opinions please just in case I have missed something

[saadia]

Ds1 goes to the nursery attached to his school. Another mother who works two full days a week has asked me if I would, on those days, pick up her son and drop him off at his private nursery which is practically next door to ds's nursery.

I have said that is no problem but will need her number in case on any given day I can't make it. Her ds appears to be very well behaved. I can't see any problems with this arrangement but just want confirmation that I haven't missed any potential problems.

[NotQuiteCockney]

I can't see any problem with it, assuming her ds is fine with you taking him? How old are the kids?

Oh, I'd find out about any medical issues, allergies, etc, just in case. That way, if your DS1 wants a biscuit after nursery, he can share with his friend, without any worries.

[saadia]

Thanks for your reply NQC they are three going on four - good thinking about the allergies I'll check up on that.

[NotQuiteCockney]

Oh at that age you should be fine, as long as the other DS is ok with you taking him. You'll be walking? (if so, is he careful on the pavement?) Or driving? (if so, car seat/booster is obviously an issue)

I'd get contact numbers in general.

[NotQuiteCockney]

Oh, I've had similar-ish arrangements before - the nursery at DS1's school is at the very top of the building, so last year, another mum and I had a deal, whoever was there first would collect both kids and bring them down. Then stay in the playground until the other mum got there.

It worked really well, and meant that if I was sending a random person for pickup, I just could tell the other mum about it, and she'd hand DS1 over. (Didn't happen often, but still good as an option.)

Oh, and for a week in summer school, I collected someone else's DS3 and took him to the playground to meet her and her other two DSes. That was a bit more tricky, but it was a longer trip, her DS3 is a handful, and I sometimes had other things to do on the way.

[saadia]

Yes, we will be walking to the private nursery. Friend's ds appears to be very obedient, the problem is my own ds who loves running off with me constantly yelling and dashing after him. I am hoping that my ds will see the other lad holding on to ds2's buggy and do the same.

I'm just a bit apprehensive about having responsibility for someone else's child but it's really not that big a deal I suppose.

[ameli]

I think that in theory it should be fine, although i know what you mean about the responsibility for someone elses child. how well do you know the other woman? Is this a long term arrangement?

[saadia]

Thanks for comments ameli. I don't know her very well, we just chat if we see each other. In fact we didn't even know each others' names until this arrangement was suggested. I think the arrangement would have been till the end of the year.

Anyway, update, after all this discussion, the arrangement has been cancelled. Her dh will be able to drop ds off at other nursery as the meetings he was scheduled for have all been re-arranged.

I'm quite pleased as although I'm more than happy to help out - and I totally sympathise with their dilemma - it would really leave them in the lurch if I for some reason couldn't do it (car breakdown, illnes etc).