Feeling guilty whenever we have a day inside!

[Lyns123]

Hi Everyone

Just looking for advice or reasurrance really.

The children i mind are aged two and a half to three years old, in the holidays if the weather is cruddy i tend to stay home with them as i find all indoor places are jam packed with older children and the little ones end up getting trampled on or pushed around. I spent probably thousands on the toys and games for my playroom and love it when they get to stay in and play with it all.................

but why do i feel guilty, when a parent asks at pick up what we did today i always feel guilty for saying we stayed in for the day. If it stops raining or anything we either go in the garden or take a walk to the local park for a bit.

If it's not raining we nearly always go out, i take them to theme parks and farms, local woods and parks etc so why do i feel so bad when we stay in!!

How often do you have indoor days or do you go out everyday?

Thanks
Lynsey

[AliceK]

I was feeling the same thing lately. We've had a few days where we've stayed in because we had a few days of heavy rain and was cold but usually we always go out to the local parks, woods, lake etc and of course the garden is always there with LOADS of toys in it. I can't afford to take everyone out to somewhere special more than maybe once as I've got 5 and 6 children every day plus the age ranges of my mindees (12mths to 6yrs ) are too much to effectively supervise them all by myself in the soft play place as there are too many other kids go there that just don't care about anyone else and neither do the parents . But we have fun at the local parks and woods and the children can have a good run around and explore and they enjoy it but I do sometimes feel guilty too

xxxxxx

[rachelle]

it's all in your wording! You didn't just stay in - you explored the train set, played make believe, had fun being xyz in the home corner... When you look at what children get from a day playing with adult support and on their own there's a lot to be said for staying in

[Lyns123]

True, it is in the wording, maybe i need to make it sound more exciting when i say it to the parents as we do so much playing and they can come up with the most amazing games using their imagination.

I think i used to be like that then realised when i said we had an indoor day they would say "oh, ok, well it's nice to stay in every now and then" so after that i feel like i'm being a bad childminder for staying inside!!

I know one of my parents prefers us to go out for the day, she always asks where we are going today and if i say we might stay in as weather looks a bit rubbish she will look a bit disappointed, she doesn't like staying home as her LO has so much energy so i think she thinks that if he stays in he's uncontrollable but when he's at my house and plays with the other children he is fine, he has lots of energy but they end up run laps round the garden or something.

[blue bear]

I once did a review of my setting asking the children what they did and did not like, was really suprised when all children 3yrs plus said they like staying in to play, they liked all the visits and outings but wanted to be home (my home) more.

i gave the children smiley and sad faces to put on toys and photos of places we had been.

[Chatterbox Childcare]

Parents choose childminders because we are a "home from home" environment and sometimes that means we are at "home". Parents don't take their children out 100% of the time. It is important for children to play and explore all environments and your home and garden are one of them

Mine played indoors last week with the dolls and accessories set up, making a house out of tents and others had a den under the table downstairs. They all had lunch in the den and had a fabulous time.

Don't feel guilty.

[auntym]

We had miserable weather here last wk. Got out two days out of 5. Crazy golf and tatton park and farm. Yesterday was lovely so went to feed ducks, played football on field, played in back garden.
Today miserable. Have painted, glued, made cards.
Now watchin a movie whilst lunch.
I hate rain!
Its not suppose to rain till tomorrow afternoon so Il get them out for a bit.
But I care for 2 yr old, 3 yr old, 4 yr old and 2 8 yr olds, so find I cant go local indoor play areas as the toddler and older kids areas are seperate and I cant leave one for the other.
The rest of the week its gonna rain here. Not good.

