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miss muffit
15-02-2008, 06:42 PM
Hi and Hello to every one.
A question for you .... I have a little boy that i mind who is 18 months and a lovely little chappy thing is he keeps taking his shoes off, he lost one yesterday in the shop luckily someone kindly handed it in. What i would like to know ... who would have to pay for a replacement if he really lost it???? would it be me or the mother??? :panic: :panic:

ajs
15-02-2008, 06:46 PM
tricky
i think i would offer but expect her to say no

we were in doncaster before xmas and my mindee took both her shoes off we picked one up and put it in the bag but couldn't find the other we walked back to every shop and searched for ages we even looked under rails and gave our number to all the shops in case the cleaners found it in the night eventually we gave up and went back to the car luckily it was next to the car where we had got out.
i was worried about whether i should offer to pay too

Spangles
15-02-2008, 06:48 PM
I don't know the answer but I wouldn't have thought it would be you. That wouldn't be very fair as presumably the parents know he has a habit of doing this - just as most do at that age!

Could you mention it to the mum in a jokey way that he nearly lost the shoe and see what she says! Maybe say something like, 'luckily someone picked it up! He must be costing YOU a fortune in shoes!' Ha ha!

flora
15-02-2008, 06:55 PM
I would offer to pay for them but hope that they said no!!:blush:
If he is in a puschair does he have to have his shoes on?? You could buy slipper socks or something similar to keep them warm ( they'd be cheaper to replace than shoes) My little girl does this too and if it gets really bad i just take them off and bung then under the pram for fear of losing them.......
Dd was out today in Lincoln and I was merrily shopping away, when we got to the shoe shop [U]just[U] to check her feet, I pulled back the blanket and only one shoe!!!!!:eek: I have no idea where it is and fortunately her feet had grown and she had to have new ones any way. :clapping:

Blaze
15-02-2008, 07:06 PM
:eek: Legally it is us!...Not fair & in reality I don't think parents would expect us to pay...but stil...!
Tasha:)

Lou
15-02-2008, 07:37 PM
I used to have a mindee who did this, she tok off a £30 pair of clarks boots once and threw them out of buggy, i had to send my son who at the time was 8 out to look for them as i didnt notice until i got home and then had various mindees being picked up etc.

Luckily he found them.

I agree i would offer, bt i would be surprised if any of my parents expected me to pay!!!!

I think i would take them off to spare the problem!!!!

Pipsqueak
15-02-2008, 08:36 PM
Foot muffs that enclose their feet, that is the answer!!!! My youngest age 3 still has a habit of removing and slinging his shoes - whether he is walking, in the buggy or being hung upside down by an ankle (when I have found he has lost one shoe - joking ;) )


I personally wouldn't offer to pay - if it was my fault, say we were at toddler or a soft play and I had the shoes and put them for safe keeping and I lost them, then yes I would offer, or if one of my kids or dogs done something to them but not if the child was kicking them! Meanie aren't I!

A who I mind is constantly loosing her hair grips/bobbles, bangles etc - blimey that alone would cost me a fortune.

Hmm might write this into my policies "lost shoe policy":D

Monkey1
15-02-2008, 08:41 PM
I had this problem before. One little girl lost them on the way back from school. I phoned NCMA and they said i was liable for the first £25. was ready to fork out but luckily one of the other mindees spotted it on the way back to school in the afternoon...it was a bit soggy...but at least i didn't have to fork out!:D

charleyfarley
15-02-2008, 09:01 PM
I think I would feel obliged to offer to pay for lost shoes and hope parents didn't accept the offer.

If they are in the habit of taking shoes off then I would take them off and keep them safe.

As someone said use slipper socks or cosy toes so they can't get to their feet

My little mindee is forever throwing hats and gloves off, I've lost count the amount I've lost, luckily I always use my own for him.

I've started tucking his hands in now so he can't pull them off.

Carol xx

Sarsar3NCH
15-02-2008, 09:26 PM
The exact same thing happened to me as it did to Lou, my 8 yr old went out looking for ages but didn't find it.

I offered to pay for a new pair and mum said 'yes you should, I would expectyou to be watching more carefully!'

