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Original poster

Think i might've over stretched myself!

35 replies

MilkNoPoisonPlease · 25/10/2009 23:27

Im a f/t nanny to 3 kids ages 9, 7 and 5 months. this week is half term and we have days out planned.

have offered to have 7 year olds friend for 3 days as mum is V pregnant and tired etc and shes a lovely girl.

But have also agreed to have eldest 2s friends (aged 10 and 7) and their sister aged 4 for 2 days this week as mum was let down by her childcare and was v upset over no childcare etc and she does huge favours for me and BM if running late etc...

2 days overlap with other friends days...me being a moron didnt clock this until i was going through my diary just now...7 kids including a 4 year old and baby, for 2 8 hour days...right now is seeming like a stupid idea!

Its not a q of not being able to cope...i can cope BUT i just have a feeling ill be grey before wednesday!!

Any ideas before i quit? (joking btw )

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MonsterousNasalPustule · 31/10/2009 16:12

Your brave and well done

Blondeshavemorefun · 31/10/2009 14:34

well done

glad you had a good day but think you are insane

nannynick · 31/10/2009 12:46

Makes me glad that I didn't end up taking my two to the Natural History museum, expect that would have been just as busy.

Glad you ended up having a good time, even with all the little drama's you had.

Original poster
MilkNoPoisonPlease · 31/10/2009 11:25

Oh.Goog.god!

science museum on the last day of half term...is HELL!!

we got there 5 mins before it opened and had to queue for 20 mins!

went straight to the "launchpad" where they do loads of interactive stiff so stayed there for aages! (we walked past it again an HOUR later and it was 1 1/2 hours to get in to launchpad )

We also went to the wallice and gromit exhabition but, was £7 for kids and £9 for me, babies are free, but was also buy 1 get one free on tixs so wasnt to bad, but well worth it! loads to do and play with, even a corner pf soft [;ay bricks and giant shapes to climb on for under 3's, a slide from one floor to the other etc, was really really good.

Was completly packed...flipping boiling...was a logistical nightmare with so many kids and buggy...ended up carrying baby and pushing buggy with everyone bags on...my feet were killing me and SO many stairs to go up and down with bugggy at stations etc

BUT

All kids loved it...had so many people help with the bggy and getting all kids down to the sttion from complete strangers...Kids adored it there...they were brilliantly behaved...and tbh i loved it to!

A good day!

oh and doubtful she'll read this but thank you so much to the lovely lady/mum that helped when one walked off and got herself lost! she stood with the others whilst i ran round looking for her, and to the lovely lady thatg worked there that saw she was lost and made her stay there until i found them , and comforted her whilst she cried...was the longest 10 minutes of my life but thank you both so much!!!

OP posts:
MonsterousNasalPustule · 30/10/2009 09:31

No that was a thing i found, if the family aren;t UK based then they can;t do anything, but can cover you if you travel abraod with a UK family for a holiday.

Yes it does seem like she is skating around legislation.

Blondeshavemorefun · 30/10/2009 08:47

how was science museum milk?

frakula · 29/10/2009 22:14

They still don't offer extended overseas cover though! Which means I end up being insured in 2 different countries....

Oh well, better safe than sorry

I think arctic's nanny may not want to call MM about her issue though because, well, she's got too many families on the books and the Childcare Act doesn't really let you do that!

MonsterousNasalPustule · 29/10/2009 15:16

Call Morton Michel, explain what coverage you need and if they don't yet offer it they can go to their underwriters and see if they can sort something out, the lady i spoke to said they are happy to do this and the more the get asked for things the more likely they are to offer it.

arcticlemming · 29/10/2009 12:14

Thanks for the advice - I'm a bit concerned that she may be sailing a bit close to the wind in terms of numbers of families etc.

MonsterousNasalPustule · 29/10/2009 11:11

When i was chatting to Morton Michel the other day they said always call about possible work situations as they can chat to their underwriters and can often come up with a bespoke policy for different situations.

nannynick · 28/10/2009 22:38

You will need to see the policy wording, but I would expect it would not be covered... MM are the most popular provider of nanny insurance (in my view), you could e-mail them and ask if they would cover a nanny in such a situation.

As Frakula says... it is also likely to breach Childcare Act 2006 if the care is provided in one home (thus two families bring their children to that home), as may not fall under exempt provision. Thus why your nanny isn't able to register with Ofsted as it may highlight that situation occurring.

