MSE Parents Club Part 16

Metranil_Vavin

thanks for the insights gang.

I think being a SAHM for a while may be the best thing, the thought of having to put J into a nursery for 5 days a week, and pretty much work my ar5e off just to pay for someone else to bring him up, doesn't really do much for me.

Plus I've been unhappy at work for a while now, so maybe this is the kick I needed to actually do something else.

Every cloud and all that...

Besides which I'm really quite broody again! Banana's given I have only recently stopped breastfeeding (thank god!), and feel I finally have being a mum under control/J sleeping through the night/good naps/routines blah..

Am I mad? Or just knocking on a bit and not wanting to miss the chance to have a sibling for him

vroombroom

iceicebaby wrote: »

I need some opinions on childminders versus nurseries from you lovely people. I am going into work next month to discuss my return to work so need to find Childcare for baby ice. I am undecided on a childminder or a nursery. Anyone have any words of wisdom about either?

TIA

me since E is going in a few weeks:D I chose a nursery over a childminder cos I remember someone saying on here about the baby might become to attached to them and also they would spend their life in a car seat doing the school run. Put me off completely.


Went to see a few diff nurseries and found them more 'baby friendly':D I think he's likely to learn more and develop more than he would at a CM (this is just my own opinion - nothing against CM!) x

I'd say go meet some CM and visit some nurseries and see what you think x

iceicebaby

I'm thinking more nursery than CM to be honest as he is an only child so will have more interaction with other kids at a nursery. But then if he is with a childminder then the transition when he goes to school might be smoother as he will stay with the CM just less hours.

Make-it-3

MV - I think you're nuts (in the nicest possible way). I know I could never do the first six months again. Every day is still a challenge for me. At least you won't have me stalking you!

sir_monster

MV If you are happy being a SAHM go for it, I wouldn't want your long commute working for a company from the sounds of things didn't treat you that great just for a bit of money. Maybe you could look for something part time/local if you did want to return? I'm like others I want to go back as much as I love spending time with t I miss adult time and did enjoy my job and my boss/work colleagues were always good but I don't think now I can go back full time.

I'm the same nursery/cm. I am preferring nursery as t does prefer socialising with other kids, he loves being with Rach's lo and always smiles and giggles with him and follows other babies around too. Although I am worried that their 'schedule' may not suit t so I am looking at cms too. But I am not keen on t being stuck in a buggy twice a day (or more for school runs).

tsstss7

CL wrote: »

Hi Tss. I got an L shaped pillow in Dunelm and a pillow case for it for £8 total. It was a Fogarty pillow and I used it for BF and still use it for comfort when giving LO her bottle. I can't find the exact one on their website, but it is similar to this one:

http://www.dunelm-mill.com/shop/fogarty-v-shaped-orthopaedic-support-pillow-72569

jennynoo wrote: »

Tsstss is this the kind of book u want? http://www.amazon.co.uk/Babys-Very-First-Book-Farm/dp/0333902505/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1313169059&sr=8-2
Erin had these and loved them.

These are both great - knew I could count on you lot :j.

I'm not planning to go back to work full time until LO is school age but I personnally would go for a childminder for a baby and nursery for an older child (2plus). (depending upon when I go back as I would probably stick with a chidlminder once started).

I think that everyday life (like school runs) is stimulation enough for small children (although I wouldn't like my childminder to take baby shopping or anything like that) and I actually prefer the idea of the person looking after my child being emotionlly invested to a degree.

Big points to weigh up though are that nurseries tend to have set hours so suit regular full timers better than flexible workers while childminders will tend to accomodate the hours you need (within reason i guess).

That said I'm not a big fan of nurseries really so I'm probably biased. If it was possible I'd probably stick to family cover and try and work round their schedule but I know that can be difficult too sometimes!

iceicebaby

Thanks for your input tsstss. Unfortunately family is not an option. My family lives too far away for her to be able to help on a day to day basis and my son's father's mum is disabled so cannot physically help and his sister works herself, so it would be exclusively CM or nursery.

delain

Tsstss I just noticed your sig, well done on the baby girl

CL

Hi Ice, I've just put my LO into a creche and considered both a creche and a childminder. My decision was based on friends who went to childminders as children and family who looked into childminders and creches.

The main things that put me off a childminder looking after my LO in their own home was the fact that when my sister went to meet potential childminders and asked them why they decided to become childminders, the main reason given was that they wanted to be at home with their own children. To me that implied that the childminders own children would come first.

Also, I have heard of childminders who plonk LOs in front of the TV and spend the day doing their own housework. Another child of a relative spent most of the day in the car when the childminder did the school runs, shopping, banking, etc.

I know there are many excellent childminders, but I felt that the creche was more stimulating and they do painting, singing, nursery rhymes and play with other children of a similar age.

Saying that, my LO's first week in creche was terrible. She wasn't used to the noise of other children and cried a fair bit, but was a lot happier by the fourth day.

The creche was more expensive than a childminder, so I didn't make the decision based on money, and luckily my Mum will have LO one day a week and she will get the one to one time and plenty of cuddles then.

rach

Hi all

L slept til 7.45am today (after 5.45am for the last couple of weeks!). In the end dh went in and opened the curtains as i thought he'd never nap otherwise (which he's apparently still not doing as he's chatting and shouting in his cot as i type!)

MV i am in a similar predicament. I'm basically currently being made redundant and ridiculously the fact they will pay me 12 weeks notice on full pay plus a small (£2.6k) redundancy payment nets me more than the job I'd been offered would in the whole year post tax, travel & childcare (it was £7k pro rata less than my old job)! So I am going to turn down the new job I'm offered and used the 12 weeks notice to build up the freelance work and maybe look for something else.

I would like to do something, and maybe have L in childcare 1-2 days a week.

could you freelance? It's working quite well for me, at the moment fitting it into evenings/naps & weekends but if more came in I'd work regular days on it and have childcare for those days.

we don't get any tax credits or anything at all in terms of help, except child benefit i guess but we won't get that when they change it :mad:

madnessandmayhem wrote: »

Hi,
I work 18 hours a week i the evenings at a local supermarket, so that dh can be at home with the kids, so I only have minimal childcare costs (I have a friends daughter to babysit for an hour or so if dh is on a later shift, but still cheaper than nursery etc), and I take home about £450 a month.

Is that after tax or before?

tsstss7 wrote: »

Anyway I wonder if any one can help with my latest quest? I'm after two items and can't find them anywhere. I want to buy a book designed for newborns with those black and white patterns and can't find one under a tenner (waitrose - also cloth and I would prefer a regular book really)....Also I need a feeding pillow but can only find ludicriuosly expensive elaborate ones in mothercare and jojomammonbabe when all I want is a nice fat one like they have at the maternity hospitals. Does anyone have any idea where I can buy one?

Must go someone at the door - will be grateful for any suggestions.

I got a set from the book people too

DH's family are all down (at his parents) this weekend. I think his mum wants us all to go on a picnic to crystal palace park today. it's not really very nice day though!