Sleeping area

**Debster** · 06-11-2008, 04:59 PM

Hi I have a basic 3 bedroomed house all rooms are occupied by myself and 2 children I have no extra down stairs space just a kitchen/diner living room and garden. I have nowhere to put a sleeping child would you recommend using 1 of my childrens rooms for children to sleep in I have a travel cot and a ready bed and I know ofsted will need to inspect the room when they do my pre inspection. Or is it more hassle to use the upstairs and just use the living room and take others into the kitchen for quiet activities? I know ofstead will ask me this question as they did my friend. what do you guys

tend to do what would you advise.
thanks for help in advance x

**Dragonfly** · 06-11-2008, 07:20 PM

I use my living room. I put a cot up in there. also older ones sleep on huge leather sofa with sheet etc, ofsted were happy with that. They dont seem very keen on sleeping in pushchairs even though some children settle better in one.
I would use your living room.Minded children dont sleep much more than a hour or so,so use your kitchen diner whilst they are asleep.

**beerheaven** · 06-11-2008, 07:49 PM

I use an upstairs bedroom for young children to sleep in travel cots. I find it easier that way - the children seem to sleep better, as it is quieter, and the others can have access to all the toys/resources as usual. During the school holidays it would be impractical to have sleeping children downstairs.
At the end of the day it is all down to what suits your working day better.
Up or down - the choice is yours!!

**RachelE** · 06-11-2008, 08:17 PM

I use the childrens bedrooms.

My minded baby at the moment needs a good 2 hour nap - as does my 2 year old.

I use travel cots. the children cant get out, so there is no damage to my childrens stuff and I can clear up, eat and of course come on here, in peace!

Personally, it works better all round this way.

**singlewiththree** · 06-11-2008, 08:31 PM

I'm planning on using the space under the stairs for a travel cot ( is open!) and I have a mat for the living room for older children and we will just use the kitchen/diner play room while they are asleep. I've also obtained permission that if the child falls asleep in the pushchair while we are out they can stay asleep in there in my hallway.

**tomthumb** · 06-11-2008, 08:34 PM

I have my baby in her bedroom, a travelling cot in my bedroom and another one in what was supposed to be my baby's room but she is sharing with her older sister. It works really well that way as they don't wake each other up, they sleep sometimes for over 2 hours and I can fold the cots at the end of the day. I must had I have a very very small maisonnette.

Elodie X

**katickles** · 06-11-2008, 08:34 PM

I am lucky as I use my dining room, I just put a travel cot in there.

I would say to register on of the bedrooms though as the noice of the older ones will probably disturb the sleepers.

I know if i used my lounge then the noice of the children who are awake from the kitchen or conservatory would disturb them.

**Chatterbox Childcare** · 06-11-2008, 08:55 PM

I have the whole house registered.

If you have more than one child to sleep and only the downstairs done then they may restrict your numbers

**Lou** · 06-11-2008, 09:18 PM

Originally Posted by DebbieS26

I have the whole house registered.

If you have more than one child to sleep and only the downstairs done then they may restrict your numbers

I agree, i have my whole house registered, then i am not limited to where children sleep.

i put travel cots upstairs, they sleep better then and can sleep for a good couple of hours each afternoon, which means i get some time to do paperwork or just have a tidy up etc.

**lauredt** · 06-11-2008, 11:19 PM

Same here, the whole of the house is registered, I have a travel cot permanently in my bedroom (my yougest is now 5...) and another permanent one in my daughter's, as I have 2 toddlers full time. A 3rd cot is set up in my son's bedroom Mon-Wed for the part-time baby. I feel they get a proper rest, away from the noise, and also Mindee One needs a pitch-black room, the others are happier with only the curtains drawn, at one point I had to have classical music in the background for Mindee no 2... Having them upstairs also means that I can do some tidying up, or make a few phone calls, or actually take a break and have lunch and proper conversation with my husband who only leaves his shed-cum-office at the bottom of the garden when the kids are safely tucked in. (I am considering setting up a flag system to signal him when the coast is clear!!!)

**sarahjane** · 06-11-2008, 11:24 PM

I only have downstairs registered as my upstairs banisters are horizontal and a hazard.
I'm lucky enough to have a huge living room and have a travel cot up and small mattresses for my little ones to sleep on at one end of the room and the ones that are awake play up the other end. Somehow they manage to sleep through the noise! I've never had a problem with one which doesn't.

