MSE Parents Club Part 13

ladybirdintheuk

Thanks all. I'm a bit clueless with these thing. She is eating pate on bread at the moment - and is demanding more juice. Who taught her that word damnit?!!

My_Fathers_Daughter

Fitzio wrote: »

Thanks Redstar. Everything is ok, just trying to find a childminder and it's not going well, so feeling a bit disheartened by that. And Holly and I have both been a bit sick this week so suffering from slight lack of sleep and an unusually moany baby. She is never like that, and it's the first time she has been unwell so we are doing ok really!

Aw Fitz - I remember sat crying posting about my worries about finding a CM last year. It seemed to take me ages and tons of upsetting phonecalls to find one with a vacancy - then when I had someone to go and visit I found that incredibly stressful.

And then eventually when I found someone who I liked enough to have her look after my child she turned me down because she wasn't prepared to work the hours I needed

At that stage I was desperate and really felt like I couldn't speak to another person about it...so I put an add on my local netmums and my wonderful, wonderful CM replied to me saying that she might be able to help. I knew from the second I spoke to her that she was 'the one' for me and Benjamin and she has been every bit as good as I had hoped, and better!

So I guess what I am trying to say is that these things happen for a reason and the right CM is out there waiting for you to fall into her lap (so to speak).

Have you spoken to your local council / CM network? They can often tell you who has a vacancy and who is good. And obviously I would recommend Netmums



Hope Holly and you get better soon xx

redstararnie76

Fitzio wrote: »

Thanks Redstar. Everything is ok, just trying to find a childminder and it's not going well, so feeling a bit disheartened by that. And Holly and I have both been a bit sick this week so suffering from slight lack of sleep and an unusually moany baby. She is never like that, and it's the first time she has been unwell so we are doing ok really!

Your post cheered me up yesterday and made both hubby and I laugh. I thought that she could have at least used a blue felt tip pen, since he is a boy!

I did laugh about the pen... eventually .

Is it trying to find a childminder that's causing you problems, or trying to find one that you like? If it's the former, have you tried looking on your local Netmums site (www.netmums.com I think) - they've usually got a section on local childcare? Other that, I'm not much help I'm afraid - I ended up going down the nursery route for my daughter and I'm planning on doing the same with Freddie.

ETA: MFD - you beat me to it!

Fitzio

Thanks Claire (and everyone else)! You may regret that!

I have only been to see 1 person so far, but it was a bit of an eye opener, and I feel I need to lower my expectations (although MFD has set them very high ha ha!!!). I have a massive list of people so will start phoning them this afternoon and making more appointments, so not given up before I start don't worry. It just wasn't as I expected.....

It was difficult to judge her properly as she spent about an hour and a half talking to me but didn’t really tell me much. The kids were just wandering around with dummies in, not doing very much. It’s hard to know whether this would have been different if I hadn’t been there, but I got the impression there just wasn’t much structure to their play etc. She made comments like “it’s not a nursery, it’s a home from home”, which I can understand on one hand, but I also felt it meant she wasn’t putting much effort in to actively looking after them and doing anything constructive with them.

Also there was another childminder present who I had been e-mailing so that was quite awkward. She didn’t introduce herself at first so I had no idea who she was. Then they kept saying “we do this, we do that”, so I kind of felt they are a very close knit group, and that it wasn’t giving me much choice. If they go on outings, the children could end up in another childminder’s car which I don’t think is really right if I am paying one to look after her.

Also, how do CMs cope with different kids having different routines? I got the impression from her that Holly would have to fit in with her routine. I can understand it must be difficult if you have a few young ones, but if Holly needs 2 naps, I don’t really want her being forced to stay awake to suit other people. There was no sleeping area, it was just a buggy in a corner of the living room facing the wall, which I really didn’t like at all. I don’t even think Holly would sleep in it. Is that normal? I don’t know if i am just being snobby or if my concerns are reasonable!

Feel free to ignore me or if anyone else has opinions or experiences, feel free to chip in and tell me what a snob I am being. It’s only for one day a week, so I don’t want to be too anal about it, but at the same time, she is my baby and I will feel guilty enough about leaving her.

And I said I wasn't chatty!!!

My_Fathers_Daughter

:eek:

Fitz - she sounds HORRENDOUS!!! I would have made my excuses and left.

Believe me that not all CM's are like that - was she a 'network' CM do you know?

If you call someone on your list and they say they have no vacancies ask if they know anyone who does have vacancies. CMs often know each other and know who has what children and when. Although I would run a mile at the 'group' that CM mentioned - put my child in someone elses car??? I think not!!!

redstararnie76

The concerns that you've mentioned are pretty much the reason I went with a nursery in the end, but I'm sure that a good childminder can deal with those things - and I would ask them about them directly.

jillie1974

oh Fitz that CM does not sound good at all

would you not try a nursery?

Krystaltips

BeenieCat wrote: »

Noo i don't have a Dyson atm, but i want one It's an Electrolux Vitesse and the crap all gets blocked in the hose, so i have to unscrew and and take it outside to bang on the wall to unblock it. And the filter gets blocked after 5 mins and it cuts out anyway and you have to wait half an hour for it to cool down and go back on. Had it ages but hardly used cos of this prob

I was gonna get it mended but after reading this i don't think i'll bother!! http://www.reviewcentre.com/reviews-all-98539.html#tabs-menu

I had that one... It blew up... I took it back to Argos and got a Samsung that I absolutely hated... Gave in and bought a Dyson... Best thing I ever did, I love it!

I'd pay £30 for a 2nd hand one if I could see it working...

Fitz, don't lower your standards!!

MMR went OK... She screamed and went blotchy... Had her legs straight out in front of her in the buggy, wouldn't bend at the knee or anything lol... Seems to have forgotten about it after a trip to the greengrocers for a giant bunch of grapes...

I was going to get a scallop at the chippy but it was closed... Don't fancy anything else for lunch either...

redstararnie76

aless02 wrote: »

redstar - you can do freelance stuff while on mat leave. I do mystery shopping and Avon which is self-employed, so this is the same thing. You just can't go back to work for THAT employer IYSWIM.*

*(this is what I have read/been told, anyway)

Aless - Many thanks for this. I'm really keen to do the job and it's good money, but I just can't afford to lose my SMP, so hopefully it'll be allowed.

Fitzio

Thanks guys. I am glad to know I am not being completely unreasonable.

I am open to both CM and nursery, although there aren't any nurseries in the area I want who take from birth. I would have to go further afield, and I can't really afford to add much time onto my journey to work as it's an hour already most days. And I am trying to get near my parents as they are going to collect her around 4pm so it's not as long a day for her as I will be working til 7pm and hubby until 6pm. There is 1 nursery near me that I will go and see - just means my dad will have to go a bit further to collect her.

I had been looking at Netmums to see if anyone advertised a vacancy, but hadn't advertised myself as looking for a CM. No-one ever seems to advertise in my parents area! Until 5 mins ago when your prompting made me check again, and the nightmare woman I saw the other day has today, advertised a full time vacancy for a baby!!!! Maybe she didn't like me either and wants an excuse to knock us back lol.