MSE Newborn to 1 year (& beyond!) baby club 2

PurpleFairy26

Elelyn wrote: »

Evening all,

I am not a happy bunny tonight. Had a telephone meeting with my manager about my request to change my hours on my return from mat leave. I wanted to do 3 days a week. This is not agreeable to my manager and I have been told I can either return full time or do a job share which means either three days one week, two weeks the next or two and a half days a week. I most definately do not want to do full time but the job share option is far from ideal as I'm still going to have to pay for two days of nursery (DH is doing one day at home) as my travelling time is such that we couldn't do a half day at the nursery. So it looks like I'll have to take the two and a half days option but end up with half a day when I'm at home at little man is at nursery. Plus it means losing another two days pay a month and I really don't know if we can afford that. I'm worried about how we'll manage. Also majorly peed off with my manager as she had led me to believe that I could do three days. Not happy at all

Sorry youre unhappy, I dont blame you. Can you appeal? Or ask for written reasons as to why the three days aren't acceptable, surely there must be another person involved (the job share) so if they would do 2 days there shouldn't be an issue. I hope you get it sorted.

Another option would be to see if your nursey would let you do a school day for the half day you work, ours does, it's a few pound cheaper as they don't get tea, but, it would work out a bit over the course of the year

Sammie_03

We used the dentinox cradle cap shampoo and found it great too.

silly_moo

We also used the dentinox cradle cap shampoo and it worked well. I think it's available in all major supermarkets.

silly_moo

I have a question, hope you can advise.

We're going to be on a plane when my LO will be just under 8 months old. Can you recommend any toys to take along with us? Preferably ones that don't make loud noises as we don't want to fall out with everyone on the plane! One of his favourite toys just now is ELC Activity Triangle but it's a bit bulky to put into hand luggage plus I read online it's good to have a new toy for them to keep them occupied.

We were already on a plane a few times with him but he was much younger and only slept. I'm worried it'll not be so easy this time.

sunshine_1988

Elelyn wrote: »

Evening all,

I am not a happy bunny tonight. Had a telephone meeting with my manager about my request to change my hours on my return from mat leave. I wanted to do 3 days a week. This is not agreeable to my manager and I have been told I can either return full time or do a job share which means either three days one week, two weeks the next or two and a half days a week. I most definately do not want to do full time but the job share option is far from ideal as I'm still going to have to pay for two days of nursery (DH is doing one day at home) as my travelling time is such that we couldn't do a half day at the nursery. So it looks like I'll have to take the two and a half days option but end up with half a day when I'm at home at little man is at nursery. Plus it means losing another two days pay a month and I really don't know if we can afford that. I'm worried about how we'll manage. Also majorly peed off with my manager as she had led me to believe that I could do three days. Not happy at all

Oh sorry to read that rubbish news. Is there any room for negotiation at all? When I went on maternity leave, I had to put together my case for reduced hours to my manager once I knew what I wanted to know, she then had to see if there was a buisiness case to refuse or accept it (although this is all in line with our policy, which is probably different to yours)

I requested to do 4 days a week, but longer days than average. So I work out doing 33 hours a week over 4 days, I only lose 4 hours a week as opposed to a full timer, but gain a day off with the boy.

Could you propose to do something similar? Maybe do the 2 and a half days in 2 days - if that makes sense? Or ask your manager if you can do 3 days, over 2?

Either way, I hope you can get it sorted. hugs xx

Hope everyone else is okay we havent got Aiden any shoes or cruisers yet. He had some soft pram type shoes for his christening. I think we are going to wait till he is walking - hopefully not too long!!

Going to read back now. xx

Elelyn

jonno7, they've said that they will need to recruit another person to fill the rest of my post as, even though they are making major cuts right now and there are redundancies being offered left, right and centre the department can't function on less staff. Even though they didn't bother to get maternity cover for my post and they've managed just fine for the last 7 months. Apparently, they will be able to recruit someone to work two and half days but they won't be able to get someone who wants just two days. Sounds like an excuse to me, I think they're just being awkward. I am not my managers favourite person. I could appeal the decision but I'm not sure it would get me anywhere. I'm going to sleep on it for a few nights before I decide anything. Really wish I didn't have to go back there at all. Think I'll start playing the lottery...

sunshine_1988

silly_moo wrote: »

I have a question, hope you can advise.

We're going to be on a plane when my LO will be just under 8 months old. Can you recommend any toys to take along with us? Preferably ones that don't make loud noises as we don't want to fall out with everyone on the plane! One of his favourite toys just now is ELC Activity Triangle but it's a bit bulky to put into hand luggage plus I read online it's good to have a new toy for them to keep them occupied.

We were already on a plane a few times with him but he was much younger and only slept. I'm worried it'll not be so easy this time.

Hmm....I've only took mine when he was 3 months, and as you say - they just sleep.

I've been with my sister though when hers were 12 months(girl) and then 15 months (boy). I remember she took those stacking cups - Aiden loves those too. They seemed mesmerised for a while putting them back inside each other. I think she also took some picture books, a soft doll (for the girl) and some sort of soft toys which have a bell inside...I'll see if I can find something similar...

http://www.elc.co.uk/Bugs-Discovery-Balls-and-Links/130625,default,pd.html

http://www.elc.co.uk/Wiggle-Giggle-Ladybird/130655,default,pd.html

Maybe something like that?

I think Nutella is a frequent flyer lol, she will prob have lots of toy tips x

Elelyn

Sunshine, I had considered working longer days to get my hours in but the trouble is my commute is an hour and fifteen minutes each way (longer if the trains are playing up) and it would make for such a long day - I'd be pooped and I wouldn't get see Theo at all on those days.

It's made all the more complicated by the fact that we don't even know if Theo has a place at our preferred nursery yet. We are hoping he will get in at the on-site nursery where DH works (would make things so much easier and it's subsidised so slightly cheaper) but they can't confirm which days, if any, they can offer us until after Easter when they "do their lists". So I can't set anything in stone re which days I want to work until then anyway. Tis annoying me though - I like to know everything is sorted.

On the subject of Dentinox shampoo - it hasn't made any difference to the cradle cap here, although Theo doesn't have a lot of it anyway, but it smells delicious - like Turkish Delight! I want to eat Theo's head when he's had his hair washed in it!

sunshine_1988

Whats your maternity pay policy? If you dont go back to work, do you have to repay any of the corporate element of maternity pay?

Sounds a difficult situation, I hope it works out for you in the end. Going back to work after a baby is hard enough without extra complications. x

Peanut2013

Ladies, is it normal for a 6 week old to take no notice in any toys?

He'll happily sit on my lap and smile if I pull funny faces at him and just watch the world go by. But if I shake a rattle he won't turn his head towards the noise or anything.

Is this normal?