Using a washing machine in minding hours

**LittleVoice** · 09-11-2011, 10:43 AM

Just a quick question, my friend is currently doind her training to be a childminder. She has been told that if you have minded children in the house then you shouldnt use your washing machine/dryer/dishwasher.
Has anyone else heard this before? And is what she been told correct?

**RainbowMum** · 09-11-2011, 10:47 AM

Absolute rot!! PArents choose a childminder for a homelike setting - I would ask for the reasoning behind such a statement and then challenge it! A lot of learning and development can take place if children are allowed to take part in household chores.

Pipsqueak · 09-11-2011, 10:50 AM

What a crock of.................

I use my washer, dryer and dishwasher during working hours.
I am often washing and drying towels, rugs, t-towels, flannels, aprons and bibs that the kids have gotten mucky and then I dry them
I wash the cups and utensils the kids are using during the day
Oh and I do stick on a 'normal' household wash here and there - of course I do....

Housework is a life skill and we are in a unique position in which to encourage these life skills. Everything in moderation of course!

Whomever told your friend that obviously has no clue about minding, or is stuck up their own backside or just wants to try to sound grand! A minder works in their OWN home and they are SELF employed....

**JCrakers** · 09-11-2011, 10:57 AM

Eh? What a load of rubbish

What planet is she on. Ive got two children who need clean clothes/school uniform...and the majority of childminders have their own children.

My dishwasher goes on twice a day with all the plates mindees use....what a load of poop

And I always make sure there isnt a mindee inside before turning it on.....

Becky x

**Mouse** · 09-11-2011, 11:02 AM

I have always used my washing machine & tumble drier while I'm working. I'd never keep on top of my washing otherwise.

**maryp0ppins** · 09-11-2011, 11:03 AM

Originally Posted by Pipsqueak

What a crock of.................

I use my washer, dryer and dishwasher during working hours.
I am often washing and drying towels, rugs, t-towels, flannels, aprons and bibs that the kids have gotten mucky and then I dry them
I wash the cups and utensils the kids are using during the day
Oh and I do stick on a 'normal' household wash here and there - of course I do....

Housework is a life skill and we are in a unique position in which to encourage these life skills. Everything in moderation of course!

Whomever told your friend that obviously has no clue about minding, or is stuck up their own backside or just wants to try to sound grand! A minder works in their OWN home and they are SELF employed....

here here Just as pipsqueak said above....Mine is on as we speak & I have 3 with me + as well as reading up on the PC (have a L3 test next week) I am on here....
Everything in moderation & I think apart of everyday normal life IS a must.

**Helen79** · 09-11-2011, 11:07 AM

when I worked in nurseries they always have the washing machine/dryer on for bedding, bibs etc. Staff go home at 6pm so have to get it all done while the children are there so no different to us having it on home. My hoover, washer and dryer is on every day when mindees are here, some children even find the sound soothing.
The only thing I got told by my DO was not to have my wet washing hanging on the radiators to dry when ofsted was here which is fair enough

**Narnia34** · 09-11-2011, 11:09 AM

I was also told that I wasn't allowed to use any of these things when minding, can't remember the reasoning behind it because I was laughing too much! Might have had something to do with the chemicals you put into them, washing powder, dishwasher tablets etc???

As long as you RA it and check that no child has climbed into the machine before you use them, and make sure they aren't drinking the washing liquid (foaming at the mouth usually gives it away when they do

) they can be great learning tools. Sorting coloured and white clothes, matching socks, life skills with the washing up etc etc.

I had an Ob in a LJ where we'd separated clothes to put them in the machine and Mrs O didn't bat an eyelid on my inspection. If you can't use them during working hours, when are you supposed to do all of this stuff? In the huge number of free hours you have in the evenings

?

**loocyloo** · 09-11-2011, 11:15 AM

LOL !!!

my washing machine is on, so is my dishwasher, and we've just put bread in the breadmaker! LO's are playing happily, whilst i am on here! we were looking at pictures of elephants and they are printing as i 'speak' !!!

i usually have an airer full of things drying in front of the aga.

LO love sweeping the floor after lunch & tea, another LO loves using the hoover and we often 'dust'!

AND we've all been out raking leaves in the garden and making big piles! ( ok, so we jumped in them, and spread them all out again, but the intention was there! LOL! )

**Mouse** · 09-11-2011, 11:18 AM

At one time we were encouraged to let children help with household jobs and using the washing machine was one of those things we were told they should help with.

I don't let children sort dirty washing, but they watch while I fill the machine & put the powder in. They turn the dial & press the start button. When it's finished they help take the clean clothes out of the machine & put them in the drier. Then, when the clothes are dry, they help fold them & sort them into piles. There is so much learning going on all the time they're doing it.

