Some advice please Childminders

[MUM2BLESS]

One of the two year olds who I childmind, hates having the raincover on when its raining. Today I had to be very firm and insist she have it on. She did not like it and had a bit of a tantrum. She did not have any change of clothes and I did not want her to get wet.

I have spoken to her mum in the past who was happy for her to get wet and me change her clothes.

I do not want my buggy getitng wet without the cover and also should I be letting the little girl have her way when its pouring with rain.

My buggycover has been damaged in the past due to her having a tantrum.

Would you let her get wet or insist she has it on?

Tough one. I can't see anything wrong with her getting wet and needing a change of clothes, but I can see the problem with your buggy getting soaked as well. I think you just have to be consistent (one way or the other) and she will soon accept it.

Well I think, and it may not go down too well with some, that the child is 2, your in charge and she does as she is told.

Regardless of whether mum doesn't mind her dc getting wet or soaked to the skin, I would not be prepared to have a mindee out in the rain without a raincover on.

I have had several that have a strop with raincovers and poke them to death in the air holes so that they rip, but I stay firm, do the same thing everytime ie: it's raining if you want to go out you wear your coat, wellington boots, hat on, raincover or whatever it is, if they don't want to do that then we don't go, simples. When children realise you say what you mean they just get on with it but you have to be consistant.

have you got a splash suit you can put her in to keep her dry?

bummer about the buggy being ruined BUT you can put a new against your expenses and bring your profit down; also a tantrum is normal over anything at that age !

Otherwise why not walk? takes longer obv.

Agree with some of the comments of the others, remember there are different rules for different places, I know for a fact (after going to a birthday party) that 2 of my mindees are allowed to jump all over furniture - physically crawling across tables and a chest of draws, knocking things off. I was quite shocked as they never do it at mine, but that is probably because I clearly state they must treat my furniture with respect, especially as there are so many children using my house.

If you are concerned for the state of your buggy and also mindful that if the child got really wet and cold one day it could backlash against you, remember as parents we sometimes allow our own children to do different things than we would allow our mindees to do, talk to mum and ask if she could work with you, as you would prefer that she didn't get really wet and look at ways to make it fun to be under the raincover, maybe that she could have a book if she went under, or brought it inside and make it part of a den to play in.

Consider what happens in summer if she refuses to have suncream on?

yy good point re sunscreen and hat too

Personally I would insist she uses the raincover. Sometimes when you're a child (and an adult) there are things that you don't want to do but you have to do and everyone needs to learn that. Getting wet and cold in the rain surely can't be good for her both physiologically (illness) and psychologically (she may get grumpy).

Can you give her something while she is under the cover to distract her / play a game with her?

I have a nearly 3yo that is exactly like this, its really difficult to get the raincover just on the other child, if indeed i decide i dont mind my buggy getting wet, he has been like this for over a year now, but he is now being assessed for asd, there is NO WAY i would have got him to have the raincover on, he would rip it off more times than i could put it on, its a hard one.

I find that the toddlers in my care tend to damage the cover by kicking the bottom of it. So I don't fasten the bottom of it down. If they lift it and get wet feet it's too bad. If it doesn't fasten because they've ripped it they will get wet feet anyway. I can't see why I should have the expense of continually replacing the covers because they won't stop kicking it when I ask them to.

The suggestion that claiming purchases of replacement equipment as a business expense makes it OK doesn't wash with me. When we do this we only save the 20% tax we would pay on that purchase, we still have to fork out the rest of the cost

I agree I don't mind replacing stuff for natural wear and tear, but I would be royally miffed if I had to buy new rain covers every few weeks, I would certainly be out of pocket.

I also find mindees behave very differently with parents as they do with us, some of the tantrums I have witnessed make me very . Perhaps I am too strict .

I have been having the same problem with my mindee. He has a tantrum when I put raincover on, he has a paddy when I put a blanket over him and my own DS in the double buggy. It is so cold!! He has been kicking the raincover so now it has split. I get annoyed as raincover are sooo expensive especially for double buggies.

I really appreciate your advice. I agree with the bit about being consistent. The little girl has not got any wellies or a all in one rainsuit. Even if she had I still dont want my buggy getting soaked and ruined!!!

Its good to give children some choice but if a decision needs to made thats important ie keeping a child, dry then as an adult I need to make that decision.

The challenge comes when as a childminder, I do one thing then the parents may choose to do something different. This can also be confusing for the child.

I will keep the bottom bit loose to avoid any further damaged. I dont think the little girl uses a buggy any more with her parents. She either walks or is driven. I do quite a bit of walking therefore it would be too much to expect her to walk. She sometimes sleeps whilst I am out, therfore the buggy is necessary right now.

I know i can replace the cover due to damage but I dont want to have to replace my buggy also.

I think I am going to remain firm and insist that the cover is used, whenever i take her out in the rain or snow.

I have four kids of my own and I have learnt that you have to be firm at times. I try to have a balance and also reward good behaviour!!

I also try to use eye contact when I am talking to the little one.

The little one eventually fell alseep and I was able to go home with her DRY!!!!!

IT'S EASY TO GIVE IN BUT BETTER TO BE FIRM!!

i am a mum who uses a CM and i wouldn't mind if in similar circs she said to me that she wanted to insist about the raincover. (ds doesnt like the raincover either but, as far as im concerned, tough: i just ask if he would rather go out with the cover or stay home, and oddly enough, it tends to become acceptable).
also they are better than we often think about adapting to different rules from one caregiver to another. ds will drink more than happily from a sippy cup at cm's, for example, but demand a bottle at home.

Thats interesting, its nice to hear a parents point of view too, thanks!!

I have dealt with some many different challenges as a cm. I look after children of varying ages. I also have to try to get the children to walk rather than run. This is to avoid any accidents taking place., which has in the past. I really do not want to keep filling in the accident book. Sometimes I have to RAISE MY VOICE for the children to listen.

What would you do if you are carrying two children in a doulble buggy and one does not want it on? I have had to deal with this in the past. It would not be fair to let the other child get wet too.

I now only care for one little child at a time its easier with the sleeping etc.

If I was using a CM I certainly wouldn't mind if they forced a raincover on my DD, she doesn't like it either but I force it on her and she deals with it in the end. As a CM I would ask the parents what they thought acceptable first but I would stress that I would prefer the raincover to be used if it was on a double pram, if it was on a single and the parents normally let their child get wet then I'd probably go with it.