Meals Whilst Babysitting...?

DD always makes sure that there is plenty of food around and tells us to dig in!

I always pack a coolbag with stuff to make sandwiches, yoghurts and drinks. If we are to stay beyond evening meal time then I also take a couple of ready meals for speed. By the time you get children of different ages into bed it is difficult to sit down to a leisurely meal. I am not provided for unless staying for the weekend.

I never babysit at my DGC's home. They always come to me so I always make sure that we are well stocked. Infact the children tell me what they want for their dinners on the 2 days a week they eat at mine. Likewise breakfast and lunches too.

Basic good manners to supply food for babysitters....especially to the degree you describe Candelle.

Reminds me of the time I was in a very posh Oxford based Babysitting circle.....we used our own initiative but basically if it was 2-3 hours you'd leave out decent biscuits and a tray to prepare a hot drink. 4-5 hours would require a sandwich or cheese and biscuits and perhaps some cake and so on.
Some Mums would leave out a tastefully arranged tray with the food on others.......usually the more intellectual or harrassed would basically show you what was in their, inevitably messy kitchen, and just say 'help yourself to whatever you fancy!

I'm always absolutely spoiled by DD when I babysit. If I sleep over she also leaves a special breakfast too. Its lovely to feel so appreciated although its a treat to spend the time with the DGSs. Sorry if I sound annoyingly smug. I just can't complain!

Jane10.......not smug.....that's how it should be. We all love to care for our GC but there is a fine line between appreciating the chance to care for them and being taken for granted....sounds like you and your DD have the right balance.

Some of you are very lucky. If I just need a snack I'm welcome to forage but if I need a regular meal I have to take it myself. But then she is my daughter in law.

I have two daughters, each with three children. I always take my own food, mainly because I tend to watch the calories, and often make treats to take for the GCs too.

I've only had to stay at DDs to look after GS a couple of times as they now live nearby and I prefer to have him overnight here, it suits all of us, but when I did stay with her she made sure there was enough snackage for lunch and always cooked a nice meal with homemade pudding and cakes.
Likewise if they stay here I treat them the same.

Hit and miss at my daughter's house. She always has food in that I'm welcome to help myself to, but occasionally she goes out of her way to buy me something really special. As my HFLC diet is a bit particular I'm happy to see to myself.

Baby sitting for family is not a legal requirement or something to which they are entitled. We do it because we love them and are happy to help out.

However, surely it is just good manners to offer a snack if sitting for a few hours or a meal if it's a day , evening or stay over.

DS and DDIL just tell me to raid the fridge, there's always plenty of fruit, coffee and homemade bread.
Not a big deal really.

It tends to be the other way round with us - everybody ends up at ours for breakfast club, after-school club, sleepovers, family dinners, so we feed and they eat - and I love it

When I used to pick DGSx2 up from school their schools were 1/2 hr drive from ours but literally round the corner their house so it made sense to take them home. Always took bread n milk and something to put in a sandwich as there was hardly ever anything to eat. DD struggled with only working part time and being a single parent.

All baby sitting done at my home. The day that I have them they arrive at 7.30 for breakfast. DH does the school run and then picks up one at 2 and the other at 3. After school mini snack and then we do homework. Tea at 5 and get them ready for GB and BB. Mum or dad pick them up around 6.30.
In school hols we take them out and pay for whatever.

By way of thank you, Every so often ds will arrive with perhaps 10 large roasts for our freezer, take us out for dinner every couple of months.
And gifts are always generous eg for DH birthday they paid DH's yearly golf membership.
So we know we are appreciated.

Thanks everyone. It seems that we all know we are appreciated but that as in most things in life - every household is different! Some DC leave food for us to eat, some expect us to bring our own and some say 'raid the 'fridge'!

With my own DC, one always asks us what we would like her to buy in (usually a M and S ready meal, for ease) and the other often asks ' would you like me to get something in or will you bring your own?' so there is a subtle difference, as we then feel we should not trouble her with thinking about our stomachs and bring our own!

When I was a member of a babysitting circle (in days long gone by!) because the sitting nearly always commenced after the children were in bed, I only provided biscuits and coffee/tea etc. However, on the odd occasion where someone sat earlier for me, I would ask if they enjoyed eating a lasagne, or whatever, and ensure I cooked and left it for them, ready to re-heat. Cooking from scratch in someone else's house (few ready meals were available in the 60/70's) is a nightmare if one is not familiar with everything/ovens etc. Today, things are much easier and the selection of ready-meals is such that it is simple to bring or heat a meal in minutes, even in an unfamiliar kitchen.

Thanks for all your input. I was just generally musing on what could be expected - food or not! Mind you, whatever your answer, the sitting itself is usually good fun and my DH says that we should be paying them for the privilege!