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Childcare

CM CLUB I need some advice please no routine!!!!

42 replies

OFSTEDoutstanding · 16/05/2007 09:24

Hi I am hoping some of you can give me some advice I look after a 8 month old 2 full days and 2 1/2 days a week and she is not in any sort of routineat all. She is very laid back and doesnt cry when she wakes so sometimes she is not given breakfast until parents get up at 10 therefore all meals and naps throughout the day are all over the place and I end up playing catch up with her as she wants feeding on school runs at toddlers or 2 mins before collection. I think its because they dont get up to her and give breakfast early enough so she is not tired enough for a morning nap so has one in the aft which I have to wake her for school run and then isd not happy for rest of aft. Any advice on what I could try? Do you think I could mention to parents that they need to get up earlier to feed her?

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NineUnlikelyTales · 16/05/2007 09:31

I don't think you can decide that this baby needs a routine just because it fits in with your job, since you are not the parent and only look after her for a couple of days a week.

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looneytune · 16/05/2007 09:42

But parents DO need to consider OUR routines too and understand that you have every right to terminate the contract if it's just not working. Putting my 'parent' head on, i would want the choice of making changes to my routine at home to see if it helped, rather than just being given notice

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looneytune · 16/05/2007 09:46

plus, the way i read it, you have baby over 4 days, not 2!

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OFSTEDoutstanding · 16/05/2007 09:47

Thats not what I meant it doesnt bother me if i end up having to do multiple lunch times or taking lunch with me to toddlers or wherever what I meant was that the baby is not in any routine and therefore doesnt know from one day to the next if it is lunch time or whats going on It doesnt affect me in the slightest but the baby seems to be quite unsettled at times especially when I am having to break nap times because of school runs or leave her waiting to eat because we are in the car coming back from an activity run. I meant is it fair to the baby not me!

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OFSTEDoutstanding · 16/05/2007 09:48

Thanks looneytune was starting to think i was being unreasonable how are you today?

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crace · 16/05/2007 09:48

Can you set up a routine just at your house, ie. lunch time is always blah blah and the baby will soon fall into it. They are lovely and adaptable little creatures

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OFSTEDoutstanding · 16/05/2007 09:50

Hi crace have tried that and does sort of work but problem is she was suposed to arrive at 830 and i am still waiting!!! makes it hard when I end up giving breakfast at 1030 to then give lunch at 12!!!! Hope you are ok

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looneytune · 16/05/2007 09:54

i wouldn't give breakfast at that time as it's my snack time. couldn't you just give a snack instead?

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crace · 16/05/2007 09:56

Thanks, hanging in here. I wouldn't give breakfast either, just a quick snack and wait until lunch time. And do have a word with the parents that you are trying to get a routine established and ask for their "advice" on the best way to do that - if only to help them realise you are dealing with impossible situations.

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OFSTEDoutstanding · 16/05/2007 09:59

I thought of that but she only weened 2 months ago and hasnt got any teeth yet so bit limited to what i can give as doesnt manage lumps yet. Do sometimes give a yogurt but then she is still not hungry at lunchtime also when i give breakfast at 1030 that also includes giving the first bottle of the day!!!! so there is no way she wants another bottle 2 hours later. Have also tried giving just food and no bottle at lunchtime then bottle later but that doesnt work either

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crace · 16/05/2007 10:06

Ok, I see what you mean here. Then you've no choice but to speak to the parents.

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looneytune · 16/05/2007 10:14

Oh dear, agree with Crace then.

Sorry about my short messages earlier - was feeding baby and using just my left hand to type!!

I think you should definitely speak to parents to see what can be done to help things

p.s. I'm feeling a lot better today thanks

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Shoshable · 16/05/2007 10:17

I have a policy that children brought in over half a hour late without prior motice will mot be admitted for the day. We go out and the amount of time we missed a activity waiting for a child was unbelivable.
Now we have breakfast between 7.30-8.00 lunch 12.30-1.00 as then thy have time to go down for asleep before the school run.
Even when the child is newly weaned you have got other chjildren to considoer to, so I try and stick to these times within reason,
I would put it in writing to parents.

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soak · 16/05/2007 10:22

do the parents give breakfast before they arrive and that could be why they are sometimes late??

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OFSTEDoutstanding · 16/05/2007 10:28

I wish they did soak but I have to give it when they get here the problem is i only have her during term time and my lo the rest are after schoolies we do go out but nothing with a set time except toddlers but that is in the afternoon so its not too bad if they dont come til late cos doesnt put anyone out really. This is their first lo and so they hasve admitted they are unsure what they are doing really like the family but am going to have to have a word tonight i think. Just dont want to risk losing them

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OFSTEDoutstanding · 16/05/2007 10:33

Sorry I have her all the time but during term time there is only my lo and her. In the holidays I have 5 mindees so need to get sorted before then

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MaureenMLove · 16/05/2007 10:39

Morning people! OFSTED, you need to tell the parents that either baby is fed before it arrives or they get to you at breakfast time. 10 o'clock is already half way though the morning! Re: snack to keep her going til lunchtime, can you mash up just half a banana if she hasn't got any teeth.

Crace, howz it going?

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crace · 16/05/2007 10:45

Mo - ok, physcially fine.. the rest of it will just come along. Keeping busy is key - and I've got you lot to moan to I am just keeping on, keepin on - but nights are pretty hard when everyone goes.

Got some flowers from MIL yesterday, and although I so hugely appreciate the thought I want to throw them out. I don't need any reminders hanging around. How awful am I?

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OFSTEDoutstanding · 16/05/2007 10:48

Not at all awful crace when I went through the same sort of thing as you I was exactly the same the flowers stayed in the house while the person was there and then i made my dh throw them out once they had gone. sounds like you are keeping it together stay strong we are all here whenever you want to moan

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MaureenMLove · 16/05/2007 10:51

This will make you laugh, maybe! When I had my second ectopic, my mum came round with chocolates - they were Celebrations!!!

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crace · 16/05/2007 10:52

Mo - lmao how inappropriate. People, honestly - they just have no idea do they? Sorry, thanks for the laugh - ha.

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NineUnlikelyTales · 16/05/2007 12:36

Ofsted - sorry my post earlier sounded a bit terse, I hadn't woken up properly yet

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OFSTEDoutstanding · 16/05/2007 12:46

Thats ok N.U.T don't worry about it

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crace · 16/05/2007 12:58

Did baby ever come?

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OFSTEDoutstanding · 16/05/2007 22:13

Hi crace baby finnally arrived at 1.30!!!! she slept all afternoon had her bottle and went home at 5 so alot of waiting around for nothing Supposed to come tomorrow at 9 but we shall wait and see

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