Storing parent buggies?

[lollipop kid]

I have a parent who drops their child off by buggy in the morning. For a while, I let them store their buggy behind my padlocked gate at the side of the house, but have stopped this now as, when they left last time, they hadn't closed the padlock properly, but didn't bother to tell me.

Now they've asked if I can store their buggy indoors. I don't honestly have room for it.

What does everyone else do?

L

[Koala]

No buggies indoors, the same as no outdoor shoes indoors, dirty, wet wheels and shopping baskets - no thanks.

I would let them leave it in the garden at their own risk, and tell them to get a rain cover, just make sure you padlock your gate - you can't rely on anyone else.

It's a bit rich asking to bring it indoors.

[newbie]

At one point I was keeping buggies indoors but more and more parents were starting to bring them! I also didn't like the thought of traipsing them thru the house on bad weather ads when the wheels would b wet and mucky . Now parents r asked to put rain covers on them and the go down the side of the house behind a locked gate!

[Goatgirl]

You can only do what is practical. If there is no room in your house then simply say no. I have allowed people to leave buggies here near my front door behind a bush, but they know if anything happens I am not responsible. I also let one family use my back garden to store a bike buggy and scooters. This is a pain as I have to keep lo's away from that area whilst playing, but I did say I would accommodate them at the beginning of the contract, so persevere .

I have the same problem with the gate being left open, but I check gates etc when we go out to use the garden anyway and security is not a problem in the meantime as the back door is locked unless we go outside anyway. So although annoying, I just risk assessed and found a way round stopping the storage and risking losing the family. Any way you could do the same?

so maybe say no, you can't store indoors as no room, but understand it is difficult for them so will consider use of back garden under stricter circumstances and on the understanding that if it isn't locked correctly in future you may have to discontinue for the sake of safety.

Hope you get it sorted but don't be a doormat

[Tinkerbell1979]

I made my hubby build a buggy shed out front...handy for car seats when they are not needed to

[Amandak28]

Hi, until reading this tread it didn't even occur to me about storing the mindee prams! (Im doing my CYPOP5 so am new to all these situations).

As i live in a flat i have absolutely no where to store buggies. So they will have to take them away with them. I do have a bike rack in the communal car park so if they wanted they could chain them up at their own risk there..

Good luck with your decision!

[lollipop kid]

Have given this loads of thought.

When I used a childminder for my DD, I thought nothing of taking my single MacLaren on the tube (Northern Line) with me to work and leaving it under my desk. But this mum drops then dad collects, so that wouldn't work for them. (I did suggest it and they nearly fainted!!)

I think I'm being a pushover, but my temporary solution is to let them borrow my (now very old but used virtually every day) MacLaren (same one as above) to bring child, which I then store here (as I would normally), but with the proviso that they are very careful not to go through any dog poo on the way. Then I'll ask them to get their own single umbrella one, which I'll store here in my shed until they collect and see how it goes. I have wood floors and very long doormats, so wet floor won't be too bad an issue.

This child only comes 3 days a week (Tues, Thurs & Fridays, with early arrival before other mindees), so above will be a bit awkward, and I've got to find a solution so that I'm not buggyless for Wednesdays, when I need a single.

Plan B is to let them store their buggy in my front garden at their own risk - which will no doubt go down like a lead balloon.

Plan C is to get a man in to build me a buggy shed out front (husband is as 'handy' as a chocolate teapot) if it can be done, but I have no idea where I'll find the space for this!!

Oh the fun of needing the business but not the hassle!!

L

[The Juggler]

I hate it because I have no garage or rear/side entrance to my house. In autumn/winter leaves on wheels make such a mess in my hall til I can carry it through. Folded up - most buggies just fit at the top of my cellar stairs.

However, current parent walks to me (mum needs car) then goes straight to train so there is no choice for them. TBH i would probably lose the business if I said no.

[bindy]

Like Juggler I would probably lose work if I said no, it's impossible for parents to bring in buggy take home again then go to the train station, then do the same on the way home, although I am so fed up with buggies being in the hall way, I live in a flat, so buggies actually in communal hall, got away with it for so long but I know soon will not be able to. The biggest reason I am looking to move into something bigger and with garage or shed . The thing that really annoys me, the buggies are massive !!! Not able to fold. I had to say no to a lady who wanted to leave one of those huge things that go onto a bike, a double one too!! Lost the work but just impossible !

[wendywu]

They go behind my padlocked side gate ( i lock them there and get them out again at home time ) with rain covers on. No way would i have them indoors

[blue bear]

I have a shed thing (lawn mower size) at the front of my house for my two buggies I take one out each day and put the mindees buggy in during the day.

[Daisy De]

Well, I must be the exception then as a couple of my parents bring buggies and I just keep them folded in my house. To be honest, it never occurred to me to say no.

[CLL]

I am glad my parents all drive.

[clareelizabeth1]

I live so far from anywhere all parents drive to me. Have occasionally had a car seat but they are always dry so I don't mind.

[littlemiss60561]

I only have one to store ontop of my own,
It does get in the way sometimes. I am going to suggest they keep it under a rain cover down the side of the house. Didn't even think of that ! Doh

[oxfordshirecm]

I'm lucky the only parent that uses a buggy to me happily takes it back with him before going to work- always jokes he is the nutty man with empty buggy lol. I did have one lady that came wheeled her filthy pram into my kitchen and left without even askin if she could leave it here or asking where's best to put it. Glad when they stopped coming here

[serin]

I'm lucky the only parent that uses a buggy to me happily takes it back with him before going to work- always jokes he is the nutty man with empty buggy lol. I did have one lady that came wheeled her filthy pram into my kitchen and left without even askin if she could leave it here or asking where's best to put it. Glad when they stopped coming here

I only have one that comes on foot and I drop off at a school that I collect from. We do this because it suits me and if doing them a favour so I've offered to put their buggy in my car.

[halor]

I haven't had this situation but when I do the will have to leave them out front. My house is so small there's no where else to put them!

[loocyloo]

any that come have always gone in the garage. but 99% of mine come by car.

I put any car seats that are left in the garage too! mum laughed last time, as when she came to put it in her car, my cat was curled up asleep in it! silly thing had got shut in the garage!

[gef918]

I have a small undercover porch, where a parent leaves their buggy each day. A fellow childminder recommended screwing a bicycle holder on the wall to hang it on. Just waiting for hubby to go to B&Q, put it in a cupboard for 6 months, then spend 2 hours fixing it to the wall!