**catminder** · 09-11-2011, 11:20 AM

I often have my washing machine on when i'm minding. The children also help me peg it on the line and I teach them that it's a good thing to dry washing on the line if possible instead of the tumble dryer because it saves electricity. We have lots of discussions about whose clothes they are, bigger and smaller, colours, pairs of socks etc which are good learning opportunities as well.

**ziggy** · 09-11-2011, 11:21 AM

had my tumble drier on at 9.05 as bottom of mindees joggers were wet from school run and he likes them warmed up in drier lol, he wont be happy if i refuse to do it

**LittleVoice** · 09-11-2011, 11:25 AM

Thank you ladies,
That was my respone to it as well. My argument to her was if you cant use any of those items then how can you use an oven to cook food as surely that was more dangerous.
She said someone had asked that and the trainer told them that they should encourage parents to bring their own food for their children as it was safer and promoted partnership working with parents.

What is this world coming too?!!

**JCrakers** · 09-11-2011, 11:28 AM

Originally Posted by hailee

Thank you ladies,
That was my respone to it as well. My argument to her was if you cant use any of those items then how can you use an oven to cook food as surely that was more dangerous.
She said someone had asked that and the trainer told them that they should encourage parents to bring their own food for their children as it was safer and promoted partnership working with parents.

What is this world coming too?!!

Ooh I like that one...No more cooking..fantastic idea

**rickysmiths** · 09-11-2011, 11:55 AM

Originally Posted by bexc

Eh? What a load of rubbish

What planet is she on. Ive got two children who need clean clothes/school uniform...and the majority of childminders have their own children.

My dishwasher goes on twice a day with all the plates mindees use....what a load of poop

And I always make sure there isnt a mindee inside before turning it on.....

Becky x

I asume you have that as part of you Child Protection Policy?

**rickysmiths** · 09-11-2011, 11:58 AM

Originally Posted by Narnia34

I was also told that I wasn't allowed to use any of these things when minding, can't remember the reasoning behind it because I was laughing too much! Might have had something to do with the chemicals you put into them, washing powder, dishwasher tablets etc???

As long as you RA it and check that no child has climbed into the machine before you use them, and make sure they aren't drinking the washing liquid (foaming at the mouth usually gives it away when they do

) they can be great learning tools. Sorting coloured and white clothes, matching socks, life skills with the washing up etc etc.

I had an Ob in a LJ where we'd separated clothes to put them in the machine and Mrs O didn't bat an eyelid on my inspection. If you can't use them during working hours, when are you supposed to do all of this stuff? In the huge number of free hours you have in the evenings

?

We don't have any of those, toooo much paperwork and training to do!

**AliceK** · 09-11-2011, 11:58 AM

Originally Posted by hailee

Thank you ladies,
That was my respone to it as well. My argument to her was if you cant use any of those items then how can you use an oven to cook food as surely that was more dangerous.
She said someone had asked that and the trainer told them that they should encourage parents to bring their own food for their children as it was safer and promoted partnership working with parents.

What is this world coming too?!!

Well Ofsted better de-register me pronto then because I use my washing machine most days and my tumble dryer and my dishwasher probably 2 /3 times a day AND I COOK FOR MY MINDEES

. I am a bad bad childminder

xxxxx

**Beetlejuice** · 09-11-2011, 12:00 PM

I've done a load of washing and just put it in the tumble drier now. Mindee is asleep upstairs and I'm catching up on paperwork (and sneaking in here!)

I remember an ofsted inspector telling a childminder she shouldn't use her hoover during working hours - which I found odd especially when children make a mess with their food at lunchtime. I certainly couldn't leave manky food and crumbs all over the floor

**rickysmiths** · 09-11-2011, 12:07 PM

Originally Posted by hailee

Thank you ladies,
That was my respone to it as well. My argument to her was if you cant use any of those items then how can you use an oven to cook food as surely that was more dangerous.
She said someone had asked that and the trainer told them that they should encourage parents to bring their own food for their children as it was safer and promoted partnership working with parents.

What is this world coming too?!!

Oh my parents would love that!! They are far too busy to cook for their children in the week, they are working all day

There are some people around that clearly have no idea what a childminder does.

I do my washing, just about to go and get some out and put another load in. In the good weather it goes on the washing line today it will go on airers in the downstairs shower room.

The dishwasher will go on after lunch and the children will tell me where to put their plates and cups!

I have popped on here for a few mins before I get two children up, the third has been playing happily in the playroom just behind me for 30mins. The imagination and language as he talks to himself as he plays and the story telling has been a joy to listen to. One ace observation for his LJ

**LChurch** · 09-11-2011, 12:09 PM

I vaguely remember in my training the instructor said that too, but we just wouldn't have enough time in the day. I do try and make sure I don't have too much in the living room but that is the only place to dry them in this weather! They enjoy saying thats J or L's or bib or whatever. I have gate to my kitchen so they can't get in to where the dishwasher and washing machine are.