Petrol station dilemma

[rickysmiths]

[QUOTE=Chatterbox Childcare;1136020][QUOTE=rickysmiths;1135946]

I work darn long days and I will judge whether I need petrol or not. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and working practice and that includes ME!

Ricky I have highlighted your post, not because of my opening paragraph but because I did nearly 200 miles with the children in one day last week. Yes I went on a trip that took me nearly 2 hours to get there and 2 hours to get back. I left with a full tank at 8am and dropped the last mindee off at 8pm. Are you suggesting that I then go and fill up? It is 5 miles for me as a round trip to the petrol station and I am not going to go after work when I can do it the next morning on the way out.

It is up to you of course, but yes if I was going out again the next day I would go and fill up with petrol on the way home. To me an extra half hour if that, on a day out of that length wouldn't bother me and I would feel more comfortable doing that way.

[Chatterbox Childcare]

I think this is going to be down to personal opinion. As long as YOU (the CM) are happy and parents are happy and it has been RA'd then it is up to the individual. Not everyone is going to agree and that is perfectly fine, each to their own.

It is like the "Shower or not to shower" debate

I agree and I stated this in an earlier thread but even though everyone has their own business practice and opinion doesn't mean that it is correct for everyone

[LauraS]

[QUOTE=Chatterbox Childcare;1136031][QUOTE=LauraS;1135761]

Sorry but you are in dream land - outside working hours ha ha My working hours last week were 6.30am to 8pm and I am certainly not filling up outside of these hours.


Laura why am I rude - I just stated that it is not always possible and to believe that it is isn't always correct

I see that you have been minding since June 2012, see how your practice runs in 20 years time when you are full to the rafters and working in excess of 12 hours days

The length of time I have been minding has nothing to do with it (and you have no idea what I did before I became a childminder). What I actually objected to was being told I was 'in dreamland' because I felt it was reasonable to fill up outside minding hours. To me that is a rude, almost belittling turn of phrase. It is also rude and belittling to suggest that I cannot form a valid opinion on what is/is not adequate supervision of children due to my inexperience, but hey ho.

As you put it, we are all entitled to our opinion and frankly, that should be true whether we have been minding for 20 years or 20 mins. If that opinion can be put across in a way which isn't offensive, all the better.

[melco]

Well after reading through all this I am glad I don't drive

[Chatterbox Childcare]

[QUOTE=LauraS;1136042][QUOTE=Chatterbox Childcare;1136031]

The length of time I have been minding has nothing to do with it (and you have no idea what I did before I became a childminder). What I actually objected to was being told I was 'in dreamland' because I felt it was reasonable to fill up outside minding hours. To me that is a rude, almost belittling turn of phrase. It is also rude and belittling to suggest that I cannot form a valid opinion on what is/is not adequate supervision of children due to my inexperience, but hey ho.

As you put it, we are all entitled to our opinion and frankly, that should be true whether we have been minding for 20 years or 20 mins. If that opinion can be put across in a way which isn't offensive, all the better.

I quite agree with your comments in the last paragraph and I wasn't suggesting that you are not capable or experienced enough to do the job and I apologise if it came across like that. What I was trying to say is that after 20 years I am really really busy and don't have the time to fill up outside of working hours as these are really long and as much as "dreamland" may have been a bad phrase of wording it was just meant to be "are you kidding".

No more comments from me on this as I don't think that this is helping the person who posted the original question.

[Mrs Scrubbit]

I'm glad that I don't drive too!!!!

[ORKSIE]

I get my DH to fill the car up for me

On occasions where I have had to fill up I take mindee to pay with me.

Im wondering if you could actually honk your horn and get someone to come and take your cash from the car???

[Pipsqueak]

[QUOTE=ORKSIE;1136533]I get my DH to fill the car up for me

QUOTE]

yeah but that is only coz they won't let you near the pumps coz of your teef and scaring other customers away init!!!

[Kiddleywinks]

I get my DH to fill the car up for me

I did that once (when I had an OH that is lol)

The numpty filled the car with diesel!

Diesel in tank: £30
Relay to local garage: £80 (should have been £120!!)
Draining of tank: £50
Refilling with fuel £45

Lesson: If you want something doing, do it yourself

[ORKSIE]

[
QUOTE]

yeah but that is only coz they won't let you near the pumps coz of your teef and scaring other customers away init!!!

Sooooo rude init

[Vickster]

I have left my own (in view all the time), but not minded children.

[carolyn01]

Wow thank you everyone for all your replies - we all have a different opinion on this. I have checked my ra and will continue to fill up my car with minded children and tell the parents in advance.

They will be strapped in the car and door will be locked and I will park where I can see them. I understand people saying 'what if there was a fire' in the two minutes I am inside paying, but equally what if they got knocked over walking into the shop with me, or a petrol pump blew up as we walked past it, or a mad car driver just missed them in their hurry to exit - i know many people don't agree with me but it's my decision at the end of the day.

Thank you all again for your opinions.

[zippy]

My first instinct was to say no way, I can see both sides to arguement, I don't drie so wouldn't ba a problem for me, would I be happy if hubby left my kids in car, no, however hearing the arguements for leaving ten in the car maybe I am being a bit paranoid, they are in more danger from being hit by a car than a car jacking horror story we hear about. I think if you are going to do this you need permissions and risk assesment and a policy explaining your reasons in place. If I had all this presented to me maybe I would understand your point of view as a parent if you were my childminder but I do think it's an area that needs clarifying when a mindee starts. Even now I've said all that still don't think I'd be very happy with hubby of he did it even though my logical side is trying to tell myself it's ok.

[zippy]

Nah can't get my head to agree, despite me trying to convince myself I really think you have to fill up outside hours or pay at pump, as people have said a forecourt is no place for children and leaving them is not acceptable to me either so it has to be pay at pump or do it out of hours. My kids have never been left alone in car, easy done for me I expect as I don't drive so there is usually two of us. I couldn't forgive myself if anything happened.

[Jods]

just seen this -

I worked at a Tescos PFS for 7 years

PLEASE PLEASE DO NOT ever lock your car, if you do leave YOUR own children (never others) if there is an incident then they can not be helped - I have seen the health and safety video footage and its not plesant. Remember even if they are old enough to get out can they with child locks on!!

Always leave your car unlocked and remove children, take your valuables with you and just to scare you all the blast radius of a petrol station going up is 5 miles, especially if the flames get into the under storage tanks.

I do not go to get petrol with my mindees - and thats that

[zippy]

I agree. I have seen children left in shop car parks, outside school, getting out of their seats and bouncing around. If a child did that in a petrol station and maybe released a hand brake the till is a long way from the car to get back to them.

Very good point too. This could so easily happen.