**Cazz** · 06-11-2008, 11:54 PM

I'm having this dilemma myself! I have a lounge, kitchen/diner and conservatory (which will be the main playroom) downstairs and was planning to only register downstairs with a travel cot or ready bed put up in the lounge.

Now I'm wondering if I may lose work if people would prefer their baby/child to be put upstairs in a quieter room for a sleep. I would keep the other mindees in the playroom or garden while a child was sleeping but unfortunately they would have to go through the lounge to use the toilet.

I would prefer to keep upstairs "mindee free" as I have 10 year old twins and a hubby who would probably like their own undisturbed space when they are at home. (Also I could concentrate on keeping downstairs spotless during the week and not worry about upstairs so much until the weekend! I have an untidy family!).

The other dilemma I'm having is that my own baby goes in her cot upstairs for a nap and I would like to continue doing this, but if upstairs is not registered what do I do with the mindees when I'm taking her up to her room?

Carole x

**LeanneC** · 15-11-2008, 08:01 PM

Hiya

I was told by my Sure Start lady that Ofsted dont like you having sleeping children upstairs (mindees) because of fire risks and slow evacuations. She said what would you do if you had 2 or 3 upstairs asleep and 1 or 2 downstairs and there was a fire.... who would you get first?
I was all for having my spare bedroom used for sleeping in but now im not too sure. I was thinking of using my lounge as its fairly large and putting up travel cots and using my two sofas.

Leanne xx

**Chatterbox Childcare** · 15-11-2008, 08:04 PM

Originally Posted by LeanneC

Hiya

I was told by my Sure Start lady that Ofsted dont like you having sleeping children upstairs (mindees) because of fire risks and slow evacuations. She said what would you do if you had 2 or 3 upstairs asleep and 1 or 2 downstairs and there was a fire.... who would you get first?
I was all for having my spare bedroom used for sleeping in but now im not too sure. I was thinking of using my lounge as its fairly large and putting up travel cots and using my two sofas.

Leanne xx

I wonder if that is her opinion?

Mine have been upstairs for 15 years and I have never been marked down.

You could always put them in a pushchair in the enclosed safe garden. Ofsted love this, all weathers too.

**sarah707** · 15-11-2008, 08:07 PM

Originally Posted by LeanneC

Hiya

I was told by my Sure Start lady that Ofsted dont like you having sleeping children upstairs (mindees) because of fire risks and slow evacuations. She said what would you do if you had 2 or 3 upstairs asleep and 1 or 2 downstairs and there was a fire.... who would you get first?
I was all for having my spare bedroom used for sleeping in but now im not too sure. I was thinking of using my lounge as its fairly large and putting up travel cots and using my two sofas.

Leanne xx

Be very careful using sofas, they are not recommended by experts who have investigated infant deaths. It is too easy for children to roll into the gaps between cushions and suffocate.

**LeanneC** · 15-11-2008, 08:36 PM

Originally Posted by sarah707

Be very careful using sofas, they are not recommended by experts who have investigated infant deaths. It is too easy for children to roll into the gaps between cushions and suffocate.

Aaahhh yes i did think of that but my two sofas are leather and have no loose seat cushions as they are fixed, plus what i didnt say is that i would only use the sofas for children over 2 etc under 2 i would use travel cots (hoping they are not too big for the cot that is)

debbies26, what you said about it being her own opinion, i was thinking the exact same thing.

**roseybev** · 15-11-2008, 08:47 PM

i use my couch and my buggies or i put my travel cot up in my hall which is between my bedroom down stairs and the kitchen .

**beerheaven** · 15-11-2008, 10:11 PM

Originally Posted by LeanneC

Hiya

I was told by my Sure Start lady that Ofsted dont like you having sleeping children upstairs (mindees) because of fire risks and slow evacuations. She said what would you do if you had 2 or 3 upstairs asleep and 1 or 2 downstairs and there was a fire.... who would you get first?
I was all for having my spare bedroom used for sleeping in but now im not too sure. I was thinking of using my lounge as its fairly large and putting up travel cots and using my two sofas.

Leanne xx

I too have not had any negative comments from either OFSTED or my network coordinator about having kids asleep upstairs. I personally find it beneficial for the child asleep and the others downstairs with this arrangement.