family watching your kid? do you pack a lunch?

I always prepare lunch/snacks, to make it easier for the person watching her, which is usually my mom.

Re: friend/family watching your kid? do you pack a lunch?

unless they are watching dd at my house, i always pack lunch, snacks, milk, juices etc

Re: friend/family watching your kid? do you pack a lunch?

If its my mom, no I wouldn't. If it was my sister, I'd ask and if she said no I would probably send in snacks. If it was on a frequent basis, yes I would send in lunch, etc.

friend/family watching your kid? do you pack a lunch?

My mom/MIL watch my daughter every day and I always pack her a lunch and snacks (drinks included). Sometimes she eats something different from their house which is fine--but I always send with something.
They are doing us a TREMENDOUS favor, I don't think its their responsibility at all to provide food.

friend/family watching your kid? do you pack a lunch?

I never do. And would never think to with family. Maybe if it was a friend with no kids and probably wouldn't have things that ds likes.

friend/family watching your kid? do you pack a lunch?

It would really depend who was watching her. For my parents- no- they keep all the things she likes just for her- no one else eats them. For a friend- I would probably send some stuff- but really only because my DD is extremely picky and i don't want others to have to worry about what she will eat.

Re: friend/family watching your kid? do you pack a lunch?

Yes. I have food for the kids.
The only exception is at my mom's house. Because she likes to cook for kids.

Re: friend/family watching your kid? do you pack a lunch?

to those that say they would never or have never thought to... why not? and better yet, how old is your child?

When they're little... baby to 3 or even 4 years old... okay i get it. They don't require much.

But at 7 years old... they're growing boys and garbage disposals!

friend/family watching your kid? do you pack a lunch?

At my parents never, but she has a nursery there, specific snacks and juice just for her and my mom is a great cook and makes her tasty meals and enjoys it. However she's the only grand baby and my parents are both retired. Anywhere else I would definitely pack a lunch bag and if she ate whatever the host had it wouldn't be a big deal.

friend/family watching your kid? do you pack a lunch?

I always send a food bag. If they feed them other stuff thats fine too but i always send food. I think when they are older i might not send sandwiches etc but i would still send snacks etc.

Re: friend/family watching your kid? do you pack a lunch?

Posted by aliwnec10

to those that say they would never or have never thought to... why not? and better yet, how old is your child?

When they're little... baby to 3 or even 4 years old... okay i get it. They don't require much.

But at 7 years old... they're growing boys and garbage disposals!

Re: friend/family watching your kid? do you pack a lunch?

yes.

Re: friend/family watching your kid? do you pack a lunch?

Yes i always did.

friend/family watching your kid? do you pack a lunch?

I've always been the watcher and no one has ever provided food which would have made my life easier because I never had a child till this year. Now that I have one I always pack a bag for her if we are out so I would do the same if she was going to someone's house for the day. My baby eats like a horse though so I would feel bad expecting people to feed her.

Re: friend/family watching your kid? do you pack a lunch?

Absolutely I would. When I sent my son on a play date I send snacks for him and his friend to share. If I didn't send snacks / food then I most certainly would bring food / snacks to leave at your house for your kids. Pretty ballzy of your SIL if your DH spoke already spoke to her and she was ?? I would have apologized and shown up the next time with food for all!! You are doing her a huge favor by taking her child for a full day...the least she could do is bring some snacks.