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View Full Version : Do you take the children with you to appointments?



singlewiththree
09-11-2009, 11:57 AM
My DD has a hospital appointment in Jan at 11.20 I would have her (age 4) and an 10 month old and a 20month old would you

a) tell parents you can't have the children that day.

b) tell parents and have a backup childminder in place to take them if they need to

c) register my mum as an assistant so she can sit in the waiting room with them while I pop in?

d) just get permission to take them with you.

e) none of the above

Straws
09-11-2009, 12:14 PM
I'd probably have the day off, ask the parents first see if they have any objections

Straws xxx

wendywu
09-11-2009, 12:17 PM
I take mine with me to doctors and hospital appointments. I think it is a good way to understand that these places are nothing to be afraid of.:)

Merry-Minder
09-11-2009, 12:19 PM
Id take the day off - but that now depends on what advise you get now - because ive always wondered if its right to take mindees to doctors/dentist appointments?????

little miss chatterbox
09-11-2009, 12:22 PM
my daughters regurlarly go to the eye clinic at the hospital and I always try and book them on my day off because I find it easier to concentrate on my own children rather than having to tend to others.

However I find sometimes it's unavaoidable and I have to book it on a day I'm working. I always give parents the choice of not sending them or sending them and I take them with me. More often than not they chose to send them!

youarewhatyoueat
09-11-2009, 12:29 PM
It depends on the parents, one of my parents is a teacher so it would be really inconvienient for her, the other works full time and another is flexible so I may ask the 2 parents if they could have the day off and just take the one with me.

FizzysFriends
09-11-2009, 12:40 PM
It depends on the appointment, I take them to some if parents want.

Nat78
09-11-2009, 12:58 PM
Depends on appointment. My son suffers really bad from ear infections and I take my mindee to his appointments at doctors, with parent permission. Same for dentist appointments. Good for them to get used to such situations. If parents didn't want them to go and it was unavoidable I had an appointment to keep for myself or children I would have to take the day off. Depends on nature of appointment. I wouldn't take them for more perconsl mstters if I felt it was inappropriate, would explain to parent and only mind for part of day if that was possible

OrlandoBelle
09-11-2009, 01:03 PM
I take mindees with me to my midwife appointments. However the last one I had 6 children with me! My DH is registered as my assistant and sat in the waiting room with them all. He missed hearing the heartbeat for the first time though which was a bit upsetting. We got some funny looks that day!! I must've looked like a baby factory!!

I wrote a letter to parents with a consent slip at the bottom, giving permission for me to take their children which they all signed with no problem.

I don't take mindees with me when I have my scans as I feel thats a personal thing between me and hubby. Parents have been fine with this. I have given them a number of a back up childminder, but so far they have not needed to use her services. I always give at least 4 weeks notice of my appointments. I always make my scan appointments as early as possible in the mornings so I don't have to close for the whole day. Then ask Parents to bring the children at about 11am and refund them for the morning I couldn't provide care for.

Is there any way you could maybe make the appointment a bit earlier in the mrorning and do the same?

You have the right to take the day off if you wish. It's your business. But you will be losing a days money that way. I think you should do whatever you feel comfortable doing. xxx

mushpea
09-11-2009, 01:13 PM
i think it depends on the appointment and how much you need to concentrate on the child and doctor, i have taken mindees to my sons doctors appointments for his astma and excema treatments as i think its good for children to realise they are not scary places to go
but my son is currently being assesed for aspergers and for these appointments i dont take mindees with me as i need to put a lot in to the meetings however i do try and rearange them for a day when i have few children as my week vairies.

twiggy
09-11-2009, 01:26 PM
I have taken a mindee with me on a hospital appointment and although she was very well behaved I found it hard to concentrate on what the consultant was telling me because I was trying to keep the mindee amused with books etc.

nikim
09-11-2009, 01:39 PM
it depends on what the appointment is for , could you not get your mum to come with you and take your daughter in so you can sit with the children (not sure if you would get her registered in time ) , i normally take the time off but it also depends on the age of the mindees , :)

miss mopple
09-11-2009, 02:01 PM
I take them to appointments.

In fact 2 little ones watched me have a filling this morning :)

The Juggler
09-11-2009, 02:40 PM
I give parents the choice usually. If they don't want me to I explain I will need to take it as holiday. They usually don't want me to do that:laughing:

Chimps Childminding
09-11-2009, 03:12 PM
I also think it depends on what the appointment if for, whether your daughter will need your full attention etc. On the whole, I sometimes take mindees to dentist appointments (usually just check ups) but normally if it is only 1 child .