[AliceK]

We had miserable weather here last wk. Got out two days out of 5. Crazy golf and tatton park and farm. Yesterday was lovely so went to feed ducks, played football on field, played in back garden.
Today miserable. Have painted, glued, made cards.
Now watchin a movie whilst lunch.
I hate rain!
Its not suppose to rain till tomorrow afternoon so Il get them out for a bit.
But I care for 2 yr old, 3 yr old, 4 yr old and 2 8 yr olds, so find I cant go local indoor play areas as the toddler and older kids areas are seperate and I cant leave one for the other.
The rest of the week its gonna rain here. Not good.

same here, it's difficult isn't it

xxx

[mushpea]

I refuse to go to the indoor play areas as when my two were little my daughter came to me crying saying a big boy was pushing her over and then another older child came to me and said this boy was also showing his privates to everyone,, you cant always see everywhere in these places so I dont go cause i dont know whats going on where i cant see.

anyway,, we had a day at home yesterday cause thats what they all decided tothey wanted to do ( they are 11,9,6,3.5yrs) today we went blackberry picking then made blackberry buns then went to the allotment to plant the winter veg plants and seeds. i had 11,9,6,2.5yrs today tommoro its them and the 3.5yrold too but no idea what i am going to do yet, we tend to go with the flow and see what the weather is.
I prefer to get out each day as my son needs to loose some energy and if i am stuck in all day with them they get bored and so do I !

[pinklady]

Don't feel guilty! I'm having a stay at home day today and we're all chilling out enjoying what's at home.
A lot of childminders go out everyday and end up not actually spending time with their mindees because they're running round a park e.g. Of course children need to go out but not ALL the time. Everything in moderation.
In some ways it can be a lot harder being at home, especially tidying everything away again! We all make sure we've got our houses stocked with all the correct resources so lets use them.
I also think that full time mindees never get much chance to catch their breath as they're on the go and out the house as soon as they get up in the morning.
My parents have even asked me if I could do a little less in the week

[Ripeberry]

I try and got out with mindees most days. Even if it only means a 15 min walk down the street in the pouring rain to splash in puddles as I get them all togged up in splashsuit and wellies, they can do what they like then

[Lyns123]

Thanks everyone, feeling better now.

We stayed home today and the kids have had a great morning playing with the toys and chilling out, gonna rehearse my wording for when parents asked what we got up to today.

All kiddies are flaked out and having a nap at the moment

[Hats]

It's mad that we feel guilty isn't it!!
If it makes you feel happier about being indoors, a few of my parents have actually said it's nice that their children have days they can just chill out and relax indoors as they are getting so tired with all the things we have been doing outside!

I've even been letting mine watch TV and play on the Wii!!

xx

[moljak]

I try and got out with mindees most days. Even if it only means a 15 min walk down the street in the pouring rain to splash in puddles as I get them all togged up in splashsuit and wellies, they can do what they like then

I always stick wellies and waterproofs on my own kids and stick them out to play lol.Plan to with mindees too.

When DS was 7 (he's now 16) we had a walk in the rain and he didn't want to come in so I left him running and jumping in puddles in our street( quiet street.)I watched him from the window with a hot chocolate lol.My neighbour rang me to say did I know he was out in the street in the rain.i said yeah he won't melt you know

[angiemog]

I always stick wellies and waterproofs on my own kids and stick them out to play lol.Plan to with mindees too.

When DS was 7 (he's now 16) we had a walk in the rain and he didn't want to come in so I left him running and jumping in puddles in our street( quiet street.)I watched him from the window with a hot chocolate lol.My neighbour rang me to say did I know he was out in the street in the rain.i said yeah he won't melt you know

I do this too.... just make sure they have wellies and waterproof coat. Mine are all 2 and under they love it. Usually lots of snails about...... tend to stay out about 15 minutes if it's raining or if it's just wet abit longer. xx

Edited I don't leave them in the street..... we are in the garden

[Chimps Childminding]

We dont "go out" as much as we would like, we (June and I) live on a small estate on the outskirts of a village and the roads round us are busy and pavements dreadful so if we want to go out it has to be by car, but we do get out into the garden or up the playing field every day.

To be honest most of the children have such busy week-ends/days with mummy and/or daddy, they are more than happy just to chill or have a day in

[karen m]

we often stay in and use train set,play kitchen ,i have loverly meals made for me lol,colouring in is another favourite