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CM school pick ups/drop off question

7 replies

Kveta · 09/08/2012 19:25

I have a lovely CM who minds my DS 2 days a week. she also minds child A 5 days a week, and child B 3 days.

all 3 children are the same age, but the other 2 start pre-school this autumn (my DS doesn't as they are on either side of the age cut off for school starting IYSWIM?). my baby will be going 2 days a week soon when she's 7 months.

anyway, when we started using CM, she had on her online profile that she does pickup/drop off for school X, as her kids go there. she does the school run with DS when he's there, and it's ~10 minutes each way, on foot. DS won't go to school X as we have 3 closer schools.

other two mums have said their children will be going to pre-school this autumn, one to school Y (a 20 minute drive in one direction) one to school Z (20 minutes drive in the opposite direction). they both think CM should be doing the drive to pick up etc, as 'we pay her to do it'. I am NOT happy with the idea of my 2 children spending 40+ minutes in the car to drop the 2 other children off, then another 40+ minutes 2-3 hours later. if I wanted them to do this, they'd go to my work nursery those days...

neither mum has broached the subject with CM yet, but have told me it will be happening - I've suggested that it might not be, as CM has to pick up her own child from school X, and often doesn't have the car (plus which, 3 pre-schoolers and a baby in one car is going to be, um, interesting) - they do not see this as an issue.

what do other CMs do in this sort of situation? is it normal to do so many school drops and pickups?

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imsotired · 09/08/2012 19:28

i state clearly that i am tied to the school that my dd goes to.

I would object to my child being in the car for the times you suggest. I would complain most strongly to your cm and ask her to confirm the amount of time your child will be spending in the car.

she wont mind, and it will give her a heads-up to what the other parents are plotting.

lechatnoir · 09/08/2012 19:37

I will only do school runs for my local school/nursery that my DC attend and i csn walk to. unless someone was paying me handsomely for sole care of their LO (ie triple rate Grin) I wouldn't consider doing a run Elgin another school even if the times worked out with my own children's school. I think they're dreaming & am sure the cm will set them straight but would definitely check as I'm sure some cm do it.

BackforGood · 09/08/2012 19:40

Clearly the CM can't be at 2 schools at pick up / drop off time, so it's not going to happen, is it ?

PerspectiveUrgentlyRequired · 09/08/2012 19:47

I can't get my head around how both those parents think they pay the CM to do something that she hasn't actually done before or agreed to. I doubt very much their current contracts actually cover school pick ups seeing as their children are only just about to start school. I think they might be in for a shock tbh. My own CM wasn't tied to a school but she agreed to pick my DD up one day a week after school, out of her area. However, our contract had to change as the rate for after school care was different to full day pre-school care, and there was also an added element to cover petrol costs/mileage.

I think you should speak to the CM and find out what is going to happen.

missmapp · 09/08/2012 19:50

My cm does pick up at two schools, but she has an assistant, so splits the driving. as a parent, I told my cm which nursery/school my dc's were going months before they strated to make sure she could collect them- I would never assume as I know my dc's are not her only mindees.

id ask your cm, then you will know the correct situation.

fluffygal · 09/08/2012 20:09

I wouldn't be happy with this, it's a long time. However, I am currently looking for a cm for my children, two go to one school, two to another and an under 2. One school comes out at 2.55 and another at 3.15, but we don't need the morning drop off so would only be half hour in the car a day. It's a bit rude to presume the cm would be happy with this, they really need to discuss it with her. If she does agree, I would look for another cm as 2 hours in the car each day really isn't on.

Kveta · 09/08/2012 20:21

oh good, thought I might be a bit unreasonable to object if this does happen. I will ask CM what the plans are. I really can't be arsed with finding another CM, but better find out now if I need to I guess!

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