Childcare clothes - How to keep him warm?

[Karma1387]

Just looking for advice on how to dress my toddler and baby for their new childminder.

She is mainly based outside with some unheated cabins for them to sleep in and play/eat in and the garden.

Obviously weather has been super crap recently so I am wondering the best way to dress them both to keep them warm when spending so much time in the cold but in a way that isnt going to hinder play or make the childminders life too difficult for nappy changes.

For context toddler is 2.5 but wears size 3-4 kids and baby will be 8/9 months and is still learning to crawl so will be spending the majority of his time on the floor but I dont want to hinder his crawling plus baby still naps so not sure what to send him to sleep in as I imagine its quite cold in the cabin.

Oh I 100% realise how cold it is going to be hence wanting to make sure they are dressed in the best possible outfit I can.

Your choice of childminder sounds very miserable to me.

and they may even be there 4 days a week !

I am surprised Ofsted have registered this woman.

There isnt an abundance of affordable childcare options around unfortunately. I would much prefer to have them at a nursery.

OP talk to this woman. Explain she needs to heat one of the cabins and allow children to get warm after periods in the cold. Being cold all day is miserable.

I was thinking the same about Ofsted.

Honestly OP I don’t think they’ll be warm enough. I was a lodger once years ago and the house was always freezing as LL wouldn’t turn the heating on for more than an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening. Whatever I wore, however many layers it consisted of, I never felt truly warm.

If you are in cold air, however many layers/thermals you have on, you won’t feel warm and comfortable. I bought a mini fan heater that was quite quiet and used to lock it in my suitcase when I went out! Even with that, as soon as I switched it off, I was cold again.

I don't think she could safely heat it as its such a small space. With 6 kids in a small space I don't think she would have anywhere to safely have a heater.

the footwear will be important - socks and nappy bags won't cut it! you can get waterproof booties to put over thick socks

also agree with the merino under layers

Ask what her threshold is (weather-wose but also child's reaction-wise) for taking them inside.

Thank you for all the input. I will have to discuss with DP what we want to do about the baby. It may be if we really dont feel comfortable putting him in there we may have to rethink things and see if we can juggle having baby and toddler in 2 different childcares.

Sounds like miserable conditions for her working too. Surely the childminder will be fed up with it too. I’d be constantly ill and grumpy!

Im a reasonably hardy wrap up warm and get on with it sort of person but I don’t think this is suitable for a pre walking baby OP. I appreciate money is tight but given you don’t have a job yet perhaps you could delay into the spring (given it could easily take you 3 months to find something?) by then the baby may well be walking and the weather will be getting better.

Oh come on! There are loads of Ofsted registered outdoor childminder and nursery settings.

It might not be for everyone but it's pretty popular and common!

Unfortunately my Mat leave for current job ends soon and due to DP health condition he cant have the baby overnight (my job is nights) so unless we want to be homeless I have to get a job in the next 8 weeks unfortunatley.

I know nothing about this sort of thing. Do they really not have to have somewhere warm that kids can go if it’s freezing cold and/or raining? What does she do when they want changing/use the toilet?

What’s the plan for nappy changes and potty training? Surely she’s not going to change nappies in the cold as she’d have to take of babies clothes? And potty training won’t work if they’re bundled in multiple layers. What if they’re unwell, not so unwell they can’t be at childcare but the usual winter colds, they won’t be able to be outside in the cold all day?

And what about eating lunch? Will she bring them inside to eat so they can get warm? If it’s very cold they’ll need to wear gloves but that will make eating difficult. Even more miserable without a hot meal.

If they're too unwell to be outside then they will have to stay at home.
Assuming the childminder hasn't just started this summer I'm sure she'll have a plan for toileting.

Wow- sounds like they’re animals 🙄 not allowed on the sofa.

is she good/ outstanding ofsted rating? Might be worth reading her previous inspections. Are they really ok with kids being outside all day?

Can you really hand on heart say you’re comfortable with this set up? Mine are older and can wrap up themselves/ say if they’re cold but outside all day with no heat relief (ie coming in) surely can’t be good for your kids who’ve never been conditioned to this?

where does she change nappies and where are the other babies/ kids when she’s changing? Surely they don’t have nappy changes in an unheated shelter outdoors?

What about storms/ snow/ constant rain?

Where does she food prep and is it warm central heating type meals? Where are the kids when she cooks?

Too much for me but maybe I’m soft. Other countries do this from birth so babies become accustomed. Weigh your kids and keep an eye on their weight dropping.