Shopping with mindee

**Flowerpot** · 02-03-2009, 06:39 PM

Hi all,

I have a new mindee starting this week - he's 10 months old and it means I will now be minding 10 hours per day 5 days per week. With this in mind, I was wondering what others' feelings are on me taking him and my own daughter with me to do the weekly shop on a Friday? I find outdoor activities with under 2's a bit limited and can't see how this could be a negative experience, and of course would ask permission from the mother first.
Similarly, the boy is 1/2 Italian, and I have Italian in-laws, would it be deemed ok for me to occasionally to take him to their house which is quite nearby for me?
Thanks
FP

Pipsqueak · 02-03-2009, 06:50 PM

Not sure about a full weekly shop but in all honesty I can't really see the harm in popping to the shops. You can extend and encourage (!!! lol) KUW from this, incorporate numeracy and all sorts.

As for visiting the inlaws - provided you have permission and risk assessment and you follow your safeguarding (ie you don't leave child alone with others etc) then I think again that would be a very positive experience culturally

**haribo** · 02-03-2009, 07:00 PM

i always shop with my mindees ,at least 3 times a week we go and they love it, its part of our routine and we often then have lunch in the cafe .its one of the advantages over nursery anyway doing things they would do with mum.i often visit my mum too and they love that cos she has rabbits in her garden

**sarah707** · 02-03-2009, 07:04 PM

Going to visit people and going to the shops for fruit and veg for lunch or some breadsticks and milk for snack is fine and meeting the child's needs.

I do not think Ofsted would be happy about you taking him to do your full weekly shop... even with parents written permission.

Sorry if that's not what you were wanting to hear

**Dragonfly** · 02-03-2009, 07:05 PM

Yes, I would agree with Haribo.

childminder not a nursery.

**Hebs** · 02-03-2009, 07:05 PM

i go shopping with my mindee but it's usually for art and craft supplies or toys.

i do my weekly food shop online

**Spangles** · 02-03-2009, 07:07 PM

I would agree with Sarah I'm afraid.

I think doing a full weekly shop with a mindee is not really on. To pop out for a few bits every now and again and make it a learning activity and fun is one thing but to spend an hour or so in the supermarket getting weekly goods is perhaps something that should be done in our own time.

Could you do your shop at the weekend or online maybe?

**Happy Feet** · 02-03-2009, 07:10 PM

i do my weekly shop online and think its fantastic! can highly recommend it!

i don't think there's anything wrong in getting odd bits with the little ones but if your supermarket is anything like my local one it wouldn't be a fun experience for them!!!

**SimplyLucy** · 02-03-2009, 07:17 PM

I can't see a problem with doing a weekly shop with mindees.

It's all part of learning. I make up shopping list cards and the mindee plays a kind of bingo card as we go around. I get them to help count, carrots, apples etc. And yes you can do this with a 10 month old, just talk to them all the way round, pointing things out.

My inspector saw my shopping list cards and didn't make a negative comment about them. The children use them are home with the play food too. She could see from diary's that I take the children shopping now and again.

The only thing I'd suggest is to shop on different days each week, so different mindees go with you, that way they would only probably have to go once a month.

When I first had mindees in Spetember 2007 I didn't have the option to shop online as they didn't deliever to my area! I now have Tesco and Sainsburys but also have Wednesday school hours off, so I tend to go then!

**OrlandoBelle** · 02-03-2009, 07:21 PM

I don't get ANY time to myself. *****mind from 7:30am til 6pm and then I babysit for a lady from 7:00pm- midnight 5 nights a week. I don't have any option other than to take my mindee with me to do the weekly shop. I think it is a good learning experience for them. They can help to put things in the trolley, look at the different fruits and vegetables, weigh them out on the scales, I can ask them what colours things are and what numbers the prices are. I'm never longer than an hour and as Haribo said, it gives us an advantage over a nursery giving the children real life experiences.

