Outside napping

[Daftbat]

Absolutely no way would i leave a child outside asleep. I would never ever be able to forgive myself if ANYTHING happened to them when they could be sleeping inside my locked and secure house.

How would you feel if something happened to one of those children whilst in your care, when it could of been avoided by sleeping inside a locked house?

The thread as gone a bit of topic here by saying about ''watching over the children whilst sleeping'' i am sure none of us stand over them and watch them but i am sure we all ''check on them'' regulary in our locked and secure house.

Of course they need fresh air but there are other ways of providing this in my opinion.

I am not sure why some posts have mentioned that us who dont agree with this, would we be leaving the children at home whilst we do the school run.......... very off topic....... of course not!

I would never dream of keeping children outside to sleep.

I completely agree

[Daftbat]

why am i harsh, am i not entitled to my opinion????

i just stated what i think as a mother. i have 2 young boys of my own and i wouldnt leave them alone to sleep outside, i dont feel it is safe. its not an issue about the weather for me its about saftey.

i also work in the criminal justice system and have seen to many awful awful things that happen to children and would never risk my precious children.

yes i leave my children upstairs asleep with monitors on, in a locked house whilst im in the next room. Not outside alone. when my youngest falls asleep on the school run i bring him in and leave the pram in the porch with him asleep.

i am 29

Trine, i am sorry if i upset you but i was only stating my opinion. After all you posted here asking what people thought.

I removed my eldest from a childminder as he came home everyday smelling of smoke and she said she didnt smoke!!!!!!!!. its not just the smell, its dangerous for children to be around smokers, my baby has bronchitis at the moment and the community nurse has quized me today about any smokers in the house. No one here smokes though.

I don't think you are harsh - I agree with you. I have had a child come to me rather than go to family members because the grandparent smoked and in my humble opinion if smoking is that much of an issue that a grown adult cannot go outside for five minutes then the childminder needs to decide whether its going to be the right job for her. It's not just smoking - its the working together that is required between couples if childminding is going to be carried out on the premises. In my experience it can only really work if you have the support of your family - its a hard enough job in itself without any added issues.

[~Grasshopper~]

I don't think you are harsh - I agree with you. I have had a child come to me rather than go to family members because the grandparent smoked and in my humble opinion if smoking is that much of an issue that a grown adult cannot go outside for five minutes then the childminder needs to decide whether its going to be the right job for her. It's not just smoking - its the working together that is required between couples if childminding is going to be carried out on the premises. In my experience it can only really work if you have the support of your family - its a hard enough job in itself without any added issues.

thank you hun, if you read back a lot of people are against it - the smoking and the outside napping but at the end of the day if you, Ofsted and the parents are happy with it then its up to you.

[caz3007]

And my front door is always locked, but not the back door as I am always in the room. If I leave the room I lock the door.
Are you saying we shouldn't leave a backdoor open during the summer and should always have it locked?

My front door is also locked at all times, with the key within reach of an adult. My backdoor is always unlocked, but then my garden is fully enclosed with a 6ft fence and locked gate, and any intruder would have to come past me at any time to reach the children

[gigglinggoblin]

My garden has a 6 foot wall with a locked back gate which also has some wiry fencing stuff over the top. Yes people could get in but then they could also kick in the front door or just knock on it and the bop me on the head when I open it. I am not expecting it to happen. We can never be 100% safe if you think like that but I believe my garden is as safe with me in the next room as it would be to have a child upstairs.

[Louise0208]

sorry if i repeat, i have not read the whole thread.....its too much for a sunday morning

my old CM's new assistant was a smoker, she only smoked outside (we were all close friends so i know this for sure) yet the house still reaked of smoke as standing outside the door will not stop it travelling through the house. my kids used to come home stinking even through hugs & play from the assistant the smell transfered.......and i was constantly washing the pram covers & blankets cus as a non smoker i could smell it strait away!

i chose to quit smoking when i fell pregnant with my now 13 yr old for mine & my childrens health, i wouldnt expect to send them to a house where a smoker smokes in the house....im your typical self rightious Ex-smoker can tell one from a mile off

im 50/50 on the outside sleeping, my kids slept better while outside but not all children can tollerate being outside for long periods of time, my friend has a LO with Downs & when hes outside his tear ducts weep which glue his eyes shut when sleeping, also excsma (cant spell it sorry) sufferer's skin can crack so easy during the colder months.....and then theres the added soreness from the cold getting around dummy dribble, runny noses etc

During the summer i try to let them stay outside as much as possible & im lucky enough to have an old silver cross pram that they can sleep in but i would have to be out there with them.....you hear too many horror stories to take any risks.

