Mumsnet Logo
My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

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

Childcare

Childminders Club: Quick Question for those who've looked after babies................

19 replies

HellyBelly · 24/02/2006 15:54

Stupid question but do you wash up all bottles, bowls (if provided) etc. for them to take home clean or do you just return dirty?

OP posts:
Report

bfcmdr · 24/02/2006 16:02

rinse them through at least.

Report

Katymac · 24/02/2006 16:03

depends on how busy the day is - sometimes yes....sometimes no

Report

nzshar · 24/02/2006 16:09

A quick rinse will take 5 mins at the most surely .....i will be rinsing dishes made by my ds and older mindees i dont think adding a couple of bottles and a bowl or 2 will add too much.

Report

Katymac · 24/02/2006 16:12

Yeh - but DH washes up for 9 under 5's, 3 staff, himself and occasionally DD - sometimes the bottles don't get washed

Report

nzshar · 24/02/2006 16:14

Katymac i understand you have a slighltly larger than normal childminding household but for the majority of us it would be no more than a few extra bottles

Report

Booh · 24/02/2006 16:29

I wash up the bottles so they go home clean - but make it clear that they have not been steralised etc etc!

Report

HellyBelly · 24/02/2006 17:38

I would have made myself clearer if I had time earlier but I didn't.

So far I have always washed them and told them they are washed but not sterilised HOWEVER, this baby who started today gets dinner at 4.30pm, followed by milk then mum picks up at 5pm. I was worried that IF I didn't have time to wash them, would it look really bad? Does that make sense?

Anyway, as it turned out, this baby wouldn't have dinner and screamed for 20 mins before I settled him with just a bottle and then mum arrived - stuff everywhere because poor thing had been in such a state and needed cuddles - wasn't going to wash up and leave him crying! Turns out this is because mum didn't make clear about the nap/lunch time routine (strict routine) and he had an hour less nap so was knackered!

Obviously I will try and wash things up as I do for others, it's just the timing of dinner and mum collecting him that might make it difficult at times.

Thanks for your comments though

OP posts:
Report

nzshar · 24/02/2006 17:54

HellyBelly why do you question yourself and your ability so much. Sorry if i am offending you with this post but you seem like you know what you are doing and are a very good childminder but i see you question your abilities all the time.

If the baby has tea and bottle at 4:30 and is picked up at 5 then if you get it done you get it done and if not then you just tell the parent that there hasnt been time and if they have a problem with it then im sure they will say something. And before anyone jumps down my throat and tells me it will be different when i start I will remind them that i have dealt with parents before for many years. Sorry i thought you meant the bottles etc for the whole day.

Report

HellyBelly · 24/02/2006 18:03

Only question myself due to all the problems I've heard about parents not being happy with xyz Guess I just worry about getting a fussy parent

OP posts:
Report

Twiglett · 24/02/2006 18:10

no don't wash .. just rinse through .. it is parents job to wash / sterilise and provide clean

Report

agalch · 24/02/2006 18:18

I don't wash or rinse . I just stick bottle back into bag,havn't ever thought of washing or rinsing really.No parent has ever mentioned it so don't think i'll start now

Report

Tan1959 · 24/02/2006 18:18

Hellybelly - as you know I took on baby quite recently and I also sought advice about bottles on my fav site, from my fav advisors as is my first minded baby - well after taking the advice offered on here and stating I would rinse out bottles for mum to take home - 2 days later mum asked if I could just keep 3 bottles here and wash at end of day and sterilise - I have actually found that works better for me personally as then I can just do in my own time before I go to bed or in the morning - just pop in ordinary large jug with sterilising fluid but I do agree with everyone else to just rinse only if you have time and give to parents to take home.

Report

HappyMumof2 · 24/02/2006 18:35

Message withdrawn

Report

ThePrisoner · 24/02/2006 18:38

I wash up any bottles, bowls or utensils provided by parents, and clean out lunch boxes. I don't sterilise anything. If I'm on top form, I send home all the wrong things to the wrong parents too.

Report

ayla99 · 24/02/2006 20:55

I try to wash up as I go but parent usually goes home with most rinsed (not sterilised) and one or more unwashed.

I don't wash up packed lunch boxes & kids take home their own crisp/fruit bar wrappers/anything apple cores etc. I do wash up any spoons and pots/containers that had food from home to be heated.

I haven't sent home the wrong thing to the wrong parent yet but I'm often missing a bottle teat or a box lid at the end of the day (always gets back to parent in a day or two)

Report

ayla99 · 24/02/2006 20:55

that was meant to read anything half eaten/apple cores etc

Report

jellyjelly · 25/02/2006 09:51

helly, the last child i had used to come with tubs of food and i used to clean them out and put them in the bag if i had time otherwise they would be washed up and put in the bag the next day. I would occasionally get asked if i had tubs so would sort out and give back and they didnt mind. I think they were just pleased that i done it so they didnt have too.

Report

alibubbles · 25/02/2006 10:10

Message withdrawn

Report

bigisbeatifulwasoldandfat · 25/02/2006 13:14

if the dishwasher is going on i put them in there or rinse them through.

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

Sign up to continue reading

Mumsnet's better when you're logged in. You can customise your experience and access way more features like messaging, watch and hide threads, voting and much more.

Already signed up?