Buying alcohol when minding.

[kellyskidz!]

Walking back from the soft play with my 3 mindees I spotted another local cm who I stopped to say hello to, since we're quite friendly
She had her 2 mindees with her and her daughter. She had 2 carrier bags over the pushchair handles so I asked 'been shopping' and she said 'yes, stocking up on booze and cigarettes for the BBQ tomorrow, cant believe ive got 2 bags full of cider and wine'
Carried on chatting and went our separate ways but it made me think, I know we obviously can't drink alcohol or smoke when we mind children but what about buying them? I know id wait until mindees had gone home if I wanted to buy wine but is it actually against any rules? Just a general wondering really?

[bindy]

I don't think I would either, but I drink very little so have no need really. Would be interested to know though!

[Mouse]

One local minder was picked up on the fact that she had alcohol on show in her home while she was minding. I don't know if this is a rule, or just a picky inspector.

Either way, I don't think I would take mindees out to stock up on alcohol & cigarettes, but that's just a personal opinion.

[teacakepenguin]

I think it would be hard to justify a trip to the shop if all you were buying was alcohol/cigarettes. If however you were doing a bit more and you bought a bottle of wine as part of something then that's different IMO.

Interesting to hear what other people thought tho.
Jx

[ziggy]

I love my glass of wine at the end of the day but dont think I would buy it while I had minded children with me.

when I first started minding I was told to keep alcohol in a locked cupboard, do Ofsted not say the same?

[singingcactus]

No, i wouldn't buy it while minding. My husband can't buy it in uniform either. There are just some jobs where it is innappropriate to do certain things whilst working.

[kellyskidz!]

That's what I'm thinking, is it frowned upon or actually against a rule? Is it down to our judgment, because obviously she thought it was ok to do that.
It puzzled me all the way home lol. I wouldn't have reported her because she wasn't drunk or anything, I just thought it'd be interesting to know. Like if you saw your favourite wine on offer at the supermarket and there was only one or two bottles left, would you be doing something illegal if you bought it.x

[emma04]

I had my bottle of wine delivered the other day along with the rest of my shopping! Delivery driver said "bet you need that after looking after all those lot" pointing to 4 little faces, grinning and saying "hello shopping man!!"
I replied with "I need more than one mate!!!"
He replied back " I'd need a barrel!!"

Jeeze!!! I sometimes wonder what it'll be like someday, when we all turn in to childminder robots and no longer behave like a human being!!!

Wonder how the children would turn out??????

Abnormal and like something out if the Stepford films no doubt!

RIDICULOUS!

[kellyskidz!]

I had my bottle of wine delivered the other day along with the rest of my shopping! Delivery driver said "bet you need that after looking after all those lot" pointing to 4 little faces, grinning and saying "hello shopping man!!"
I replied with "I need more than one mate!!!"
He replied back " I'd need a barrel!!"

Jeeze!!! I sometimes wonder what it'll be like someday, when we all turn in to childminder robots and no longer behave like a human being!!!

Wonder how the children would turn out??????

Abnormal and like something out if the Stepford films no doubt!

RIDICULOUS!

Woahhh! I didn't say anyone should be a robot?! I was asking a general question

[clareelizabeth1]

I don't really drink so not much at my house anyway. We keep it out the way in the conservatory where we have a fridge dedicated to drink (all drink not just alcohol). Children don't have access to conservatory because we keep things like axes wood splitter and other tools in there. OFSTED do check that you don't have it on show.

I would buy alcohol with minded children as part of a shop I would not go on an alcohol run with them as it just looks bad.

[Petshrinklj]

I wouldn't feel comfortable buying that whilst working. But I don't think I'd feel comfortable shopping whilst I was being paid to look after someone elses children either unless they were asleep or if I could justify it as part of learning (adding up, counting, writing lists.) Fair enough if its stuff for kiddies lunch or whatever but not a general shop.

[skatie]

It's an interesting subject but a couple of weeks ago I popped into the shops to get bread, milk and fruit for the mindees but whilst I was there I saw that fruit cider on special offer and thought 'ooh, I really fancy that for tonight' so I bought it but did feel guilty at purchasing it whilst had mindees with me and wondered what a parent would think if they had seen me. But we are all just human, as long as we are responsible about it. My sons cm had a comment on her Ofsted report ( 3 yrs ago) saying that open bottles of alcohol were found in her kitchen, didn't put me off choosing her as she was amazing.

