CM Club: Kitting out new house - need some help / idea's / links to websites..........

[looneytune]

Morning

Hoping to move next month and I am planning ahead what I am going to do with the layout etc. Can anyone help with these questions:

1. The new conservatory will become the play room so our lounge is our lounge Will Ofsted have a problem with the fact it's glass? (modern double glazed so I wouldn't have thought dangerous?). Is there anything I need to consider? Luckily it's north facing and the garden is shady.

2. Anyone able to recommend where I can buy nice but not too expensive wooden kitchen items for playhouse? (it's got a new big summerhouse which I'm planning to turn into big playhouse so getting rid of the plastic ones)

3. I have LOADS of dressing up items and they are currently squashed into a fairly big plastic box. I'd love to have something to hang them all up on, especially something that has a shelve or something for all the hats as we have loads of those too. Any ideas?

4. At mealtimes, I want us all to sit round the same table as in my current house, there's no room so the 3? yr olds have a little ELC table and the 1 yr olds use the highchair with me sat on a chair next to them. So, if I get the dining table I want, I'm just a little worried my current highchair will cause problems spacewise as it's quite chunky as it does all sorts. What sort of age can children start using the booster seats and can anyone recommend one as I've never used them before?

Any advice would be very much appreciated

Hi again,

hope you are not too stressed with move!!!!
I use the plastic booster seat from argos. I find them fantastic. I think I paid £13? the children i use them for are from 12months to 2 1/2 years. If i Get a young baby i am going to invest in one that has a higher back and changes positions. the seats from argos are fine once the child is able to sit us steadly as straps do not go over shoulders. they also have 3 hight adjustments depending on the height of the child
they save lots of space. allow all the children to sit together at the table and see what each other are eating.

Argos also have diffrent storage things in cat.
if you cant find something for hats you could use a plastic sound clothers airer. the type that you can take on holiday has pegs on it. Would not work for heavy hats!!

Great, going to get the Argos catalogue out! The children I have including my ds are 12 months, 13 months, 2 x 3½ yrs so hopefully the boosters will be fine. It will be so nice to eat together The little ones sit up fine and don't have straps over their shoulders in the highchair as they just slip anyway. Will give them a try!

You will wonder why you ever had the highchairs once you have got them. they are also handy to take out if you are going to a freinds house or out for a meal as the fold down. they also come with a tray so in the summer can be used out doors

p.s. not too stressed at the moment but it is hard work having to do all the sorting out of boxes, chucking things out we don't need etc. and then having to have all the house back to normal and cleaned by the end of Sunday! Not like we can leave boxes around the house

One thing I am worried about it the fact we will probably have to move during the week as I don't think the solicitors are open at weekends. One parent had agreed it's no problem, I mentioned casually to another and she said she has no leave left and I've just got one more to mention it to. Problem is I'm supposed to give 4 weeks notice of any holiday but I don't think I'll have that much time once I've got a move date. Not quite sure what to do but they are all happy about me moving and surely they don't expect me to have their little one's on the actual day of us moving???

Apart from that, not too stressed

I'll be back later have to get on with my jobs now.

have a good day

Right, off to get that Argos catalogue. Got 15 mins before have to wake baby up and get others from nursery!

Bye for now and thanks for the advice

Anyone else help with the others questions?

sorry must have posted at the same time.
parents!!!!!
WE HAVE A LIFE. BILLS TO PAY AND THINGS TO DO APART FROM LOOK AFTER THEIR CHILDREN FOR NEXT TO NOTHING.

i do wish that our job had higher recognition for everyone.

Ment to say we have french doors in lounge ofsted were fine as in corner of each window is a safety mark.

hope it helps

Tell me about it. And before anyone jumps on me, I have only had 2 weeks and 1 day holiday since I started childminding 15 months ago. My contract states 4 weeks unpaid leave a year and they were lucky I only took 1 day off in the first year (the ones I think I might have a problem with) and this summer I took 2 weeks so I am entitled to this time off - just end up worrying and feeling bad because they've used all theirs up!

Rant over

BTW, thanks for the hat idea - problem is most of them are plastic hats like bob the builder, police, fireman etc.

Our local toddler group has a thing on wheels with a mirror on one side, a rail for hanging outfits and a space at the bottom to lay the hats on. It's perfect but nobody there knows where it's from

Same as me I've taken 3 days sick from younger children when i had a misscarriage but only took the actual day with the school children.
And their parents take days off if they have colds.

Have you tried the catalogs like nes anold, consultiam and other like that. as they are where schools buy things from.

am going now be back tonight have a good day

mumtoall - you only had 1 days off after having a mc?! if i was sending my children to you i wouldnt have let them come and would still have paid you! thats awful!

Oh that is awful The parents shouldn't have wanted you to have them and insisted you didn't!! When I had mine, I had a total of a month off work (2 weeks bed rest trying to prevent it and 2 weeks after the operation). I don't know how on earth you managed to work that soon after Parents (not all) can be really annoying and selfish at times can't they!

mumtoall - i haven't seen those catalogues - how do i get hold of one?

Anyone else use a conservatory as a play room? Just want reassurance that this is ok to do.

There was a thread some months ago about wooden kitchen bits, sure Peckarollover got some? Anyway, can't find the thread with website ideas so if anyone else can help, that would be great

doesn't Katymac have a conservatory?

Thought so.

[shouts] KATYMAC, WHERE ARE YOU???!!!

Hi, Looneytune
Hope you have had a good day
A web address to try
www.nesarnold.co.uk
Will try to get some more for you.

LoveMyGirls and looneytune

I don't think that parents always remember how they feel when that are ill and that we fell the same when we are ill an we still have their children.

I don't charge for when i'm ill so time off means bills don't get paid.

After it I was not too bad and did just want to get on. It has suprised me that other Babies or pregnant mums has not really affected me.

I think you have to have been through a mc to understand how it feels. would not wish it on anyone nut untill you have had one i don't think people understand the void.

I use my conservatory and I got an outstanding!

Thanks mumtoall, I'll check out that website!

As for mc, I know what you mean about people not understanding unless they've been through it. You get the same old things being said over and over and something my boss said on the phone to me when I was at home just did it for me. She sooo had no idea.

I must say that when I had tonsillitis bad a few months ago, the parents were really understanding and actually expected me to eventually end up off ill. They didn't have to pay as I don't charge for my illness but it really helped that I did't feel presurised into working!! (the only one that did make me end up working a day earlier than I wanted to was actually the mum that doesn't work but had a hair appointment)

Anyway, rant over, must go and clean!!

Alibubbles, well done on the report - not finished reading yet but looks fab!!!

As for the conservatory, do you have to do anything special or not? Hope not as it seems totally safe to me!

Thanks

I've done it before, and I'll do it again ... and plug this company - the lady who runs it is lovely! (No, it's not me).

I've done it before, and I'll do it again ... and plug this company - the lady who runs it is lovely! (No, it's not me).