Anonymous
Post 09/12/2023 08:26     Subject: Food demands when helping out a friend?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I’m watching a classmate/sort of friend of DS after school this week, while his mother attends to some appointments with her parent. It’s been planned for a week. All of a sudden I just received a text that this boy is a picky eater, and can I have specific snacks available so he can eat after school! I’m a bit astounded. I don’t mind providing snacks, but I’m not being paid by this mom, I’m just being kind, and this just feels audacious! Of course I will stop on my way home and grab him something so he doesn’t go hungry, but how would you handle this tonight? Mom is dealing with a lot of stress, so I don’t want to pile it on. But it’s like, pack a snack? Throw me some cash? What should I say?


Unless the mom is asking for caviar, just get the snacks and feel good about being a great human being, who is helping a very stressed out mom-friend.


Here's the problem with that - then OP gets to be caretaker for yet another "overwhelmed" mom - you think OP is not overwhelmed? GTFOH.
Anonymous
Post 09/12/2023 08:24     Subject: Food demands when helping out a friend?
Anonymous wrote:Kids are only picky eaters because their parents let them be. If the kid is hungry he’ll be happy to eat whatever is in your cupboards. And next time the mom can send you him with snacks.


Said the person whose kids are not picky eaters and assumes it is because of their parenting...and is totally wrong.
Anonymous
Post 09/12/2023 08:21     Subject: Food demands when helping out a friend?
Anonymous wrote:I’m watching a classmate/sort of friend of DS after school this week, while his mother attends to some appointments with her parent. It’s been planned for a week. All of a sudden I just received a text that this boy is a picky eater, and can I have specific snacks available so he can eat after school! I’m a bit astounded. I don’t mind providing snacks, but I’m not being paid by this mom, I’m just being kind, and this just feels audacious! Of course I will stop on my way home and grab him something so he doesn’t go hungry, but how would you handle this tonight? Mom is dealing with a lot of stress, so I don’t want to pile it on. But it’s like, pack a snack? Throw me some cash? What should I say?


Unless the mom is asking for caviar, just get the snacks and feel good about being a great human being, who is helping a very stressed out mom-friend.
Anonymous
Post 09/12/2023 07:29     Subject: Food demands when helping out a friend?
Kids are only picky eaters because their parents let them be. If the kid is hungry he’ll be happy to eat whatever is in your cupboards. And next time the mom can send you him with snacks.
Anonymous
Post 09/12/2023 07:26     Subject: Food demands when helping out a friend?
I would give her some grace this week. I also have a picky eater, one who used to have meltdowns when hungry. Maybe she just realized at the last minute that something like could happen and sent the request in a panic because she’s juggling so many other things this week.
Anonymous
Post 09/12/2023 07:19     Subject: Food demands when helping out a friend?
Kids don't go hungry in my house.

I mean, I might be a bit put out and cross that I had to make another trip, but I'm not letting a child go hungry. If I was watching the kids after school, we'd go on a trip to the store together.
Anonymous
Post 09/12/2023 06:17     Subject: Food demands when helping out a friend?
I am going to assume that, given the timing of the post, after kids would have left for school on Monday, that mom sent the kid to school and was on her way to her mom’s or at her mom’s (maybe she’s there out of town and kid needs childcare till Dad gets off of work) and realized that she forgot to pack the snacks.

I would give a lot of grace in that situation. Because stress does a number on your brain.

When we traveled for one kid’s medical care, so many people picked up slack for us. Now, I pay that forward.
Anonymous
Post 09/11/2023 19:55     Subject: Food demands when helping out a friend?
One time, there was a mom offers snacks to my picky eater kid at playdate and I am not surprised that it did not end well. I offered to pack some snacks at dropoff, and they said it's not needed. The mom cut a small fruit to share, and the portion was small for sharing. The mom offered to microwave something for my kid, but the other kid did not want to. The mom thought my kid may like pan fried dumpling, and it is a no for me kid.

I know my kid well, so it is easier for me to pack him snacks than me telling other families that he is picky eater.
Anonymous
Post 09/11/2023 19:45     Subject: Food demands when helping out a friend?
I’m happy to help but not very much. Y’all are insufferable.
Anonymous
Post 09/11/2023 19:33     Subject: Food demands when helping out a friend?
“Your little Johnny will eat what we have or not.” DONE!
Anonymous
Post 09/11/2023 19:31     Subject: Food demands when helping out a friend?
I'd offer kid whatever snacks we have and see. If he eats them, great. If he doesnt, he can wait until dinner. Is this really that big of a deal?
Anonymous
Post 09/11/2023 19:28     Subject: Food demands when helping out a friend?
As someone who went through a health crisis with a spouse with young kids, I would just buy the snacks, and be thankful that I wasn’t in that situation.

I mean…what is this going to cost you? $20 and an extra trip to the store or another Amazon order? Why does everything have to be through a lens of being taken advantage of?
Anonymous
Post 09/11/2023 19:22     Subject: Food demands when helping out a friend?
Anonymous wrote:What snack are we talking about here? Why can’t she just send him with his picky snack?


Just say we don’t eat/have that. Please send with Johnny if he wants a specific snack.

I host a lot of play dates. I have a packed fridge and pantry. I wouldn’t mind adding something to my grocery list but I would not go on an extra trip the day prior for a kid I’m doing a favor for.
Anonymous
Post 09/11/2023 19:20     Subject: Food demands when helping out a friend?
What snack are we talking about here? Why can’t she just send him with his picky snack?
Anonymous
Post 09/11/2023 19:17     Subject: Food demands when helping out a friend?
OP, what snack is the mom requesting?

I would probably just say OK to the mom and then if I didn’t actually get the stuff… who cares?