Baby mindees and prams?

[crazyhazy]

I currently have a 6m old who I have 2 full days a week, her mum doesn't drive so walks here to drop her off with her pram. This means I then either use her pram (which I hate, a silver cross linear) or have to bring her pram in and use my phil and teds (which I need to do if we go far cos my dd is just turned 2 so can't walk too far). I was planning on getting a light buggy for the school run (next door so not far) cos it would be easier to store in my porch and only use the p&t for longer trips but there doesn't seem much point if mum brings her pram cos I still need to store that. At the moment it either sits outside the door or in my porch where it takes up the whole place and is prob a hazard.

What do you do about prams and baby mindees? Would I be unreasonable to ask mindees mum to bring her in a buggy rather than the big pram? Can see it being a nightmare come winter storing wise lus I have another baby mindee starting in a few months with the same situation, not driving so will walk here and have a big pram too!

[marnieb]

I'd word it something like - in the bad/winter weather you use your P & T for both kids, so when she brings her SC in the morning, you have to leave it in the porch to dry off. It's actually a fire hazard ( not sure if it is but that will get mum's attention!!) and it means you have no space to take off wet things before entering your house. So, please can she use a smaller buggy/pushchair that you can fold up easily and store for her??

[sweets]

i know how you feel! i have a tiny 2 bed terrace with a narrow hallway and no porch and every morning i have 2 mindees who arrive with prams! they are a pain. one of the dads drives LO to me and brings her buggy in already folded up, it is a buggy but its not a stroller type one so is still quite chunky when folded, that goes in the hallway. Then another mindee comes with a stroller that sometimes i fold up and put on top of first one but if its rained in the morn i cant do that as the raincover needs drying off so then it fills the tiny space at the bottom of the stairs.

i did consider saying NO prams but it wouldnt be practical for either family as dads drop off and mums pick up and walks home, cant expect them to take buggies to work with them and wouldnt want them going home first to pick them up as that would make the time they picked up mindees even later.

theres no solution really, but it really bugs me when i cant fit my pram in the house after a walk.:angry:

[pinky33]

We have had to say no prams it's not a problem as they are happy to take home and collect before pick up. It was just to much of a hazard. But they are welcome to park them in the garden with a cover for if it rains.

[donnagwynne]

I can have anything up to four push chairs in my front garden at any one time! All my parents drop off on foot and there has never been an issue of having to bring them in. Although I often have to dash outside to make sure that the covers are on if it rains.

I am not keen to have them in the hall. They would be blocking a primary fire escape, and as our streets are not so clean, they could be bringing in anything on the wheels.

I do bring blankets in though, as these can feel damp in winter if left outside.

Donna

[Bananabrain]

But how do you keep them dry if they are in your garden?
Have a real issue with buggies as I've only got a little terrace as well.
Looked at trying to solve the prob from every which way, but still a nightmare!

[little chickee]

i would not have space to have other peoples buggys stored in my house - i have enough problem storing my own 4!

I would say that they need to stay outside with the raincover in place or parent takes it away and brings it back on collection.

Parents will probably say its a hassle for them to take it away but its a hassle and an obstacle for you so away it goes!

[crazyhazy]

Thanks, seems I'm not the only one with pram storage issues! My main problem is if mindee falls asleep in her pram I then need to bring it in, unless it's dry and then we'll play outside while she naps. But if I was using my own pram it's cos we're going further away so wouldn't want to leave her pram in my garden in case it went missing while we were gone. It's tricky and would probably be ok if it was a buggy I could fold up then I'd use mine all the time, cos it would be with us if we're out and if we're in it's fine in the garden with the rain cover. I can't help wondering if I'm being swayed into suggesting they buy a buggy simply cos I hate pushing their pram it;s a nightmare :laughing:

[sarah707]

Could you provide some kind of simple covered storage area outside?

I could be as basic as some tarpaulin over a small frame.

Then put up a notice stating clearly that you are not responsible for loss or damage while prams are stored out there - like they do in shops.

I don't know how much space you have but at least they wouldn't be in the house this way.

:D

[Gizmo]

One of my mums brings lo in buggy I am quite lucky as I do have space for it but I also have cream carpets and getting fed up with dirt getting trailed in every morning, I have now started taking lo out in the porch and folding buggy up to store it as Mum was pushing it straight in.
Another Mum has started leaving her car in my drive getting the bus into town and picking car up on way home (dont worry she did ask permission first)

[The Juggler]

i know how you feel! i have a tiny 2 bed terrace with a narrow hallway and no porch and every morning i have 2 mindees who arrive with prams! they are a pain. one of the dads drives LO to me and brings her buggy in already folded up, it is a buggy but its not a stroller type one so is still quite chunky when folded, that goes in the hallway. Then another mindee comes with a stroller that sometimes i fold up and put on top of first one but if its rained in the morn i cant do that as the raincover needs drying off so then it fills the tiny space at the bottom of the stairs.

i did consider saying NO prams but it wouldnt be practical for either family as dads drop off and mums pick up and walks home, cant expect them to take buggies to work with them and wouldnt want them going home first to pick them up as that would make the time they picked up mindees even later.

theres no solution really, but it really bugs me when i cant fit my pram in the house after a walk.:angry:

do you have a shed or garage or boot you could store it in?

[sweets]

do you have a shed or garage or boot you could store it in?

both my single and double are stored in my car boot, which is ok, but when we go out for a walk form home then its akward as when we get back i have to unload the kids at the front door then go and put the pram back in the boot where it would be nice to just push them in the house without having to fold up and re arrange the other 2 first. theres no way i would expect to leave theres outside as would be scared of them getting stolen if we went out as my front garden is tiny! i know i could say i wasnt responsible but i would feel it!

[Helcatt]

I was keeping everything in the boot of the car, but that started becoming a pain when I needed to swap about buggies.

I now have a lock by the front door and chain my buggies to it and state that parents are welcome to use it aswell. It is undercover so no risk of getting wet.

I instigated this as I was worried about the mess I "could" be bringing in to the house while wheeling them through to the back garden - and my hallway is far too small - it would block my fire exit

I had one mum who now walks the child to me and another who walks with her pram then takes it home before heading out to work. Unless its Dad who will then collect and then she comes with a stroller which folds up small and gets locked to my 3 buggies so he doesn't have to go home first

BUt, I am lucky that I have a covered area. My other thought was tob uild a shelter in the back garden and store bikes etc under there too

HX