Staff Room .........................Monday............A bright new week

[Shoshable]

Good morning all, the coffee urn is on and Ive brought muffins (is it to early for muffins?)

Wow dedicated to childcare! Most of my experience comes from nanny work at a nursery, very big nursery in a hotel so new children every day! One thing I feel I'm the expert on is getting new kiddies settled in for a few hours and never seeing them again... I was often in charge of the baby room with up to 30 under threes and several staff, some of which were super some didnt speak english so I think ARRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG sums it all up nicely.

My mum was a childminder when I was a nipper. Very demanding job!

Have been a CM, TA and nursery nurse Moosh originally trained as a NNEB, in the dim and distant past, now a accredited CM.

Crikey! Hope I'm still working with kids when I'm a grown-up (offically not a grown-up till you've moved out of your parents, thats the actual law)

hehehehehehehehe I agree, DS moved out years ago, but he never grew up till he got married

Afternoon everyone, just had a two week holiday and only working another 16 days before I have another break.

Anyways, I have a lovely, lovely dilemma for you all.... My very longest mindee (had since 5 months old) is starting school nursery this coming sept and I just know that when I drop her off she will expect a kiss on the lips, a cuddle and a "love you, see you later" sort of bye, now, is it over stepping the boundaries to do this at nursery? I know her parents wouldn't have any problems with me doing this and I don't have any problem with it myself but just wondered what the "correct" etiquet (sp) would be?

I know I'm still a child because... my mums very upset about me moving, has offered to come too (to carry the bags!) and has said so many times to come home if anything goes wrong, call dad and he'll drive up from Newquay! I feel like an eight year old wiping off a kiss (muuuum!)

Henni, I used to have a little lad from very small to nursery and I positively insisted on a kiss!! In fact, I seem to remember he'd say 'bet you can't get a kiss Mo!' and I'd chase him round the waiting area until he gave in!

As to kissing the kiddie... be very carefull, after atarting a new job in a nursery kissed the head of a baby and was told not to do it again or face disciplinary procedures. One parent reported a kiss from a staff member to OFSTED and person was sacked. I assume they will know you are carer rather than parent so legally I'd explain to child kisses and cuddles are for home (I'm all for it) but byes are for school. It's legallities rather than etiquette that are a worry!

I wouldn't have thought those rules apply to CM's surely? As long at the parent is aware, what business is it of anyone else? My lad was the cuddliest little boy ever and having looked after him since he was only 6 months old, every day, there is no way I would have not kissed him. And tbh, I think his mum would have been upset if I hadn't given him the same send off as every other child in the playground.

Oh mightywhoosh, you're quite right, I'd forgotten about the possible legalities. It is such a shame that at 3 yrs old I would have to introduce to my mindee that it may be portayed as being "wrong" and over familiar to give a hug and kiss bye-bye.

Mo you are right to, I think she woul be very upset indeed if I didn't go through the kiss and cuddle routine, especially as she hears me do the same with my DD3 at school.

I guess if you have the parents permission... I dont know, one of my main worries in childcare is legal issues, sad but true. I just know I'd be careful, I'm sure there wont be a problem but there's always one smartarse, I got in touble last year for a bubble landing on the haed of a six year old.

Also I quite like being called mightywhoosh.

Whoops, sorry

No its good I only chose this name cos moosh, my usual name, is taken, and my other name sister_sunshine doesnt seem to fit this site!

Also can anyone help, are there any sites like this specifically for nannies? I feel a wee bit fraudulent posting on a parents site having no offspring!

Moosh, you need to put a call out for nannynick, he would deffo know about nanny sites.

There are a couple of us on her that are nannies with no kids, so you're not out of place at all. Its all childcare at the end of the day.

All kids have gone (apart from mine )

Well the meeting was short but sweet and she said she would call in a few days after seeing a few others.

MIGHTY - you are welcome to stay here with us! We're not very scary really.

Shosha - Any ideas for my mindee who is just 2 and likes chewing his food and spitting it out everywhere? He's also biting/ grabbing/ pinching my dd2 (cant seem to spot the triggers, she wont even be near him sometimes and he will rush over and grab her or today they were both waiting at the table for me to serve food and he grabbed her hand and bit her finger i happened to have the pushchair out in the garden at the time so my instant reaction was to put him in there while i sorted thier lunch and explain about not hurting etc he did come and say sorry but he does tend to get a bit out of hand during busy times like holidays but is ok at toddler groups? infact normally they are both better behaved at toddlers than they are when we're here)

Any help much appreciated on this.

LMG Hiya. this problem sounds a bit like 'attention-seeking' so the action to take would be to 'fuss' over the injured party as it were and totally ignore spitting/biting /grabbing . And of course try to catch them being 'good' . Its blinking hard when it's your own lo bearing the brunt as it were . HTH

I did fuss over dd2 when it happened then put him in the pushchair then got lunch then made him apologise and cuddle then he ate his lunch and chewed and spat a few mouthfuls on the floor plus threw a tomato at dd2 which i ignored and didnt give pudding (instead waited a while then gave him a banana as a snack) His mum has asked if he can come FT from tomorrow so any advice would be gratefully recieved or i will be hitting the bottle come friday night

LMG it actually is easier when they are FT, they get more into a routine and to your ways.

MaureenMLove, I have a baby who has just gone into a hip spica cast, one hip totally dislocated and the other partially - I alerted the parents to it even though she's been hip checked several times by a physio.

Go to the steps website, it has lots of useful information and some really good handbooks you can download on how to care for a hip spica child.

It depends on how successful the op is, how long she will be in a cast.

You will need a different car seat, we both have the Britax Nordic elite that is rear and forward facing from The Car safety centre as she is only 8 months, you might get away with forward facing as the baby is older, but the hospital will advise you.

All sorts of advise about keeping the cast free of poo and wee is on there too!

Any questions just ask - becoming an expert now!