So off I went next day and bought new pair, mum later offered to pay half though after another of my mindees parents who she works with had a go at her!

Anyway that weekend my husband found missing shoe on a railing, dirty and wet but it cleaned up and I told mum on the monday that I would take new pair back (they had only been worn once indoors) so I got my money back. But I told mum I will not let lo wear shoes in buggy again and I have never got over her comments either.


Sarah

sarah707
15-02-2008, 10:37 PM
I have never got over her comments either.
Sarah

No I don't think I would forget being treated like that in a hurry either! Some people! :rolleyes:

miffy
16-02-2008, 08:35 AM
The exact same thing happened to me as it did to Lou, my 8 yr old went out looking for ages but didn't find it.

I offered to pay for a new pair and mum said 'yes you should, I would expectyou to be watching more carefully!'

So off I went next day and bought new pair, mum later offered to pay half though after another of my mindees parents who she works with had a go at her!

Anyway that weekend my husband found missing shoe on a railing, dirty and wet but it cleaned up and I told mum on the monday that I would take new pair back (they had only been worn once indoors) so I got my money back. But I told mum I will not let lo wear shoes in buggy again and I have never got over her comments either.


Sarah

I don't think there was any need for the parent to speak to you like that - I would have been upset too

If a child did this regularly I'd use a footmuff like Vik said or take their shoes off (if it was warm enough)

You might have more than one child who did this so imagine what the bill could be if you had to pay!

Miffy xx

miss muffit
16-02-2008, 08:43 AM
Thank you for all your comments.

We childminders have to put up with a lot from some parents. Sarsar3NCHI comment she "offered to pay for a new pair and mum said 'yes you should, I would expect you to be watching more carefully!' " how dare she say you should have been watching him more carefully!!!!

I am in future going to take his shoes off him ….if I remember!!..NO... i will remember....its opened my eye also to monkey1's comment that ncma expect us to pay first £25.00 ....blimmy!!
and Tasha's comment that "Legally it is us!" ...what!!

well girls.... :littleangel:
Thank you for your help and all have a nice weekend :)

Pauline
16-02-2008, 09:30 AM
I think I'd do like someone suggested Miss Muffit and take off the shoes and use either slipper socks or two pairs of thick socks while out in the buggy.

However, you should be covered on your childminding insurance for things like this (loss or damage to a child or parents property) but I'm not sure on excess charges - were NCMA saying that the £25 was an excess charge Monkey? as far as I know Morton Michel don't have an excess charge but I will find out and let you know.

Pauline
16-02-2008, 09:31 AM
btw will move this to Childminding Chat as you will get more reponse there, as this area is for questions on using the forum. :)

Rubybubbles
16-02-2008, 11:00 AM
Never had it happen, but know of another childminder who lost one and the parent was NOT happy at all, she bought new ones for the lo:(




But then 3-4 weeks later she came in a new pair, she'd only done the same for the parents over the weekend, ahhh justice is sweet;)


I wouldn't want to pay but think I would def offer (and hop they say no, shoes are:eek: ££££'ssssssss)

Mollymop
16-02-2008, 11:19 AM
My caitlin used to always kick her shoes of when she was in the buggy, luckily I never lost any and always managed to find them, but it seems so unfair that childminders have to pay out for lost shoes when in reality it is the up to the parents, especially when they know that the child has a habit of kicking them off. The child belongs to the parent after all!

deeb66
16-02-2008, 12:35 PM
I am sorry but............

There is no way would I be offering to pay to replace a lost pair of shoes.

I do my upmost to ensure that this never happens and yes if a child constantly takes their shoes off I take them off before they can get lost.

Fortunately (touch wood ;) ) in all the years I have been minding this has never happened to me so my reaction cannot be one of experience but I can say hand on my heart............

There is no way will I pay to replace a pair of shoes..............

Pudding Girl
16-02-2008, 02:59 PM
Is this not covered by Insurance anyway? Sorry not read all replies, so ignore if already been dealt with!!

deeb66
16-02-2008, 03:02 PM
Is this not covered by Insurance anyway? Sorry not read all replies, so ignore if already been dealt with!!

