As a parent, would you find this too bossy?

[Snap8TheCat]

I'm a well established childminder and when a new family starts with me I provide them with a pack of my policies and procedures and all the forms I need completing.

I'm thinking of adding a page to iron out little niggles that invariably crop up. Things like, please name clothing, don't drop off early without prior arrangement, i prefer nappies instead of pull ups, no lace up shoes etc etc

It's all worded very friendly but firmly. I feel it's better to air these things before they become a problem and I have to find a way of bringing it up.

However I'm dithering over whether to include it or not. Parents, what do you think?

I had same discussion with nursery and they said the same as you

Why, as a potential client, should I care what trousers your dd needs for Beavers?

You asked for thoughts - mine are that you would not be the best fit for what I want from childcare. Ds goes one afternoon a week - I'm not faffing about with separate nappies and perhaps new shoes and what have you for that. You obviously are right for other parents though.

Huh? I was just explaining that not everywhere you go will let you just rock up with your own rules.

I don't expect everywhere to. But I want my childminder to fit in with my ways, in so much as that is practicable (and obviously that's not 100%), and chose someone on that basis.

If that's not what you offer, that's fine! Not everyone wants that from their childcare. If you are established etc then clearly you're offering something people want, and good for everyone involved. However, you asked for thoughts and those are mine.

I would do exactly as you wish OP, no queries here

On the subject of Pull Ups, I recall seeing from afar my neighbour putting on a 'pull up on' her 2 yr old. Things is, I didn't know it was a pull-up, we had been using cloth. I thought, how clever, doing the tabs up first and then putting nappy on like pants. I had a 2 yr old also.

So I started doing up the tabs on any disposable nappy and making it into a pull-up.

I then saw friends using real 'pull-ups' up close, investigated, and then nearly fainted at the price.

Just do the tabs up first .

adapt my child, by changing the type of nappy they wear?. Well yes. Because I use a certain nappy because it suits my child. Not all nappies suit all children. Changing the type of nappy worn IS adapting a child to make the childminders day easier.

I'm not saying I don't think childminders should have certain things in pace, becaus obviously naming clothes is a sensible thing, but it would definitely put me off to be handed a list of dos and don'ts if it was to do with changing my child's nappy/clothing etc to suit someone else.

I agree with Migra

It does come across as a bit bossy and pompous to be honest. The thing with a childminder is it's meant to be a home from home, not a school.

There's about £2 difference in price

Re the pull-ups - not 'bossy' at all, I think. Parents supply you with nappies, yes? So they can buy their own stash of whatever-they-want for home.

I also think non-lace shoes are a sensible suggestion, but best to leave it as a sugggestion.

I'm way past this stage however I'd rather you told me the rules up front because then I could choose straight away to send my child somewhere where he / she is not an inconvenience to your day .

Tbh I'd think you hadn't got time to spend and that would bother me.

I'm amazed at the problems people seem to have with these requests from the childminder. I'd much rather my minder spent the time playing with children etc. than changing half undressing a child who wears only pull-ups or tying shoelaces.
Especially the nappies - it's invisible to the parent what nappies the child is wearing every day at the minders so what difference does it make?
The shoe thing I get is more annoying but I've had nursery ask me not to send my DD in in particular shoes as they're a pain to g et on (agree!) and it's not an issue, especially as they're on and off throughout the day depending on the activities

Grain it's not that the requests in themselves are unreasonable but that when you are sending your beloved child to spend most of their waking day with someone you want to feel they are going to be cherished not a nuisance or business transaction even though technically they may be.

But that's me. Others will surely differ.

Hmm pull ups are a parents choice as are what shoes their child wears and if you cannot deal with these small things then you are not providing a service they pay you for

Fully agree Calyrical. That's why for me it makes sense to save the time on the mundane tasks during the day where possible so the CM can spend the quality time with the DCs.

Those sorts of comments would have made me discount you as a childminder but if that if that is what you offer, yes, definitely make it clear

But that's exactly it, it's because I want to get on and cherish our learning and laughter moments that I don't want to spend silly time buggering around with shoelaces! I want to teach them how to put their shoes on all by themselves, I want you to thank me at pick up when you realise they can do their shoes by themselves and it makes you getting out the house that bit easier too!

I want to change nappies quickly at toddler group so we can all get back to having fun. Not drag your child off to the toilet so your child can wait for me to change little johnny out of his poo and spend extra time dressing him instead of showing your Benny how to write his name.

Yes it does make things easier for me but it's not all for my benefit. It's taking time away from your child too if I'm having to spend longer doing things for the other mindees too.

Well, you seem to have made up your mind

I agree pull ups are a p.i.a. when you have 3 toddlers to change before going anywhere. Full strip off and redress bottom half. Another bug bear is skinny jeans on toddlers who are toilet training how many times I have had wet carpets and bathroom floors cos they cannot get them off in time I have lost count!
And laces too some kids seem to untie them ever 2 minutes. Its no f7n having to stop and bend diwb to rie laces every few minutes. I had a no shoes indoors rule as a result.

It's best to keep things clear from the start. Saves justifying yourself later on. Your house your rules.

The early drop off point is fair enough. The clothes labelling is sensible. The other points seem to be infringing into parental choices to me. I'm paying for childcare, so I wouldn't like to be dictated to.

I thought you posted because you wanted honest opinions? You don't seem to be able to take them.

I don't think having to use a different nappy or having to tie shoelaces would take quality time away from the mindees. In fact that as a reason makes it worse. I would be questioning why a registered childminder felt trying shoelaces impacted the day to the point where they couldn't spend quality time with my child.

Ffs! No fun having to bend down and re-tie shoelaces

snap

Carry on doing what you're doing. This thread is just testament to how many people just don't have a clue and for everyone who would say that they would discount you based on your OP I would suggest is a bullet dodged!

Well because I wasn't actually asking if my rules were reasonable requests! I was asking whether the info in written format was too bossy or should I just raise it as the issue becomes apparent?

Indeed I do cater for personal requests. I have had a child in cloth nappies for two years for instance.

Oh right. I totally misunderstood the post.