**Alibali** · 02-03-2009, 08:35 PM

Yes I shop with my mindees, they eat too! Infact my thursday mindees know it's lunch in morrisons after nursery and they really look forward to it. We also visit my parents weekly and my comments on my recent questionnaires were all very positive about the relationship they have with them

**Hebs** · 02-03-2009, 08:37 PM

i don't think it's right either

if we were working for an employer we would HAVE to do our shopping after work or at weekends.

just cos we can go during the day does not mean we should, well not a full weekly shop anyway, fine getting a few bits and bobs and learning the kids along the way, my kids are 12 and 9 and i hate shopping with them nevermind young mindees

**LisaH** · 02-03-2009, 08:39 PM

I take my mindees to the supermarket with me too. I work 11 hours a day and don't want to go after work. We are never there longer than 30/40 mins anyway and the children enjoy it. They carry the shopping list and help to choose fruit and veg and what we are going to have for lunch. It's educational

**brillminder** · 02-03-2009, 08:40 PM

I take my little ones shopping and if there were any problems i would cut it short, lots of talking about products etc as we go around the store and they get a treat if that age and choose snacks etc, help pick up things and often people comment on how well behave the children are usually one, its a fab learning environment realytoo

I think it each to there own depend on distance children temperant etc, you have to judge each trip, some times i just think no not today try it and see for your self

**mushpea** · 02-03-2009, 08:49 PM

I don't see anything wrong with taking the mindees on a weekly shoping trip as long as you involve them in some way so they don't get bord and so they get some sort of learning experiance from the trip. at the moment i work 10 hours a day 4 days a week so i don't have too but this may soon be 5 days and when i did work 5 days a week i used to take the children with me during the week as they loved it. plus its a heck of a lot easier than taking my kids with me who are 8 and 10yrs

Seriously though as childminders we have the oportinity to teach the children life experiances such as shopping, cooking, washing (yes mine help match the socks!) this is all part of the flexibility of our jobs.
the children i had loved counting out the fruit and veg, taking turns in putting stuff in the trolley, helping put the stuff on the belt, picking snacks and youghurst for the week, helping pick which type of bread to have, there are endless learning opportunitys with this as is with visiting the inlaws, in your case there is culture they can learn aswell.
Really don't understand the problem with taking the children shopping, infact think of what learning they are missing out on if you dont.
like the idea of visiting the cafe too

**louloudi** · 02-03-2009, 09:16 PM

Originally Posted by mushpea

Seriously though as childminders we have the oportinity to teach the children life experiances such as shopping, cooking, washing (yes mine help match the socks!) this is all part of the flexibility of our jobs.
the children i had loved counting out the fruit and veg, taking turns in putting stuff in the trolley, helping put the stuff on the belt, picking snacks and youghurst for the week, helping pick which type of bread to have, there are endless learning opportunitys with this as is with visiting the inlaws, in your case there is culture they can learn aswell.
Really don't understand the problem with taking the children shopping, infact think of what learning they are missing out on if you dont.
like the idea of visiting the cafe too

totally agree, I take mine now and again, sometimes we go and buy lunch, they come with me to the bank and I take them to my mothers to see the dog as they don't have pets.
I agree with the washing mushpeas the lo loves filling and emptying the washer. If i've got it on I'll leave it till he comes so he can pull everything out...sounds a bit made but he loves it

**Jules27** · 02-03-2009, 09:25 PM

I don't see anything wrong in taking mindees to do the weekly shop. Its educational and you can turn it into a game. When your working 10 -12 hrs a day the last thing you want to do is take a trip to the supermarket. Yes there is on line shopping which I do do sometimes, but I like to look at the reduced items esp if i'm stuck for meal ideas for the family. As for shopping at the weekend - forget it. I went this weekend for the 1st time in months - NEVER again, was in queue for an hour!!

**Mollymop** · 02-03-2009, 09:36 PM

I do my weekly shop at 6pm on thursdays when mindees have gone home

BUT - I think there is nothing wrong with taking your mindees shopping with you!! No way.

When I have finished my shopping on a thurs night I leave all the tins and non-chilled/frozen foods in the shoppping bags for the mindees that come on a Friday to help me pack away. They love it and it is educational. Ihave even used it in one of my obs.

I think shopping in all, is educational.

One of my "fussy" parents told me she took her dd out of a nursery because they never go anywhere. I can imagine she would love to hear her DD went shopping with me - picking out the foods and helping me at the check out

I think it is brilliant for them.

As long as your parents don't mind I can't see why anyone would have anything against it

**Twinkles** · 02-03-2009, 09:45 PM

I wouldn't choose to do a weekly shop with the mindees - not for their benefit but for mine

I don't want the hassle of getting round the shops with mindees in tow.

I do make a point of going to the shops and or market for a few bits and bobs now and then for reasons others have said - real life experiences etc.

I think you need to find out the parents opinion on this one and if need be try online shopping.

**Angela234** · 02-03-2009, 09:51 PM

I would only take mindees shopping for small top ups fruit for snacks or as on pancake day we went shopping to chose pancake toppings.

I work 11 hour days and go down my mums and sit with her every evening for 2 hours usually go tesco about 8pm wed or Thurs.

Angela