How do you feel when...

[Hayley102]

children turn up with activities they want to complete during the day?
For example I have one family that regularly arrive with toys from home which normally cause arguments and mum will say he is hoping to be able to use the computer or I've put 2 tubes in as he wants to make binoculars. Part of me wants to embrace it and follow child's interest but I feel it is just a bribe to get him out of the house so not really a particular interest. The fact that I care for other children isn't always taken into account either. I am not sure how to feel about it!

[mushpea]

If the child brings stuff then they should either be willing to share or it shoudl be put up till home time,, if they bring an activity I make a point of saying to mum that actutaly I have 3 children today so have you put enough stuff in for them all and if she says no then I explain that we cant do that activity then because it wouldnt be fair on the other children.
I also think it has to fit in with your plans ie I had a child whos mum wanted him to make nanny a birthday card but I had already planned a day out to a park and so wouldnt have time for the card so we didnt do it..

[blue bear]

I suppose I'm really laid back and it does not bother me to be honest, if it helps parent to go off to work happy and child is happy then I'm happy. I'd be asking if she can send extra tubes for the other children so they can all join in, I had one little man who would bring boxes if cake mix for everyone to share.

[mum2two]

I haven't had parents/children turn up with stuff to do as an activity, but regularly have the 2 four yr olds turn up with toys.

They now go straight up in their boxes until hometime, as fed up with arguments with not sharing, or getting lost/broken. One 8 yr old turned up with a little china pot during the school hols, then complained to me when the head got broken off!!! :angry: I had 12 children in the house - what were they/parents expecting?!?!?

That's my rule now! I have more than enough toys in our playroom - why they need to bring xyz I do not know?!?!

xx

[Mouse]

I'm quite laid back about it & don't mind parents bringing things for children to do. I've made easter bonnets for the nursery children, cakes for granny's birthday, cards galore.

But it doesn't happen that often. Maybe it would peeve me a bit if it did.

I also don't have a problem with children bringing toys from home & I don't expect them to share...but I know I'm in the minority there!

[uf353432]

I'm quite laid back about it & don't mind parents bringing things for children to do. I've made easter bonnets for the nursery children, cakes for granny's birthday, cards galore.

But it doesn't happen that often. Maybe it would peeve me a bit if it did.

I also don't have a problem with children bringing toys from home & I don't expect them to share...but I know I'm in the minority there!

yep like this and previous poster - i'm quite laid back as well about all this. If the child wants to do something specific i'll find time in the day to do it and have plenty of resources for all the other kids to dabble in if they want to do something along the same lines.

Toys I let them play with their special toy until they are bored with it and move onto one of my toys and then i'll pop it in their box until home time.

Its no biggy - shows you are happy to work with parents and follow kids interests.

[SandCastles]

I'm pretty laid back and as long as the activity doesn't impact on my daily routine and the toy is shared.
The lo's are pretty good and will share their toys (once they have been forgotton about I will pack into their bags) and more often than not the craft activity will be forgotton about as we're so busy.

[BucksCM]

I do have a rule that if toys are brought from home then they have to be prepared to share them...as are all the toys in the playroom. If it's a fragile toy I may ask the parent to take it back with them. I really don't want the responsibility.
Activities....I'm an arty crafty person anyway and the parents know this...they will often ask if lo can make birthday cards because lo prefers to make it at mine as I have lots of stuff...I don't mind, but i do remind them to give me a weeks notice as I have to find the time to fit it in!:D

[Demonjill]

As long as any toys are shared its fine:thumbsup:

Sometimes a LO brings books and thats great as its like the library has come to us as we all enjoy the different books that day:thumbsup:

I have a 3yo who brings his own activities, books, snacks and toys every day he comes - he has only been with me for a few months so it helped him settle in at start as he was just 2yo. I only do the activities if we have time but tbh i have this LO on his own for 2 hours of the day so use that time to "see what hes got in his bag today" - my own DS always looks forward to whats in the bag too:laughing:

[Little Pickles]

I understand that sometimes parents will need to do whatever it takes to get the child out of the house in the mornings but if a child brings a toy and doesn't want to share it I will put it away until home time :)

[Tealady]

Mindees can bring toys but they have to be willing to share. My EY mindee is too little to bring stuff (unless it's some random object Mum hasn't had the heart to take off of him). My 8 year old only brings toys because he wants to share or if he thinks one of the other children in the setting will like it. Might be because he's an only child and it's fun for him to have someone to play with but hey, it's lovely.

Don't mind crafts. I'm quite artistcally minded and can often rustle up something similar for the other children to do. However I did have one after schooler who's mum would text me just before I got her child from school asking for a card to be made. Didn't mind at first as the first request was for Daddy, the second was for Gran then it was for every Tom Dick and Harry. Funnily enough we often went to the park after school and had our tea there on those days.

[Ripeberry]

I've had a mindee's mum give me a copy of a CD of music to play in the car as he is obsessed with a particular piece of piano music and its on a loop...
Would drive ME Loopy!
So NO! I play what I want in MY car :cool:

[AliceK]

If a child brings a toy from home they have to be willing to share it otherwise it gets put away until hometime. When my DS was small and went to a childminders I always drummed in to him that if he took a toy he would have to share it. I don't think it's unreasonable. Most of the time as soon as I've had a look at it and made a fuss of whatever it is the child loses interest and I can put it away and they don't even notice. I have had 1 child come more than once with just 1 Duplo brick. Why, I just don't know, I have 100's of them in the playroom. Now that's just asking to get lost :panic:

xxxx

[The Juggler]

i would love if kids come with materials and ideas for activities and I'd be more than happy to do it. If it was just a bribe to get them out of the house and child shows no interest when with you, just tell the parent that when they pick up hon.

toys they bring... another story. they are shared or put in a bag/cupboard til hometime :thumbsup:

[singingcactus]

Doesn't bother me either. I don't have a problem with them bringing toys from home, I don't force them to share it though. If the toy is causing an issue then I will ask the child to play with it in a set area. We had that this week, one of my boys brought some cars from home and another boy who persistently takes toys of other kids kept on doing this, so I asked the owner to keep them by the sofa, which he did and the problem was solved.

[Hayley102]

Thanks for your replies. Some days I seem to accept it and others I resent it. The only logical reason behind resentment is I don't like being told what to do hence why I am self-employed! But then I think I am being petty! :blush: I think I will continue to argue with myself and try to manage it as best I can.

[singingcactus]

:D Think it maybe also depends on how you are asked each time. Some days you may be dealing with other people assuming your life revolves around them and you exist purely for their pleasure, whereas other days you may be being asked in a nicer way.

We all have our prickly days lol. I am having one this WEEK, but only with some people....like my husband :mad:.