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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Nursery worker babysitting?

92 replies

NoFoxGiven · 03/12/2018 20:35

DH has found a handwritten note in DC's bag from DC's main nursery worker offering babysitting services with her number on it.

Whilst I (a parent of a DC who has a fantastic worker who can get her to nap) can see the appeal, when speaking to other friends who are parents, they've said they felt it crossed a line.

Was she BU to do this?

OP posts:
Kolo · 03/12/2018 21:43

We’ve never had any family around to babysit, so nursery staff were the only adults, other than ourselves, who knew my children and who my children already knew and had a relationship with. Mine are junior age now and we still use a woman who looked after them in nursery tonbabysit. She’s like part of the family.

It’s really such a great idea to use staff who are qualified and know your child.

anniehm · 03/12/2018 21:45

My daughters teaching assistant babysat and even helped parents out by taking them back to her house after after school club finished in exceptional circumstances. She didn't advertise but everyone knew - she was a single parent, studying for her B Ed part time, working as a teaching assistant plus running after school club, her daughter attended the school and the club. I can see schools being uncomfortable but they knew she needed the money and that parents didn't all have back up plans - we had no relatives for over 100 miles and had just relocated there, she was a godsend when I had to travel to funerals, house hunting (we then had to move again!)

gruffalomom · 03/12/2018 21:46

I wish ours had done this in the beginning! We wanted to ask, but weren't sure if it was allowed or not so sat on our hands for a year!
Absolutely the best thing we have done. We trust them, the kids love them and they are qualified. What could better?

Tobebythesea · 03/12/2018 21:47

Nursery workers are the perfect babysitters. They know your child, you know them, they are police and reference checked...what’s not to love?

lilySalvatore · 03/12/2018 21:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TheOrigFV45 · 03/12/2018 21:49

We used my son's keyworker many times. It was fab.

LegoAdventCalendar · 03/12/2018 21:50

I'd love it, too! I'd be wanting to book.

redcaryellowcar · 03/12/2018 21:51

I think it's common and normal, they are paid such a low hourly wage, that I imagine e topping up with babysitting is necessary.

BlaaBlaaBlaa · 03/12/2018 21:55

Most of the staff at my DS's nursery do this. It's a wonderful idea.
We're really lucky as DS's key worker lives on our street so we see him regularly anyway. He's babysat for us and some of our neighbours. It's great as he can just walk home!

HauntedPencil · 03/12/2018 23:09

I don't understand why it's crossing a line either OP I don't know why your friends would say that.

They get such low pay that I think it's really common and it suits a lot of people.

halfwitpicker · 03/12/2018 23:14

Hand? Bitten off.

HauntedPencil · 03/12/2018 23:40
Grin
HavelockVetinari · 04/12/2018 07:55

How much is the going rate per hour of babysitting? Normal hourly wage?

Aeroflotgirl · 04/12/2018 08:07

Fine, absolutely great, your ds knows her, she has her relevant qualifications, no different to asking a teen to be a babysitter, only this one is more qualified and has more experience. Not everyone has a friends and family network to help out. My dd carer babysits for us too, she is experienced and qualified and the only person I trust that could look after my kids properly.

AlexaAmbidextra · 04/12/2018 08:08

I see several have mentioned safeguarding. It seems to me that safeguarding is becoming the new health & safety. A word to be thrown in when there is no logical reason not to do/allow something.

Tobebythesea · 04/12/2018 08:09

We pay £10 p/h

Weneedhelpnow · 04/12/2018 08:10

It would have been an answer to my prayers.

Although she should possibly be doing it with the Nursery approval.

Purplestorm83 · 04/12/2018 08:13

I manage a nursery, we thought long and hard about this and I feel it is unfair for me to tell staff what they can and can’t do outside working hours, plus if I try to ban it they will do it anyway which could cause more issues (if something happened or they had concerns about a child they had babysat I would want them to be able to come and tell me). We have a clear babysitting policy which basically says it’s between the worker and the parent, nothing to do with the nursery. Staff set their own babysitting fees.

dinosaurglitterrepublic · 04/12/2018 08:23

Ours specifically prohibits this, but I would be very happy if they allowed it. I would happily leave my children with one of them, but would never contemplate using a random babysitter.

3WildOnes · 04/12/2018 08:39

Our ex and current nursery staff are the only people who babysit for us. One lady also helps out occasionally with school pick ups and holiday care. I would never use an agency, so for us it was the perfect solution.

Enidblyton1 · 04/12/2018 08:41

I’d be very wary of a nursery which didn’t allow staff to babysit in their spare time. The ‘safeguarding’ worry is a load of rubbish - it’s an entirely separate arrangement and nothing to to with the nursery.
For me, it would indicate an over controlling nursery management - possibly not a nice place to work.

bullyingadvice2017 · 04/12/2018 08:42

I'd rather that sort of note than the pile of junk mail and flyers that come home from school every bloody day.

Perfectly normal in the nursery I worked In for a few years. Still see some of the family's about it's always nice to see the kids ( bigger than me now) feel old.
She' will be on minimum wage and nothing wrong with her trying to make a few quid. There's no rule saying hey have to use her.

CoraPirbright · 04/12/2018 08:55

This is how I always found help at home with my children! Not via a note but I asked the nursery workers and had some brilliant pm/post nursery cover. It’s an all round win - the children know them and vice versa, you know that they have training, you know that they actually like children (not always a given with some people in education I have come across). I always recommend it on here when people post about trying to find help.

Aeroflotgirl · 04/12/2018 09:23

Safeguarding, what a load of crap, actually nursery workers or teachers/teaching assistants are perfect, as they have been DBS checked, had all the necessary checks, than some random from Gumtree or website who you don't know very well.

BinJuice · 04/12/2018 09:29

We did it, it’s been great.

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