[manjay]

I don't think any of us is advocating putting a child outside on a busy pavement where it is possible for anyone to walk off with them!!

My garden is also fully enclosed and would be really difficult for anyone to get in. Plus as the child is just outside the patio doors I can see them much better than if they were upstairs. I can see them constantly. I have risk assessed and for me it is a perfectly viable option.

As i said I wouldn't be happy for it to be my only option for sleeping as it wouldn't work for every child. But I have undertaken extensive research on this and I have made an informed choice.

It is obvious that everyone has very strong and different views on this but that is just what they are - our views

[Louise0208]

As i said I wouldn't be happy for it to be my only option for sleeping :

i think thats the major issue i would be gutted if i found out my LO was sleeping in -8 as it was 'the only option'

[Heaven Scent]

Heaven Scent - I am jealous of your silver cross pram, loved mine when my older DS was little and my DD who was three at the time, used to climb in the shopping basket and sleep under there too

Oh I wouldn't be its old, well used and faded but that particular mindee loves it and without it she would never sleep and believe me that would be a nightmare as she was a terrible screamer and still can be when she gets tired. It was given to me by a local lady who is an ex childminder and is now a foster carer who moved out of the area and wasn't taking it with her.

[mayberry]

Trine,
I have read through all the posts and there as many for sleeping outside as not.

As you say in one of your posts you are hoping to attract parents with similar values re using the outside environment. The good thing about childminding is that there are as many different parents as there are childminders - and some parents prefer some childminders while other parents prefer other childminders. Therefore as with this thread some will love the idea while others will not.

So please do not be put off childminding just because some have different views - we are all entitled to our opinion but you do not have to change your ideas. You have a vision for the type of setting that you want and I for one think there is a lot we could learn from scandinainan childcare practices.

Not going to comment on the smoking issue as you want to provide a smoke free environment and it is just a matter of getting DH to agree!


Good Luck in establishing your childminding practice

Penny

well put penny I think all areas have been coverd. don't give up Trine Good luck with your childminding all the best for 2011.

[francinejayne]

I put my 2 mindees outside to sleep - even in this weather!!! (Oh gosh, I am awaiting the abuse now! )

I wrap them up really well, thick snowsuits / sleep suits, hats, mittens, lots of blankets, cosy toes on the pram, rain cover over them if it's damp or windy or particularly cold. They are in my back garden which is secure and I can see them at all times. Usually they sleep for between 1.5 and 2.5 hours during the afternoon this way.

When I get them back in when they have woken, their cheeks are cold, but the rest of them is toasty warm!

I firmly believe that it is great for the little ones to be outside in the fresh air in peace and quiet as long as they are well wrapped up and safe!

[Daftbat]

I put my 2 mindees outside to sleep - even in this weather!!! (Oh gosh, I am awaiting the abuse now! )

I wrap them up really well, thick snowsuits / sleep suits, hats, mittens, lots of blankets, cosy toes on the pram, rain cover over them if it's damp or windy or particularly cold. They are in my back garden which is secure and I can see them at all times. Usually they sleep for between 1.5 and 2.5 hours during the afternoon this way.

When I get them back in when they have woken, their cheeks are cold, but the rest of them is toasty warm!

I firmly believe that it is great for the little ones to be outside in the fresh air in peace and quiet as long as they are well wrapped up and safe!

I am gobsmacked!!!!!!!!!!

I am all for children getting fresh air rather than being cooped up inside all day but can't this be done whislt they are awake and have the chance to see what's going on in the world? There is no need to be doing this in very cold weather like we are having now - it's minus 2 at best for goodness sake?

Is anyone willing to sleep outside themselves tonight rather than in their nice warm beds?????? If its Ok for the little ones perhaps we should all do it?

[Trpta108]

well put penny I think all areas have been coverd. don't give up Trine Good luck with your childminding all the best for 2011.

Thankyou Mayberry, happy new year to you too ! Our crbs came back last week so expecting the certificate any day now !

