Snow

[nannynick]

How has it been today for those of you with Snow?

I see from the Snow Map that the snow is currently (at 17:35) being reported in Newcastle and Norwich.
Does that mean much of the Eastern Coast has snow?

No snow here down south as yet. Expect it will be several days before I see any.

No snow for me in the very south east!

However, I have 5 very over excited children, sledges ready and I would love a quite few days if the snow comes and no one can get to me!

none here (SW) but V V cold

brrrrr

a fantastic frosty walk in the woods, brilliant sun, melting ice to investigate

fab

hoping it will snow tonight and all be gone by monday (i finish work today)

been snowed in several times in current job and had to abanden car several times and dont want snow!!!!

Snow in Newcastle - and it's lying! Not enough to sledge yet but will hopefully get me out of the school run for DS tomorrow !!

friend has snow a few miles up the road :(

One day of the stuff and am fed up already . Did a school run this afternoon - took an hour and a half - normally takes 30mins. Not leaving the house tomorrow if more of it falls tonight!!

I am around 10 miles from Newcastle (Sunderland) we have around 10 inches currently, whilst this is great at weekend, haha spent all day sledging I am rather concerned re next week.

I need some advice

I have an 18month old usually dropped off here

A 21/2 yo whom i collect, but is a 5 min walk from me

and a 31/2 yo, that I usually collect 8.30 and take to nursery at 12.20 and then drop off home at 3.30, BUT he currently has behavioural problems (awaiting a diagnosis but probably autistic) and is a good 40 mins walk.

I also have a 51/2 yo dd

so my question is... I usually drive to school, and then a toddler morning, what if i cant drive, then it really isnt practical to collect the 31/2 yo as it involves a walk up a bank, I wouldnt make it on time to school (if its open) and then Im not sure that the 31/2 yo would walk that far back? Not that I am a wuss when it comes to driving, but conditions are really really not good here at the mo, if it continues I would worry that we would get stuck in the very short journeys we need to make.

I dont want to make the parents feel that I dont want to have the children, so how do i approach it?

If you are a parent, how would you feel?

For those who cannot drive with the snow ... quickly order Goodyear Tyre Socks online (I had mine the next day), you need to give your tyre size which you can find on your tyres by phone/email. Even the ambulance service has ordered them. They are much cheaper than winter tyres and quick to fit. Haven't tried them yet but quietly confident I won't be stuck this winter!

I had this sort of worry last year although I don't pick up any children. In case it's useful for the future, I have a bit in my policies about this:

School Closures or other unforeseen events

If I provide before and/or after school care for your child and the school is closed during term time for any reason, the fee is still payable as long as my usual service is available. If you need all day childcare due to this, I am happy to care for your child, as long as I am within my allowed number of children. In this case the fee would be for the day instead of the before/after school session. If for any other reason your child doesn?t attend my setting (i.e. very bad weather etc) but I am available, full fees are due. If for any reason I am unable to do the usual dropping off and collecting from school, i.e. because I have carried out a risk assessment and decided it is too dangerous (i.e. bad weather) or if my car breaks down etc, I will contact the parents affected immediately and you will be refunded for that day. Alternatively your child may be able to come to me for the whole day and you will only be charged the usual outside of school hours fee.

If I were you, I'd add something to your policies and maybe say that for those who you offer a 'collection' service, if the weather is too bad for you to collect them, either THEY find a way to you or they don't come but are still charged.

When we had the bad snow last time, some parents walked their children (one had to be carried) but I personally wouldn't offer that as if you slip and drop them, you could badly hurt them or yourself and for Health & Safety reasons, I'd say your risk assessment shouldn't allow that and let it be the parents responsibility as you are kind offering to collect. If you charge a collection fee then I'd deduct that but I'd charge the usual childcare fee. Does that make sense? I've had a beer! lol

Yes LT, am probably overworrying really. I don't charge for collection, and it's not part of the contract, just something I did as an extra since mum went on maternity leave, makes life easier for both of us, mum is still on maternity so not like she has to try and get to work but I know that she can't get here either really. Just feel bad that he is the only one that's a problem ( he may be having a bad day and not want to walk) especially seen as it will be cold and is quite a way.

im near huddersfield between manchester / leeds / sheffield

we had snow yesturday morning, and as the temp is currently -9 it is now icey. Luckily all the mainish (and even not main) roads were gritted so they are clear, its just the pavements to negotiate now

I'm East Coast (Norfolk) and there's loads of the stuff. I'm the the middle of noweher so everything means a five mile trip minimum in a car on icy country roads. My little car is being absolutely fab but I do kind of wish I had a four wheel drive in weather like this.

I'm really worried about it, I do collections and drop offs that are too far to walk to, 3-5miles either way and I also do 3 school runs which is a 13miles round trip.

I think if it snows very badly I will have to say I'll stay in and children are welcome to come to me and be collected from me but otherwise I'm just going to have to be very very careful and take longer for journeys.

No snow here yet. Think it is due on Tuesday.

Must be a real pain for those of you who provide collection service, as snow tends to double journey times.

I would like there not to be snow around London City Airport next Sunday. Then it can snow for a week but must leave Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire clear for the weekend. If there are huge amounts of snow the following week I don't mind as long as I can get into London if the airport is open to go back. If there's so much snow that the airport shuts then I shan't mind

Got that, clouds?

If there is no snow at all whilst I'm in the country I shall be extreeeeeeeeeeeeemely disappointed.

I have 15ins of snow on top of my wheelie bin!!!!

Had to dig car out for 2nd day in a row, am noooo way doing school runs tomorrow - will homeschool my own yr 1 DS if need be! Have no doubt that both littlies will still be sent here tomorrow - but we ain't going anywhere . Not risking anyone's life or limb in these conditions .

Never, ever known it this bad in the North East at this time of year

Luckily we haven't had it yet but it bloomin cold. We have had no proper heating for a couple of weeks now and I don't want snow until it's sorted (we keep getting let down). Hopefully he'll actually turn up tomorrow morning and finally bloomin fix it!! grrrr

LT- we have 1 radiator working out of 6 downstairs, freakin freezin !! Put off gettin new ch system last year, need to do it now . Wonder if can put it as a business expoense.................

1 out of 6 - how bloomin big is your house!!! lol Crap being cold isn't it. Boys are cold in bed too, just put 2 fleece blankets on my big boy under his duvet as his room is VERY cold bless him. I wish we could put on expenses!!! I guess if you use any rooms solely for childminding then the relevant % could be worked out

started snowing in kent about an hour ago - settled on grass and road lightly :(

praying it will stop and then disappear tom

Blondes - how is the snow? I see it on the traffic cameras on M2... so must be coming your way.

Not good :( tons in Chatham and Maidstone and snowing heavily outside my door :(

Will make the drive to school tomorrow fun.
I'm wondering what time I will need to leave for work... recall last time it snowed it took me ages to travel the 8 miles to work.

i left at 7am and got to work at 7.45 - journey normally 12ish mins - start at 8

main roads okish but my country lane was an ice rink. snow/ice and ungritted as usual :(

i couldnt get my car up hill to work, so left at bottom and walked up - to find mb gritting the drive bless her :) - db had gone to work doing bugger all , mb had a few choice rude words about him lol

2hrs later after doing school runs (should take 50ish) mins i got up the hill to work but not up works drive so slipped/skidded down hill backwards and parked in pub car park

watching snow now and getting thicker and deeper :( - im picking up early from school and will stay in the warm