[ziggy]

I had my bottle of wine delivered the other day along with the rest of my shopping! Delivery driver said "bet you need that after looking after all those lot" pointing to 4 little faces, grinning and saying "hello shopping man!!"
I replied with "I need more than one mate!!!"
He replied back " I'd need a barrel!!"

Jeeze!!! I sometimes wonder what it'll be like someday, when we all turn in to childminder robots and no longer behave like a human being!!!

Wonder how the children would turn out??????

Abnormal and like something out if the Stepford films no doubt!

RIDICULOUS!

Must admit now I come to think about it I have had shopping delivered and wine was part of that and children here when it was delivered. But only place to buy drink in village is the off licence (neither of the grocery shops sell it) so I wouldnt take children in there. I have suggested to off licence owner he should do a home delivery for me at 5pm every day

[maisiemog]

I personally wouldn't buy it with mindees present and I try to avoid buying it with DD around although I have done before.


I also think I'm going to be one one of the ones told off for having it on show. We keep it on top of one of our kitchen cupboards. Even my DH needs a stool to reach it so I doubt any of the mindees could get to it!!

[Samijanec]

I wouldn't buy it either and we have to have ours out of view totally, it's something that is checked during an inspection.. (Scotland)

[Tazmin68]

Oh well I an naughty.
One morning a week I only have one mindee who is one and I do my weekly Iceland shop and it is then delivered in the evening when I have finished working and I do pick 2 fruit ciders. I hate supermarkets on saturdays as too.busy and taking my 10 year old with asperger's and adhd plus 6 year old. Parent is fine with it. It only takes about 15 minutes as they pack and deliver
Deb

[emma04]

Woahhh! I didn't say anyone should be a robot?! I was asking a general question

Post was not directed at OP but at the situations we, as childminders, face more and more frequently!

I just get fed up with having to justify my every move or change my whole lifestyle in case it appears inappropriate to others.

I have a tattoo and worry about that
I go out drinking with friends locally and worry about that
I go to the gym straight after mindees leave and I worry about that (after receiving the comment "you clearly don't do enough in the day!" From a parent!! Joke but one that makes you feel like they meant it!)
I've got a suntan! And I worry about that (parents thinking I've lounged about in the sun all day!)
My dd has wild tantrums, I worry about that (what parents think!)

I won't go on!

[smurfette]

I wouldn't buy it I don't think during the day. Have had a shop delivered though with a bottle of wine in it.. Maybe it feels different as its only me can see it?! I always have some in fridge need a glass after work most days!!

[kellyskidz!]

Post was not directed at OP but at the situations we, as childminders, face more and more frequently!

I just get fed up with having to justify my every move or change my whole lifestyle in case it appears inappropriate to others.

I have a tattoo and worry about that
I go out drinking with friends locally and worry about that
I go to the gym straight after mindees leave and I worry about that (after receiving the comment "you clearly don't do enough in the day!" From a parent!! Joke but one that makes you feel like they meant it!)
I've got a suntan! And I worry about that (parents thinking I've lounged about in the sun all day!)
My dd has wild tantrums, I worry about that (what parents think!)

I won't go on!

I agree actually, because 2 years ago I would never have even thought about the fact that a cm had bought alcohol and cigarettes, but I think we get so mentally trained and hear such horror stories of minders being shut down that we do become ...almost paranoid?
Everything we do is questioned, and put up for scrutiny, sometimes rightly so and sometimes its a little much. My other cm friend almost split up with her partner after he swore loudly in their back garden one night with his friends, when no mindees were in and she was so scared the neighbours would hear and report her
As far as I can see form post what she was doing wasn't actually against any rule so it's her choice? I got invited to the BBQ shes having anyway so I'm hardly complaining that she's stocked up with booze
Just got me wondering x

[kellib]

Maybe I'm too laid back but I wouldn't think twice about buying it when I had mindees with me, it's not like I'd open it straight away and down it!