[berkschick]

I put my 2 mindees outside to sleep - even in this weather!!! (Oh gosh, I am awaiting the abuse now! )

I wrap them up really well, thick snowsuits / sleep suits, hats, mittens, lots of blankets, cosy toes on the pram, rain cover over them if it's damp or windy or particularly cold. They are in my back garden which is secure and I can see them at all times. Usually they sleep for between 1.5 and 2.5 hours during the afternoon this way.

When I get them back in when they have woken, their cheeks are cold, but the rest of them is toasty warm!

I firmly believe that it is great for the little ones to be outside in the fresh air in peace and quiet as long as they are well wrapped up and safe!

How are your parents with this arrangement?

[Rubybubbles]

Great topic and debate

I am all for lo sleeping when on the school run in pushchair ect but I wouldn't put them outside to sleep.

Not a smoker or any in the household, but I can smell it on mindies clothes (2 lo's brothers) it's not nice, their little coats reek of stale smoke hhwweeeyyyy!

I do actually agree that it should be okay for letting lo sleep outside, but not for me

[francinejayne]

How are your parents with this arrangement?

They are happy with it!

I do have other options for sleeping (I have a travel cot that can go in my bedroom upstairs) but all my parents put their babies in their prams during the day and they've asked that I do the same!

I don't have any little ones today, but will have two tomorrow and at the moment it's -10 outside so I've decided that if it's like this tomorrow it's too cold for them to be outside for hours so I'm going to put one upstairs and another one in the hall in the pram tomorrow, but it then means I'll have to keep the other ones away from the sleeping babies otherwise they'll get disturbed.

[Pipsqueak]

I have allowed and still let minded and my kids (when they were tots) to sleep outside - well wrapped up and secure. I am also never far away.
Here is an EXCELLENT programme - well worth watching.
http://www.teachers.tv/videos/sweden-early-years

I do wonder if there is a link between all the snotty nosed children nowadays and the not-enough-bracing-freshair type thing we all got as tots.

With regards to the baby snatchers.... sorry yet again we are letting our paranoia get in the way of rational thinking. Its the media induced worry that there is a pedophile lurking on every street corner.

With regards to the animals - so long as you take the necessary precuations and only each of us "know" our areas well enough to know about foxes, the dodgy cat from across the way etc and other visitors to the garden then again common sense needs to be put into place.


Re the smoking...... I have recently quit (5 months ago) and NOT ONE parent knew I smoked they were all really shocked and suprised to find out that I did - even the non-smoking families. Even my non smoking DO and NCMA office ladies were gobsmacked to find out that I did. There has been a comment about removing their child from the minders because she claimed she didn't smoke but it could be smelled on the child. has it occured to that person (sorry forget who made the comment) that other options should have been considered such as:

I have children come to me from smoking homes and their clothes, bags, buggies stink of smoke and this makes other things in my house smell
that the minder had been out and about and been near someone who was smoking

[mum2two]

If the parents are happy - then that's all that matters! You will get parents who hate the idea & will not consider using you, and others that love the idea, although, I do agree having an alternative place for days like today when it's -10...

But then that is in everything we do as childminders. The parents choose us over another cm for a particular reason.

I haven't had any out in this cold, but DS was born in Aug & was a screamer. He had a big mama's & papa's pram, which I covered in a cat net & put him in the garden to cry & settle himself, whilst I got on with things!

We are very outdoorsy childminders & like to get out & about in the woods etc, so children fall asleep in buggies. School runs/park outings etc, if they fall asleep on the way back, are wheeled into the (secure) back garden & left to sleep whilst we all play. (Parental permission obtained too!)

I think I, yes we could all become overly paranoid about animals, kidnappers etc, but then we'd never step foot outside the house. We just have to get on with life & as long as everyone involved is happy - it's all good!

Glad your CRB's come, hope you get your ceft soon! Let us know how you get on with this idea.

xx

[Fabby]

Sorry, still dont agree with this whatsoever. I asked one of my mindee's mum how she would feel about this and you should of seen the look on her face! Spoke a thousand words!!

[gigglinggoblin]

Is anyone willing to sleep outside themselves tonight rather than in their nice warm beds?????? If its Ok for the little ones perhaps we should all do it?

Actually when it snowed last time my dh slept outside over night. He had a good sleeping bag and as I said we have a secure garden.

All the men who were told thought it was a fantastic idea. All the women (bar one I think) thought he was off his rocker! He said it was lovely and the sleeping bag kept him lovely and warm.