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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

The BIGGEST way to upset your childminder is.......

42 replies

Booh · 06/12/2010 11:51

Bounce a cheque on them and make them go over drawn!!!

AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
OhMylanta · 07/12/2010 10:08

Because, believe it or not, I actually have a CM who is great with my DC.

I know how hard it is to get DC to wear a bib at home to eat, so I would go so far as putting them in an already manky vest for mealtimes if I don't want them to ruin their clothes (as she takes them out everyday, she does not have that option if she feeds DC lunch on the go).

The poo-thing is because of course she had never taken care of a BF baby before as most mothers would have stopped by the time they return to work and retain her services.

The heat-rash thing has happened to me too when my DC absolutely point-blank refuses to take their jumper off - plus, DC gets heat rash just by blowing some lukewarm air in their direction.

As for potentially still having traces of poo on them, she's just covering herself but I have yet to take DC's clothes off and find remnants of poo on them.

Though the D&V thing I was not happy about - I had a strong chat with her about it and we came to the agreement that the 48hour rule would stand both ways and I would reserve my right not to pay her for the day if her DC were ill.

What I was trying to show is that sometimes people are thoughtless, most times not. If it's extreme, then of course I would remove my DC from her care. But it's not and, on the whole, I have a great relationship with her (so do my DC) - but simply focusing on the negative snapshots can paint a very different picture.

I guess I just wanted to have a reverse moan Smile

PS - She has never asked for a present, but I frequently gift her bottles of vino and will be getting her a Christmas present. However, I would not have been happy if she had simply expected it as par for the course and griped if it didn't happen. And, FWIW, my toddler doesn't bite (yet!) Grin

thebody · 07/12/2010 09:45

ohmylanta.

you have inded a strange cm so dont actually recognise any of your points as pertaining to my practise but sure they happened to you...

why dont you move your child though??

Saltire · 07/12/2010 08:01

Playing outside the childmidners house in the snow, whilst completely ignoring your child who is at the mindees window having a tantrum because he can see you and his dad having fun without him

Going to the christmas fayre when your childrena re there with the childminder and when they go to spek to you you say "oh you're with saltire today ask her for money/cake/visit to santa"

PositiveOutlook · 07/12/2010 07:44

OhMyLanta, your cm sounds odd. Who leaves a LO with heavy clothes on indoors to the extent that they get a heat rash? And how can anyone not clean a child properly ?

Your comment about bf babies poos made me laugh, I thought there was something wrong with my dd when her poos were like scrambled egg until I was told it was because she was bf Xmas Smile

HSMM · 06/12/2010 23:42

ohmylanta. Completely agree with all your points. Apologies for my grumpiness, but i haven't had a holiday this year and i'm desperate for my three days off at christmas. I do invoice in advance, but i do make that clear verbally and in my contract.

Numberfour · 06/12/2010 22:56

OhMylanta: that's awful! I hope you have moved your DC to a better CM - there are many, many, many good ones around.

And we all just need a bit of a moan now and then...............

OhMylanta · 06/12/2010 22:36

Goes both ways, ladies:

Not refunding money or adjusting next month's bill when you've clearly been overpaid for the month (as you insist on being paid in advance, it makes it hard to adjust easily when there have been sudden changes to the schedule)

Further to above, being the first to complain about not being paid on time (read your contract, I ticked "in arrears", not in advance. How was I to know that you expected to be paid before you had done any work? Unfortunately, I don't get that luxury!)

Expecting a present for doing what is essentially YOUR JOB (I don't gripe when my boss doesn't pass me a little something something at Christmas) - if you're not happy with a biting toddler, then say something, rather than expecting a bribe

Sending a message to a parent saying, "Oh, my DC has been struck down by a D&V bug but you're more than welcome to send your DC in if you'd like"; basically saying I'm "available for work" (when you clearly aren't) so expecting to be paid regardless

Sending a message to a parent saying, "Oh, my DC last puked yesterday morning, so it's ok to send your DC in if you'd like" for exactly the same reasons as above

Further to above, when I send my DC in 24 hours after they have last vomited (after most likely contracting said bug from CM's child), complaining that they ought to be kept off for at least 48 hours after as you "have to protect other charges", totally ignoring or not getting the irony of your statement

