Pancake races

Tomorrow is pancake day. Up and down the country people will be holding pancake races. To find out more about the origins of pancake day including how to make pancakes check out last Friday’s post. But what is a pancake race?

A pancake race is a running race where the runners have to carry a frying pan and flip a pancake while running. The most famous race is in Olney in Buckinghamshire but there are races all over the country.

So where did it come from? The story is that in the 1400s a woman was busy cooking pancakes on Shrove Tuesday when she heard the church bells ring to say it was time for church. She ran from her house to the church with her frying pan and pancake.

Today even politicians get involved with the annual Parliamentary Pancake Race in aid of the charity Rehab. Why not give it a go yourself?

First Aid for childcarers

One of the most common requirements for childcarers is a valid paediatric first aid certificate. All registered child minders have to hold this, as well as OFSTED registered nannies. Nurseries only have to have one member of staff trained but it’s good practice for most, if not all, staff to have done a course.

Accidents can happen at any time and frighteningly quickly. One of the biggest risks for small children is choking. The leading First Aid organizations in the UK have just published new guidance for managing choking in a baby. Instead of lying the baby along your arm and giving back slaps to dislodge the blockage they now recommend putting the child face down across your lap to administer back slaps. Changes like this are part of the reason a First Aid certificate should always be within date and fully renewed every 3 years.

It’s important to make sure the certificate specifically covers paediatric first aid as some treatment is different for children that won’t have been covered on an adult course.

Thorough First Aid training means a childcarer should feel confident about handling an incident and this will help them stay calm and remember what to do. A course should also involve hands on practice to ensure the techniques are correctly understood. No amount of reading can replace this practical component.

We urge parents to ensure their nannies and babysitters are trained in First Aid and support this petition to make it a legal requirement for all nursery worker to hold a First Aid certificate too. Please take a moment to read and sign.

First Aid courses are available through organisations such as the Red Cross and St John’s Ambulance, private providers and many nanny agencies.

Emergency planning

If you’re in the UK right now you won’t have been able to escape the weather forescats and the news reports of severe flooding, high winds and power outages, but how many nannies have an emergency plan agreed with the parents in case of disaster?

 

Imagine this:
Your workplace is on a flood plain and you start to notice water coming up through the drains. The river has flooded nearby fields and the road outside has started to flood. You start to worry that if you stay put you won’t be able to get your car out and will be trapped by the water. What do you do?

Or maybe you’ve been out for the day and as you return to your bosses’s house you find that the road is so flooded you can’t get by. Where do you go?

Obviously remaining in your charge’s home, where you employers expect you to be isn’t an option in either of those scenarios, but in the thick of an emergency situation it may be difficult to keep parents informed every step of the way. This is why a pre-agreed emergency plan that both nanny and parents are aware of is so important. Even if you don’t live on a flood plain you never know what might happen!

 

1. Agree a safe place, or two safe places in case one is also affected
If parents return home to find you gone and can’t get in touch with you they will know where to look. This might be your own home, your charge’s grandparents or a nanny friend’s. The idea is that you have somewhere to go away from the disaster, so the next street over probably won’t cut it. Make sure you know several alternative routes to get there too, and take natural obstacles like rivers into account.
 

2. Make a list of what to take with you

When you evacuate a house you need to assume that you won’t be back for a while. Some things, like a change of clothes and any special cuddly toys, you’ll take automatically, but your employer might want you to also take important documents with you too. Ask them if they have a file they would like you to grab on the way out, and if they don’t suggest they put one together.

 

3. Know how to secure the house before you leave

Obviously you and your charges are a priority but knowing how to switch the gas/electricity/water off (especially if it’s a gas leak or a plumbing disaster) could save time later.

 

4. Set an emergency contact

If you can’t check in with your employers for some reason, or they can’t reach you, designate a third party contact. That way if you have to leave your charge’s house and go to your agreed safe place you can leave a message with your employers and another person.

 

5. Have a waterproof emergency kit

Nannies nowadays usually have contact numbers on their mobile phone, and that’s fine until the network gets overloaded or your phone slips out of your pocket into the rising floodwaters. First item in your waterproof kit is laminated contact details for the parents and emergency contact. You should also laminate all your emergency information: your safe place, your ‘to-take’ list and instructions on how to secure the house. You should also have food and water, including baby milk if necessary (you can buy pre-sterilised, pre-made bottles), a first aid kit, and a torch and batteries.

