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Cm Club - Need some advice on walking with 8 Children please

26 replies

LoveMyGirls · 26/10/2008 08:09

Ok so at times next week I've got 8 dc's (3 under 5, 2 over 2 and 3 over 8)

I want to take them to a soft play place and also to toddler group another day, I think if we walk the scenic route through the woods and park, away from the busier roads I could have the youngest 2 in double buggy then dd2 in a single buggy and letting the older 3 take turns to push her, she could walk with reigns but after a morning at soft play I think she will be tired and also I want both buggy's at soft play so both the youngest can have a nap there (my double does have 2 reclining seats but the first one doesn't lie back very far) but not sure what everyone else thinks to this?

The older 3 (one is my dd1) are very well behaved and sensible btw.

Also should I do a written risk ass. for this?

What would you do?

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popperdoodles · 26/10/2008 08:40

Deffo need written risk assessment. Have you got a friend you could team up with maybe to help with the ratios? I think you are very brave. I will have 5 one day next week of which 3 are under 2. I will be impressed with myself if we make it over the road to the play park!

AbbaFan · 26/10/2008 08:46

How far is it?

I actually would not go any further than 5 mins walk with that many chidren.

LoveMyGirls · 26/10/2008 09:02

The soft play place is 10min walk at most.

Toddler group is mostly through woods and park but is about 20mins walk (about 5mins of that will be roads)

I feel confident about doing it I just wanted to know what others thought.

I've looked after all these children before at different times and they're all very well behaved.

I will meet up with a few childminders at the soft play place and toddler group. I may be able to ask one of the parents to pick her 2 up from the soft play place meaning I'll only have 6 to walk back with.

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KatyMac · 26/10/2008 10:15

Sounds fine

Make sure your written assessment explains all of this

LoveMyGirls · 26/10/2008 10:17

Thanks KM I was starting to think maybe I should just stay in but I think the benfits far out weight the risks in this case.

All children will be holding onto a pushchair at all times btw.

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TheOtherMaryPumpkins · 26/10/2008 11:05

How old are the children you intend to push the single buggy?

AbbaFan · 26/10/2008 11:36

I do think it's a little over ambitous, but if you are comfortable with it, no worries.

Personally I find it difficult enough making sure 8 kids are safe in my house, and the 3 minute walk home from school is about as much stress as I can handle!

WriggleJiggle · 26/10/2008 11:53

It possibly is feasible to do, but as a parent, I would be horrified if my cm did that with my dc.

On (primary) school trips the ratios are usually about 1:10, with a minimum of 2 adults in case of emergency. Given that 5 of yours are so young I think a ratio of 1:8 would be mad.

But just my personal opinion . Good luck!

ShosheTheGhoshe · 26/10/2008 11:57

We go out regularly with tha many children walking.

Not sure I would let another push a buggy tho, would put a buggy board on, or just walk slowly for the youngest, if its only a ten minute walk, she will get there in the end.

LoveMyGirls · 26/10/2008 12:46

The one in the single buggy would be my dd2 she is just 3 and though I could put her on reigns I think she would be safer in a pushchair and also that she would scream and cry if I tried to make her walk back. She has just started nursery so has given up her daytime naps before she is ready and she has also recently given up her dummy. I also would take the single buggy if she was in it or not as I need it for the 18mth old to nap in when we are at soft play as the front seat on the double doesnt lie back far enough.

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LoveMyGirls · 26/10/2008 12:49

I've just noticed I've got this wrong in my OP

I've got 8 dc's (3 under 5, 2 over 2 and 3 over 8)

I've actually got 3 under 5, 2 over 5 and 3 x 9yr olds.

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LoveMyGirls · 26/10/2008 12:57

Wringglejiggle, why horrified? (just out of interest?) I think it's nice we're going to go out and get fresh air and exericse instead of being stuck in the house.

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looneytune · 26/10/2008 15:22

Hiya LMGs. I know what I said on MSN earlier but now you've corrected the ages, that makes a big difference

I think that's perfectly fine, my only concern would have been a mindee pushing a pram but if you know they are very capable of steering it etc, I bet they'd really enjoy it

Good luck with it all!

LoveMyGirls · 26/10/2008 15:24

I could just have my dd1 pushing my dd2 I suppose but I thought the other older ones might feel left out and they could all take turns instead, should I just let dd1 push dd2?