Alibali
09-11-2009, 05:48 PM
Yes I take them to Dr, dentist, hospital. If it's private my mum usually comes and sits in waiting room with mindees. All with parental consent obviously.

terrydoo73
09-11-2009, 05:49 PM
I took my 3 mindees to a dentist appointment last year and vowed never again. The dentist was running behind (not my normal one but she was off on maternity leave) - it was nearly 3/4 hour before I got to see her and then it was in and out very quickly. My eldest (aged 3) then played up something awful and she knew it too! Her little brother copied her and of course fell and hurt himself!

I try now and arrange them as near the end of a day when I only have 2 because I know I can say to the parent and she will usually let me leave them off at her mother's but on Friday I had to have an emergency app with dentist and again today. My hubby was very good and stood in but I really do not like doing this - he is registered as my assistant but he really was at his wits end when I got back - the little girl (same one) really plays up when anything is out of routine. Now I have to go back in 2 weeks time to have more work done at the dentist and I am planning to ask the mum to let me leave them off with her mother again as it is 2.30 pm appointment. My dentist has fitted me in to her usual private appointments just to accommodate me otherwise I would have to wait until next January. This dentist is a working mum and came back in August on the understanding she only works to 3.30 pm every day and that doesn't always suit me - her last appointment is 2.45!

I also took another mindee to a doctors appointment - they had no toileting facilities to change him and of course he did a really big one before I got into the doctor. Never again - felt everyone was looking at me!

It all really depends on the children you have, how the parents feel about it and whether the appointment cannot be made outside of normal working hours.

Curly Quavers
09-11-2009, 06:15 PM
Normally I take who ever is in the house at the time with me.

I think it as somebody said above shows the kids that these places are nothing to be scared of but I also think it teaches them that we do have to be tolerant of other peoples needs and wishes.

Alibali
09-11-2009, 06:50 PM
I was at dentist with 6 of them last week (2 my own), wouldn't have planned it that way but was an emergency (broke my front tooth) They were all good as gold, even had people commenting on how well behaved they were. I think part of this has to do with the fact that they are used to going to these places with my so it isn't something strange.

Tam's Tribe
09-11-2009, 07:02 PM
In my experience (which is very limited :D only been minding 3 months) the parents prefer their kids to go with you than have to take time off work.

I two had 5 with me at the dentist (two were my own) and they were all so well behaved the dentist was impressed.

Also one of the parents said she was very happy her child came with me as they had a dentist appointment the week after and the child was terrified and this way they could see there was nothing to be afraid of. It worked a treat and the mindees first dentist appointment was relaxed with no crying. Sometimes it can help!!!

Lovies
Tam
x

Madminder
10-11-2009, 11:49 AM
There was a time when I was having weekly blood tests and took my 4 year old mindies with me, could not have afforded to take the time off and neither could mum. The girls would come in and watch it being done and it made it easier for me as I hate needles but had to cope cos they were watching and it also meant that when they had their own pre-school jabs they were quite happy as they had seen it so often before.
When I had to go up to a London Hospital for a scan I took a friend with me and we made a day of it, the friend sat with them while I actually had the scan (all of 10 minutes and with parental premission) and it was fine.

As other have said, it depends on thetype of appt and also on the nature of the mindies. I have had a couple in the pst that I definately would not have taken with me! :eek: You really need to play it by instinct.

Anne66
10-11-2009, 01:26 PM
As long as you have written permission from parents and have your risk assessment for that paricular outing there shouldn't be any problem. Things like this help the children with their social skills.Not sure if you know but be carefull if you register your mum because if you leave her on her own with the children she will have needed to attend a fist aid course before she can be left alone with the children. gray

ChocolateChip
10-11-2009, 05:47 PM
Agree with everyone who said it depends on the type of appointment, if it's just a dental check up, or routine appt. and I felt the mindees would behave then I take them with me, sometimes with my oh or mum depending on who I've got. My dd had to go every couple of days last year when she burnt her leg on a spotlamp ( don't ask :rolleyes: ) to get her dressing changed and the little ones were good as gold, sat down and waited, and we used it as a chance to talk about doctors, dentists, etc., obviously got permission from parents. Have also taken them to dentist and for my dd's routine hearing test.
If it was something more personal, then I would have the time off, if I needed to chat about my health or my children's.

CherryBlossom
11-11-2009, 10:02 AM
Again, agree that it really comes down to what the appointment is for!

I think general appointments like a Dentist check up etc, is fine to take Mindee's-thats probably what their own parents would do if they didn't work.
I would prob rather get Parent permission for my Mum or a friend to sit in waiting room with them though, as I would not really be able to 'care' for them whilst laying in a Dentist chair-and I am scared of Dentist anyway..wouldn't want to give them a bad experience lol.


x

Chatterbox Childcare
11-11-2009, 11:29 AM
I take mine with me most of the time.

2 instances when I won't: smear tests - another childminder waited with them in the waiting room (I was still on the premises and responsible so she wasn't over her numbers)

2nd one was when I had root canal - my assistant watched them in the waiting room - still my responsbility if something went wrong

Anything else I take them