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Bananabrain
31-01-2009, 05:19 PM
Hi,Could anyone tell me what their procedure is for 'snow days'.I am in the south east and they are predicting bad weather for next week [like to be organised in advance]:) If you have xtra school aged children ,would you insist on payment on the day? Also I'm kinda thinking that if for example I have two xtra,I may not have catered for them.Has anyone ever been in this situation and not had enough food etc.

that was a really daft question wasn't it:blush: I'm sure I could get round it by taking them to chippy if need be.

Be really interested if anyone has any thoughts or experiences they could share.We don't get alot of snow down south and i know alot of you guys are north of the border. Thanks

Chatterbox Childcare
31-01-2009, 05:21 PM
If I am reading this right, you have extra children of school age because of the snow. I would expect all the forms to be completed and with me prior to starting and fees to be paid either before or on the day (they are no different to any other child in your setting).

As to food - if you know they are coming, why aren't you getting food in before - confused??

crazybones
31-01-2009, 05:39 PM
If I am reading this right, you have extra children of school age because of the snow. I would expect all the forms to be completed and with me prior to starting and fees to be paid either before or on the day (they are no different to any other child in your setting).

As to food - if you know they are coming, why aren't you getting food in before - confused??

I think she means if the school closes unexpectedly. We have had that happen a few years ago and it was reported on the radio in the morning but people hadnt heard it and turned up to school. I think in an emergency stituation like that you would get paid at the end of the day. I am presuming you are talking about your afterschool/holiday children who you would already have permissions signed for.

sarah707
31-01-2009, 05:48 PM
I always have an extra pizza or something similar in the freezer - sometimes the high schoolers turn up when I don't expect them :rolleyes: and they enjoy decorating pizza. :D

FizzysFriends
31-01-2009, 05:58 PM
If you have a freezer I would keep something in just incase because if the school is closed due to bad weather I doubt you would want to take the kids out in it to the shops.

I add the charge to the next invoice when I have them unexpectidly, but then they pay without a problem and I don't for one minute think they would ever not pay.

Bananabrain
31-01-2009, 06:36 PM
Sorry, I didn't make myself very clear did I ? I meant xtra children that I would normally have after school/ hols. Is it acceptable to just 'rustle something up' like pizza even if it's something unhealthy?

mandy moo
31-01-2009, 06:42 PM
Sorry, I didn't make myself very clear did I ? I meant xtra children that I would normally have after school/ hols. Is it acceptable to just 'rustle something up' like pizza even if it's something unhealthy?

jacket potato and grated cheese and beans.

Slices ofwhole meal bread (or similar, we eat 50/50 in our house) homemade tomato sauce and grated cheese with prehaps ham etc on top?

Pasta with tuna and sweetcorn, mayo or cheese sauce..

just a few ideas

I personally would take payment there and then if parent had it, or the end of the day..

sarah707
31-01-2009, 06:51 PM
Sorry, I didn't make myself very clear did I ? I meant xtra children that I would normally have after school/ hols. Is it acceptable to just 'rustle something up' like pizza even if it's something unhealthy?

Yes of course it is!

Pizza can be made healthy by adding extra tomatoes and fruit like pineapples.

I have it on my menu once every 3 weeks because there would be a teenage revolt if I didn't :rolleyes:

rickysmiths
31-01-2009, 07:09 PM
I agree with mandy moo. I always have a spare bag of pasta in the cupboard, tinned tomatoes, an onion, garlic maybe a pepper and you have a meal with grated cheese on top. Maybe add some tuna?

Scrambled eggs on toast
Boiled egg and toast
Cheese on Toast with Baked Beans Do you have a sandwich toaster?

I must confess I don't have a large freezer but I always have staples like, pasta, rissoto rice, pudding rice, semolina, couscous, tins of tomatoes, soup, baked beans, tuna, and fruit. in the larder. My veg rack always has onions and potatoes. The fridge always has celery, mushrooms and peppers, bacon, eggs and milk, plus the weekly shopping. I have one tray of mince, 2 or 3 chicken breasts, 1 packet of swedish meats balls (from Ikea, Tesco or Sainsburys) and a couple of packets of fish fingers and peas in the freezer. It means I can always rustle up a meal for 4 anyway so if I'm brain dead at the end of the day I have the makins of an easy meal.


With 2 teenagers who are always turning up with hungry friends I realised over the last few years that I have to have a stocked larder!!!!!!!!!! God forbid I should ever run out of Hot Chocolate!!!!! I think I would be given the sack.!!!

If the snow was so awful you may find the parents might not get to work so you may have less children! The parents would have to pay me for a day like that. Its not my fault that it may have snowed and I would be open.

miffy
31-01-2009, 07:29 PM
Sorry, I didn't make myself very clear did I ? I meant xtra children that I would normally have after school/ hols. Is it acceptable to just 'rustle something up' like pizza even if it's something unhealthy?

Pizza's not really unhealthy and you could serve it with salad/jacket potatoes

Like already said you may have less children if the weather is really bad and people can't get to work

Miffy xx

childmind04
31-01-2009, 07:36 PM
Pizza's not really unhealthy and you could serve it with salad/jacket potatoes

Like already said you may have less children if the weather is really bad and people can't get to work

Miffy xx


that sounds like wishful thinking, i have one supposed to be on hols this week but mum is still bringing him even though he HATES the cold and will scream on all 3 school runs!!!

miffy
31-01-2009, 07:38 PM
that sounds like wishful thinking, i have one supposed to be on hols this week but mum is still bringing him even though he HATES the cold and will scream on all 3 school runs!!!

Oh dear, does it?