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looneytune · 26/10/2008 15:26

I personally would run it by the parents and see what they would prefer

LoveMyGirls · 26/10/2008 15:32

I don't think they would mind infact I think they would love it tbh but I will ask them anyway

I could understand parents not being keen/ objecting if I was suggesting one of them pushing my double buggy with mindees in but think that taking in turns to push my dd2 in a lightweight single buggy when I am there with them is fine imo especially when we will mostly be walking through woods/ park so there isn't traffic.

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looneytune · 26/10/2008 15:39

agree

badgerhead · 27/10/2008 09:48

I regularly do the school run with 7 or 8 children. It is a 15 min walk on roads all the way. I sometimes have all of them walking with the youngest being 2.5.Other times I have one or two one year olds in the buggy plus up to two or three more under 5's (I have permission for 4 under 5's at present) My under 5's all have hi-vis jackets they wear when out walking with me, partly so I can see them when they are playing in the park, partly so that other pedestrians & drivers see them when walking along narrow pavements in front of me. They all know the rules when walking & know that I will tell them off if they stray! If I have any problems I always carry a wrist rein in my pocket or in the buggy & will use it without any compunction on any age child who doesn't behave or shows signs of not listening, going too slow etc. I think that what you are planning is perfectly feasible especially as the older ones are 9 & will enjoy being given the ressponsibility of helping with the little ones for odd occasions, as long as you don't expect them to do it all the time.

WriggleJiggle · 27/10/2008 23:40

OK, now I've read the ages again, it wouldn't worry me as much, particularly if one of your oldest ones can be trusted and presumably is already quite experienced in pram pushing.

It's always much better to get out and about rather than stay stuck indoors.

LoveMyGirls · 04/11/2008 14:35

Thanks for your input everyone, well the week went really well all children were well behaved and sensible as I predicted/ hoped

I like to have these children again for the summer hols what I'd like to know from the more experienced cm'ers who regularly look after 8 children is what is it like doing this for 6/7 weeks? I've had a small taster and though I was tired by the end of the week it was great fun and everyone was happy. What do I need to think about if planning on doing it for a longer period? I'm thinking lots of early nights?

Also I'm getting married early september and I'm wondering as I've never planned a wedding before how realistic I'm being if I've got 7 or 8 children through the week (not all ft) can I dedicate enough time at weekends to organise the wedding or will I jsut want to relax instead? I'm thinking I can plan ahead and do the vast majority before the summer holidays but I think I need reassurance this would be ok?

TIA and I know I probably worry too much but I'd rather do that than burn out and loo ka wreck on my wedding day I can't take much/ if any time off before the wedding because I've planned a 2 week honeymoon.

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LoveMyGirls · 04/11/2008 17:53

bump for evening crowd

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ThePrisoner · 04/11/2008 18:47

I tend not to be as busy during school holidays now, but certainly have in the past, and regularly had that many children, and covering a wide age-range.

I think it is absolutely essential to have some kind of daily/weekly planning in place -nothing heavy-duty, just deciding exactly what messy play activity you would do each day for instance.

Anything you are going to do needs to be sorted out before any children arrive for the day, as you will not have time to do anything once children start arriving.

I always ensure that older children have free access to games, craft activities, construction sets etc. that need minimal supervision in case you get tied up with nappy changing/distressed toddlers etc.

I always tried to have at least one day out to a farm/safari park or similar each week, and definitely went for at least one walk a day, usually to the local park or woods. We liked having lots of picnics, even if it was in the back garden.

It is not always possible to suit every activity to every single child you have at the same time, so I made sure that if we did something more geared up to the younger children in the morning, then I would organise something more suited to the older children in the afternoon.

I also got my lunch ready before starting work for the day, and had juice in the fridge as I never had time for a coffee!

During the summer holidays, I finished every single day with a headache and totally exhausted, but know that I had done a good job and that the children had all gone home happy.

LoveMyGirls · 04/11/2008 19:13

I already do everything on your list TP (good to know I've been doing it right all along)

TP - Would you do this at the same time as planning your wedding?

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ThePrisoner · 04/11/2008 19:37

You will have no free time during your working day - does that answer your question?!!

I would certainly be happy minding the children, but would organise wedding stuff whenever possible (ie. before the summer holidays).

LoveMyGirls · 04/11/2008 19:50

Thanks, I know theres no way would I have free time during the working day so my mum has agreed to take a week off before the wedding to run round doing any last minute things I might need sorting out which is great and I'm going ot try and sort out everything I can by the end of june. I'm also planning my hen do to be at a spa place so I can have a massage and totally relax so if I book that for the weekend the dc's go back to school hopefully I'll be fine and if I'm busy in the run up to the wedding at least it won't give me too much time to panic and over think things!

Thanks

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