Feeding young toddler charges without bibs which have been sent in by parent, thereby ensuring that DC get more food than is necessary caked and dried all over their clothes (of course I love doing extreme laundry just so you can do without bothering to use a bib)

Claiming that my DC's poo is "not normal" - it is not my fault that you have never taken care of an exclusively BF baby before

My DC doing a poo just before I come to pick them up and you handing them over in their dirty nappy without even asking whether I would be happy with you changing them first

Dressing DC warmly when leaving my house and explicitly saying to you that they need to have a layer removed when indoors in your house; yet, DC return to me at the end of the day with heat rash from wearing their jumper indoors unnecessarily

Handing my DC over to me saying they've had a bit of a poo explosion but may have some left on them after you cleaning them, so I should probably give them a bath. That's what I always want to hear - you implying that you may not have cleaned my DC adequately Hmm

I could go on, but I'll stop now.

HSMM · 06/12/2010 22:12

Don't drive into the driveway at 70mph, BECAUSE THERE MIGHT BE SMALL CHILDREN THERE!!!!!!

mindingsaproperjob · 06/12/2010 20:51

Beat this !

This afternoon Ive walked for a good 20 minutes to do a school pick up in treacherous icy conditions, fallen several times incurring shoulder and back injuries only to get there and find out that mindee was having tea with Santa and didnt need collecting till 5pm. Mum had forgotten to tell me. GRRRRRR

thebody · 06/12/2010 19:48

omg... are we cms revolting... sooo understand and empathyse with all the comments..

did a thread on this on sunday...

NO GLOVES FFS IN MINUS 6..

BOUNCY CHEQUES...

LATE OR TRYING TO DODGE PAYMENTS

SUMMER THIN COATS AS PARENTS NEVER EVER SEEM TO WALK ANYWHERE..

MY DD NOW CHESTY COLD AS MINDEES SENT WHO ARE CLEARLY ILL....

AND IT GOES ON AND ON..

MaureenMLove · 06/12/2010 19:17

Arriving five minutes before the school run, in the depths of winter, with 4 year old girl, with very long, thick hair, soaking wet. 'Sorry, I got up late and I haven't had time to dry her hair, because I'll be late for work!'

So now 6 school children are going to be late for school, but hey, as long as you're alright!

Mum2Luke · 06/12/2010 19:12

Not pay your childminder, be late picking up and send children in next to no clothes/ no change of clothes and sending children when they are sick because they haven't read their contract!! Grrrrrrrrrrr!

Also not making your child minder feel appreciated. Most of my childminding friends get given gifts at Christmas, I was looking after 3 boys last year, did all I could for them, running around to after school clubs etc - not ONE bit of appreciation. I terminated their contract this year due to bad behaviour, searing and being bitten by one of the children!

Rant over!

new2cm · 06/12/2010 17:55

What is grating me at the moment is receiving children dressed in little more than summer attire during this record-breaking freezing and snowy weather.

Yes, I do have a wardrobe of spare warm clothing, but children from about the age of about 3 onwards prefer to wear their own clothes. Besides, children should be dressed appropriately for the weather.

I have told the parents, and the parents have acted on my request for appropriate dress, but having to point out the obvious makes me cringe. Maybe cringe isn't the right word, but I'm sure seasoned childminders will know what I mean!

RosieGirl · 06/12/2010 15:03

5 Mins ago had a parent ring up to say "sorry going to be late will pick up at x o'clock", nowhere in the message did it say, please, thank you or IS IT ALRIGHT DO YOU MIND, because although I am here waiting for the school bus, I usually have 20 mins to try and get ahead to sort out dinner before the after schoolies and picking up from nursery, then feeding 5.

Not that I would say no, its just the assumption that I will.

Numberfour · 06/12/2010 13:39

Sending your child in when it is clear as day that the LO is sick sick sick (cue the calling of emergency services as a result of severs asthma attack)

badgerhead · 06/12/2010 12:16

Yes that along with paying LATE!!!!! and taking the piss with your time keeping.

dmo · 06/12/2010 12:13

oh dear i had one bounce the other week, glad i got rid of the business account as i would have had to pay for it bouncing

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