Monkey says NCMA you have to pay first £25 and Pauline thinks MM you don't have to pay excess.

Pudding Girl
16-02-2008, 03:27 PM
I'm with SCMA - think it's Chruchill who do it but can't be sure I didn't read it!!so will have to dig out mys tuff and see what it says, happily admit it went straight in the files without being read!! :blush:

susi513
16-02-2008, 06:01 PM
Am I illegal then Tasha? I've got a line in my handbook that states I am not responsible for lost or damaged belongings. And my contract has a line that says the parent has read, received a copy and agrees to the terms of the handbook. Its in a section "Clothing and belongings" which started off as a suggestion that parents don't put their children in best clothes as we do a lot of messy & outdoor activities and its gradually gotten longer. Children shouldn't bring money ... I can't maintain elaborate hairstyles ... etc etc

I put this in when I had a child who always arrived in a multitude of hair grips and bands and would take them off during the course of the day. Every day Mum would sit down and expect me to find them all before she left. :mad:

I did take a child home shoeless once. But they turned up with a bunch of toys under a chair in the conservatory. We would put the shoes tidy in the hall when we came in and whenever it was time to go out they would be nowhere to be seen. We now put shoes on the back of the playroom door - its the socks that get hidden now!

Blaze
16-02-2008, 06:44 PM
No your not illegal! LOL!!! Actually you've covered yourself really well...we are liable...our insurance should cover us ... but in reality would be a pain & it's best to do as you've done & get it signed for...that way should you get a difficult parent it's all in black & white!
Tasha:)

louise
16-02-2008, 08:29 PM
Never thought of this. Mindee did go through a phase nut it was in summer so i ended up leaving them off.
It has reminded me that awhile back we had just got ds a pair of lace up clarkes boots. Hubbie only went from home to car, car to supermarket then back to car to pick me up from work. I noticed that ds had lost one. Now do you think we could find it No. We went back to supermarket and even called the next day. Id love to know where it went.
Lou

Pauline
23-02-2008, 09:26 AM
as far as I know Morton Michel don't have an excess charge but I will find out and let you know.

OK this is what Morton Michel say about their policy:

You are able to cliam for up to £1000 for the property of a minded child when such damage arises whilst said property is in your care and where no legal liability attaches to you (the childminder). There is no excess under this section of the policy.

Tatia
23-02-2008, 10:09 AM
I can't make sense of that, Pauline. You can claim as long as there is no legal liability to childminder. That doesn't say whether the liability lies with the childminder, though (in the case of the shoes). Insurance companies, how I loathe them. Doublepseak.

But then, I admit to be a big dummy when it comes to legalspeak! So if someone cleverer thanI can explain that to me, I'd be grateful. Otherwise, I'm of the opinion that it's about as clear as mud.

miss muffit
28-02-2008, 03:19 PM
Hi I went to our minding meeting this morning and asked our Development worker and she said that the cost of replacing the shoes would be down to me as the child was with me at the time. Other minders there had said the same. lets hope i dont lose them!!!!!!!!! thanks for all your feedback Karen :) :) :)

Spangles
28-02-2008, 03:22 PM
Oh blimey! I'm going to start sellotaping them on then, some of them like Clarks cost an absolute fortune!

Thanks for the advice.

crazybones
28-02-2008, 04:14 PM
Oh no. My mindee is like a walking label. Timberland boots, Gap jeans and a Monsoon jumper today. He is only 2. It would cost a fortune for me to replace. The good thing is he is slightly more well built than William and so Will becomes a second hand walking label and she wont take any money for them. :thumbsup:

Annie x

yummymummy_2006
28-02-2008, 09:41 PM
OMG all this just makes me wonder whether it is really worth becoming a childminder! I know how much my daughters shoes cost, we always go to clarks and I always ask for them to be buckled or laces because she has a habit of taking them off - especially velcro and zipped ones. I always double knot them and give them a tug so I know she'll not get them off.
Looks like I'll be adding more to my policy and procedure profile now about belongings ect.
I don't think I like this forum anymore - it's making me more work:D