Pre-school parent rota - charging parents for no-shows

[ponygirl]

Our pre-school has just (re-)introduced a parent rota system and we have instituted a fine for parents who do not show up for their rota-ed sessions. Our understanding was that other pre-schools operate this system, but a parent has rung our chair today and claimed we are breaking the law.

Does anyone know where we stand on this?

[gomez]

Does the fact that I am miserable old bag who would rather stick pins in her eyes than look after other people's toddlers mean my children should miss out?

I may well come into the category of 'people' you wouldn't want to look after your children' as I would scare them half to death I am sure.

Actually not convinced we get pre-schools in Scotland. Toddlers where you must stay. Play-groups that you pay for and then if you want school attached Nursery from 3 upwards - funded. Ahh, the children of Central Scotland are safe.

What an absurd and strange idea.

[paolosgirl]

Peachy, that is so .

[julienetmum]

QUOTE
"Why not? If you can take your child to these things, then surely you can help one night every few months? "

Many children are taken to pre-school by their childminder/grandparent (who may have numerous other children in their care), dropped off on the way to work etc.

I would not send dd to somewhere where this condition was stipulated. With a younger ds, a part time job, a business run from home and a dh who is not allowed holiday in term time it would be impossible.

I do my volunteering elsewhere (for the NCT actually) in hours that suit me that I am able to commit to.

There are many many families who are unable to help in this way for clubs and pre-schools. It is awful that their children should be denied the opportunity to attend becasue of family circumstances.

[FrannyandZooey]

I think a lot of playgroups have this kind of scheme. It's part of the original playgroup ethos - to make it more affordable and accessible than a private nursery.

The one where I helped out allowed working parents to volunteer someone else's services instead - a relative or carer. It was part of my nanny duties, to help out once a month or whenever. I loved it.

[spacecadet]

gomez, where i live, the pre-school is playgroup, its just that we are not allowed to call it playgroup anymore, there is no nursery attatched to the school, children start at our pre-school at 2.5 and stay until school age, they have to pay, until they are 3, then they get a government grant to cover fees.

[chatee]

we have also stated that we must know in advance if siblings are attending as they are also included in the ratio of 1-5,
we have 18 rainbows and that means 2 leaders and 2 parent helpers every week(leaving 2 spaces for siblings if needed)
but i do agree it's a bit of a nightmare-dread to think about the time when ds wants to start doing activities........

[TinyGang]

I was totally unaware that some pre-schools are run this way. Ours does have something going with volunteer parents coming in, but absolutely no pressure has ever been placed on the parents to do it afaik. Fining people? What would they do about it if someone refused to pay up then? Take you to court fgs?

I could not do it and would resent any pressure to make me feel that I should tbh. Nor would I feel obliged to offer any kind of excuse as to why. I would not wish to use a pre-school that expected this from me though.

My older dd is at infant school. There is a parent run group in action there and whilst I think they do a pretty good job, I do feel the extra activities are a bit too much sometimes tbh. Then you get the strong smell of burning martyr because they are so overloaded with extra stuff to do having voluntered for it in the first place. Asking for volunteers is ok in my book, but accept 'no' gracefully if that is the reply.

[PeachyClair]

What they said at the boys old playschool was, if you didn't want to do it fine, but you should pay X (the minimum wage IIRC) so they could pay one of their mainly part timers to cover. Not an awful lots is it?

[julienetmum]

Gomes pre-school is the same as playgroups that you pay for

[paolosgirl]

Gomez - as another central belt mum who also dislikes other peoples kids (mine are alright though ) I still take my turn. A big vodka beforehand numbs the pain! I took this original thread to relate to a non-funded thing like our playgroup.

One mother at our playgoup had twins. Happy to take 2 places, but kicked up stink about having to pay twice, and regularly didn't show for her turn of the rota, so other parents had to stay and help so the group could run. She was one parent who definitely should have been fined (actaully I'd have told her to beat it, but I wasn't in charge!)

[rummum]

You wouldn't have to interact with the children I'm sure...
You could get the childrens snacks ready..
make the tea ...
do cutting out for future activities..
mop the floor where the little lovelies have been having a splashing time with the water...
sweep up the sand...
you could join in with the singing [why do parents hate this]
wash up the snack things...

The possibilities are endless...