Might have something to do with having my first aid course all day today - a day off on Monday would be lovely to make up for it :)

Shame you won't benefit from the mum's holiday :rolleyes:

Miffy xx

FizzysFriends
31-01-2009, 08:00 PM
We are forecast snow Tuesday, Weds, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Monday so I hope for at least one day off, school closed and no mindees so we can go out and play.

loocyloo
31-01-2009, 09:48 PM
i really don't want our school closed due to snow next week !!! (i'm south too!)

we had an inset day on monday ... doors opened at 8.35am on tuesday ... at 8.45 the head sent everyone home ... power cut ... inthe afternoon we were told school closed till monday 2nd due to 'health and safety' concerns! (ie ..no electricity, so no heating or lighting to start with!)

so i have had a house full of (lovely) but unexepected afterschoolers for 4 days! they have been great, but have had to come along to all the activities the little ones do, as well as having some fun stuff for them! but i am exhausted...and looking forward to a couple of weeks 'peace' till half term! don't get me wrong, i love having them, but because it was unexpected, i couldn't plan much, esp as i had all the nursery runs etc to do! and i had been running down my craft supplies, ready to 'stocktake' and re-order!!!!

the parents all rang/saw me at school in the morning and asked if i could have their children and all said 'add it to the invoice' !!! which i shall, and i expect them all to pay! and they will!

xxx

Twinkles
01-02-2009, 12:25 AM
If I know bad weather is on the way i make sure i listen to local radio in the morning ,they tell us if there are any school closures. often i know before the parents do and i expect their frantic phone calls :rolleyes:

Like the others I often cater for unexpected people so can create vast pasta dishes at the drop of a hat and always have extra meals in the freezer.

tulip0803
01-02-2009, 01:04 AM
I had a "snow day" once. (wish for more:( I love snow). My pre-schoolers didn't come & 1 just had 2 afterschoolers who came for the day so we went sledging. I rang the parents and asked for extra clothes & gloves. They bought packed lunches as they had already been packed but I did soup too to warm us all up:) . They paid at the end of the day.

rickysmiths
01-02-2009, 02:02 AM
The schools around here have 'Snow Lines'. In Primary this means that each family has a list of names and numbers and you are rung by the one before you if there is a closure and you ring the name after you on the list when you have had your call. It worked very well when my ds was at school.

The high school that dd and ds are at give the children the name and number of someone in their class and when we get a call we phone them.

It was used when we had a huge expolsion not far from here a couple of years ago and all the local schools were closed for a couple of days.:clapping:

mandy moo
01-02-2009, 09:15 AM
I agree with mandy moo. I always have a spare bag of pasta in the cupboard, tinned tomatoes, an onion, garlic maybe a pepper and you have a meal with grated cheese on top. Maybe add some tuna?

Scrambled eggs on toast
Boiled egg and toast
Cheese on Toast with Baked Beans Do you have a sandwich toaster?

I must confess I don't have a large freezer but I always have staples like, pasta, rissoto rice, pudding rice, semolina, couscous, tins of tomatoes, soup, baked beans, tuna, and fruit. in the larder. My veg rack always has onions and potatoes. The fridge always has celery, mushrooms and peppers, bacon, eggs and milk, plus the weekly shopping. I have one tray of mince, 2 or 3 chicken breasts, 1 packet of swedish meats balls (from Ikea, Tesco or Sainsburys) and a couple of packets of fish fingers and peas in the freezer. It means I can always rustle up a meal for 4 anyway so if I'm brain dead at the end of the day I have the makins of an easy meal.


With 2 teenagers who are always turning up with hungry friends I realised over the last few years that I have to have a stocked larder!!!!!!!!!! God forbid I should ever run out of Hot Chocolate!!!!! I think I would be given the sack.!!!
If the snow was so awful you may find the parents might not get to work so you may have less children! The parents would have to pay me for a day like that. Its not my fault that it may have snowed and I would be open.

Same as Ricky, Ive got the teenage thing to come yet tho :laughing:
But my 10 year old is a big lad and eats enough for 2, hes always 'starving'

Bananabrain
01-02-2009, 02:42 PM
Hi,Rickysmiths,are you talking about buncefield? Every school within a thousand miles was closed even my son's which is nowhere near it:laughing: We must be quite close,not telling you where I live in case any of my parents read my rantings!

mushpea
01-02-2009, 03:44 PM
i do two different schools and only one was closed once because of the heating which meant i had one extra for the day, we walked to the local shops to pick out lunch then played various games etc till home time.
as for payment i just added it on the bill at the end of the week as all mine pay in arrears anyway.
if i end up with more tommoro due to school closer then we wil probably all be playing out in it so 'sledge' round to the shops to get lunch if i havent got enough in.
I really don't see the problem with going out for a walk in this weather, after all the kid would happily play out in it so no difference really. not only that but i have a rotten flu like cold at the moment (the kids have given it to me so parents don't mind the comming with me havin it!) and getting out in the fresh air for a while acutally makes me feel better and realy does blow those cobwebs away!!
plus i think i'd go mad with 6 kids in doors all day:eek:

mandy moo
01-02-2009, 05:35 PM
Hi,Rickysmiths,are you talking about buncefield? Every school within a thousand miles was closed even my son's which is nowhere near it:laughing: We must be quite close,not telling you where I live in case any of my parents read my rantings!

We live approx 7 miles away from Buncefield, no 1 son was being sick (another bug) in the toilet at that time, 'what the heck was that' he said :laughing: :laughing:
very refrained considering some of the stuff I hear come from his 'mates' mouths :eek:

Ripeberry
03-01-2010, 12:52 PM
Googled it as well. Could work but with longer hair :laughing:

peanuts
03-01-2010, 05:24 PM
i always add any extra on to the next invoice