MonsterousNasalPustule · 28/10/2009 22:20

My Morton Michel adapted policy would be breeched if i worked for more than 2 families, but I can care for upto 6 children without a problem.

frakula · 28/10/2009 17:03

Get your nanny to check her policy. I would be in breach of my insurance in the situation you describe, but remember that if she's not registered with OFSTED it's equally possible she's not insured as it's not actually a requirement unless you are registered, altough a good, professional nanny will have it anyway.

Incidentally your nanny, whilst she may not be invalidating her insurance (if it exists), is probably not complying with the Childcare Act Nick also mention further up the thread. The exemption for in-home care only applies for up to two families. Care provided for more than 2 families becomes subject to OFSTED's regulations.

"Exempt childminding

3.?(1) The circumstances referred to in articles 2(1) and 2(3) are where a person makes the provision(2)?

(a) for?

(i) a child or children for particular parents, wholly or mainly in the home of the parents, or

(ii) a child or children for particular parents (?the first parents?) and, in addition, for a child or children for different parents (?the second parents?), wholly or mainly in the home of the first parents or the second parents or in both homes; "

from here

arcticlemming · 28/10/2009 15:44

Blondes / nannynick - sorry to hijack, but can I just clarify what you said about nanny insurance. I use a self-employed nanny 2 days a week who not infrequently looks after mine and children from two other families on the same day - is she not insured to do so? She has mentioned this is the reason she can't register with Ofsted to enable me to use childcare vouchers, but didn't realise it was an insurance issue too.

MonsterousNasalPustule · 28/10/2009 15:36

Well Done.

I happens

Blondeshavemorefun · 27/10/2009 22:58

dont beat yourself up about the bump

it happens

sounds as if you coped - well done

Original poster
MilkNoPoisonPlease · 27/10/2009 22:57

WOOPS! thank you all for your help....i will be back here before science museum day

OP posts:
Original poster
MilkNoPoisonPlease · 27/10/2009 22:56

Hello! i survived!

374 bottles a glass of wine this evening to relax though

yesterday was fab! the kida were completly mental completly hy[er but so much fun

today was good, didnt go science museum though...thurs or friday now

Went a bit pear shaped in the arvo and i feel horrible about it- was at the local fields with 4 of them and youngest mindee (5 motnhs). i was changing youngests nappy on a bench (needed doind asap due to nappy rash and no frigging loo's!) and in the split second it took for me to out her nappy in a bag (already opened not tied up etc so v quick) she rolled of the bench onto the floor and bumped her head...we both burst into tears!, she was abso0lutely fine 2 secs later...she has a huuuge bruis and a bit of a bump on her head...is absoolutely fine and no lasting affects...

but i feel absolutely awful about it...cant believe i did such a stupid thing, taking my hands off her...god it could have been so so much worse...nanny of the year my arse!

aoart from that have had a good time with them...mums are so so grateful...and ive got them all again tomorrow and friday!!

oh and thinking like a childminder works!!

OP posts:
MonsterousNasalPustule · 27/10/2009 18:43

Hope she didn't just open the wine and climb into the bottle.

I can fondly rememeber a weeks temp job in village, family had 9,7,5 & 12m + ap, with different children asking if x,y could come play i landed up with 8 dc from 5 to 9 including mine( excluding 12m + ap) one afternoon.

So in the morning my lot made cakes and biscuits and in the afternoon 8 kids sat in a rough circle on a pvc table cloth with a named plate of cakes and biscuits and all manner of icing colours and sprinkles in the middle, the quietest 2 hours ever had, then it was tea, play and deliver them all home again with plates.

Blondeshavemorefun · 27/10/2009 12:11

good point katymac

when i had ill dc all last last week,no peace for me to fiddle on mn

good luck milk

Katymac · 27/10/2009 12:10

I was wondering

I think today is the big day so no surprise that she didn't get to the PC tho'

Blondeshavemorefun · 27/10/2009 11:58

milk hasnt returned

do you think she survived?

thebody · 26/10/2009 15:14

time for wine is when you have just shut the door on the last child to be collected.. any earlier might be regarded as un professional methinks

AtheneNoctua · 26/10/2009 15:05

Ah I see, your true colours are showing now.

Blondeshavemorefun · 26/10/2009 13:00

pmsl athene - that did sound like i was offering to help milk

hmmmmmmmmmmmmm

7 children or lying on my sofa catching up with sky+

what a hard decision!!