[paolosgirl]

Julie - I can only speak from my personal experience, but the non-helpers in this area could help one evening every 3/4 months if they wanted to. They just prefer someone else to - but are more than heppy for their child to be out for the evening.

[gomez]

Ahh - now I understand.

The only Playgroup I have looked at didn't seem to ask for parent helpers just hard cash. It also has an obscene waiting list but doesn't take them until they are 2 years and 9 months and the way the terms worked out DD2 could start Nursery at the same time so I didn't bother. Phew !

[gomez]

Ponygirl - is there not An Association of Playgroups or something which you could ask? You don't seem to be having much luck on MN.

[paolosgirl]

I think that I've got it right. I wouldn't have expected to help out at DD and Ds's private (and latterly) state funded nurseries, but had no problem whatsoever taking my turn at the playschool - otherwise another mum had to cover for me, which is just not on.

[rummum]

Hellooooooo ponygirl

You can come back now....
Everyones calmed down......

[WideWebWitch]

Did this kick off by any chance? Blimey, 92 posts on a pre school rota thread, wow! I DETESTED doing my rota turn when I was chair of a pre school, I'd have paid anytihng to get out of it. Right, may read the thread now.

[spacecadet]

ponygirl in answer to your original question, the pre-school learning alliance will be able to advise you and also OFSTED, however they will prob say that although you are within your rights to say parents are fined and to run therota, its not actually enforceable.

[spacecadet]

therefore at the end of the day you cant actually force parents to help etc,but as for breaking the law, i dont know, seriously, the pre-school learning alliance will advise you.

[paolosgirl]

OK, as one of the main kicker-offers , I apologise. Combination of raging PMT and past experience of some other parents I know are doing sweet fa (when they could perfectly well help out) while I'm working, doing a college course, on the after-school club committee, being a local community councillor, husband not home til all hours AND STILL MANAGE TO TAKE MY TURN OF THE FECKIN ROTA AARRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH....

I'm off for a cup of tea and a lie down in a darkened room now....

[WideWebWitch]

Paolosgirl, ok! I used to hate doing rota parent but I was chair for ages and worked very hard for nothing (obv) on that for ages and ages! It used to piss me off too that there was a hard core of people who workd hard to keep the preschool going while everyone else did sod all but I am mellow now and I think it would bother me less these days. I do kwym though!

[paolosgirl]

I have no problem whatsoever with people not wanting to become actively involved in after-school clubs and playgroups (personally I am just not cut out for that, and would be miserable doing it), but when these groups depend on parents helping out once every few months in order to exist, and some parents can't even be bothered to do their share, then I get really hacked off. It's not just their children who suffer, it's mine as well.

[robinpud]

Don't you think that the world is 2 camps?

Those that will no matter how busy thay already are..
and those that won't.. no matter how much their arms are twisted or how big the potential fine is ?
Whatever sort you are .. have you changed from 1 camp to the other?

more frighteningly are you in the same camp as your parents???

[getbakainyourjimjams]

paolos girl- I'll never be able to help at after school clubs for ds2 and ds3 because I'm a carer for my severely autistic ds1. I don't have anywhere I can leave him after school. Helping out at ds2's pre-school would be pretty difficult at the moment because ds3 is a baby. When its his turn at pre-school I could volunteer once a month whilst the other 2 are at school, but not when ds1 is around. Impossible.

Finding someone to look after ds1 is not as simple as rearranging a work diary. There are lots of things I;d like to do in the evening but we can't because we don't have a suitable babysitter for ds1.I;d be pretty sad if ds2 and ds3 were unable to attend afterschool clubs because they have an autistic brother; they miss out of enought stuff as it is.

[Tanzie]

I work full time and can't help out at the school (but have taken an afternoon off to help with an art class at DD2's school). And I don't like children. I can't commit to helping at Brownies as my working hours are irregular. But I am class rep for DD2's class - a role which I strongly resent, given that I am the only working mother in the class, but no-one else wanted to take it on (and boy, are they quick to criticise me). This is not a sideways slap at SAHMs. These women do not work, employ cleaners and often all go off to the gym, coffee mornings or to play tennis together (yes, of course I'm jealous).

Not everyone can, or wants to, volunteer. And bludgeoning them into doing so just creates resentment.

Does that make sense or am I talking out of my arse again?