 

It might seem extreme, and we hope you’ll never need to use it, but when it comes to you and your charge’s safety better safe than sorry!

Attachment childcare

Most people have heard of attachment parenting, if only in sensationalised form, also known as the Sears method. The idea is that an infant is kept as close its mother, or other caregiver, as possible by breastfeeding, using a sling, bed-sharing, responding sensitively to cries and, as the child grows, ensuring that any separation is child led as far as possible. It must be said that many parents follow some of these principles without defining themselves as attachment parents but when parents openly say they follow attachment parenting some childcarers start to panic.

 

There is no need to worry. Although the label might sound off-putting, by entering into a dialogue with parents about how they practice attachment parenting will help you understand and accommodate their child’s needs.

 

1. Breastfeeding

This is obviously a logistical problem when any breastfeeding mother goes back to work. Make sure you and your setting are supportive of continued breastfeeding; know the value of expressed breast milk and how to handle it, talk to the mother about feeding times and whether she would prefer you to feed the baby just before collection or her to feed on arrival/at home to fit in with her pumping schedule, and try attachment bottle feeding.

 

2. Using a sling

If a baby is accustomed to being held and soothed by their caregiver it’s very important to continue this in some way during the transition to childcare and the easiest way to do this is to use a sling. Slings are a very individual decision but try asking the parents for their input if you don’t have one of your own that fits you comfortably.

 

3. Bed-sharing

This is often the trickiest adjustment. It isn’t advised for anyone but breastfeeding mothers to bedshare with their infants so as a childcarer, potentially caring for other children at the same time, it’s not practical. Make the sleeping area as familiar as possible. Consider asking the parents to provide a pillowcase and blanket that they have slept with to provide a familiar smell and commit to stroking or patting the  baby to replace the comforting contact of their mother’s body or suggest naps in the sling. Above all don’t judge the parents for continuing to bedshare at home – it’s valuable time for them to reconnect and may allow the mother to rest while breastfeeding a baby who refuses milk during the day.

 

4. Responding to cries

One of the key principles of attachment parenting is a belief that cries are genuine attempts to communicate and should not be ignored. As any attachment parent of two or more will tell you this doesn’t mean running at the first whimper if you have another child to attend to, but
it does mean responding and trying to figure out what is wrong rather than leaving a baby to cry it out, or seeing whether he will settle after a few minutes crying by himself.

 

5. Child-led separation

Attachment parents may request a longer settling in period to gradually accustom their child to you and your setting. Use this time to observe and learn how the parents and child interact so you can provide consistency. It doesn’t mean that they don’t trust you or are hanging around to be difficult!

Chickenpox

Springtime is often chickenpox time. This common childhood disease, usually found in children aged 4-10, causes itchy spots to appear all over the body and is highly contagious, but unfortunately has a 10-21 day incubation period and a 1-2 day period where there are no symtoms, meaning it spreads very easily. The virus can be airborne, in droplets from coughs and sneezes, and found in the liquid that fills the blisters of the characteristic rash. Signs usually appear 10 days after exposure but it can be as long as 3 weeks.

 

Children may feel unwell or irritable, have a fever or achy muscles and lose their appetite. The rash usually appears first on the inside of the mouth and at the back of the throat before covering the head and body. It starts as small red pinpicks which turn to fluid filled blisters within 10-12 hours. The itchy blisters then scab over but more may appear for up to 5 days.

 

There is no cure for chickenpox, although there is a vaccine available, but most parents prefer to let their children catch it. The only thing you can do is try to relieve itching and prevent complications such as infection that come from scratching. The most common remedy is calamine lotion which is applied to the spots. It’s a good idea to cut nails short or wear gloves to make it difficult to scratch. Other remedies are filling a sock or pair of tights with porridge oats and putting it in the bath or adding sodium bicarbonate to the bathwater. If the rash doesn’t heal after a week or some spots appear to be growing an infection may have set in such as impetigo. Children often don’t feel like eating or drinking because the inside of their mouth is sore so offer plain or fruit ice lollies to soothe and combat dehydration.

 

It’s unusual for adults to catch chicken pox as most people have had it in childhood, but the virus can cause shingles so good hygiene is vital. Wash your hands frequently and bleach surfaces

 

The frustrating thing about chickenpox is often being cooped up indoors. It is very contagious and although often mild in children it can be serious in pregnant women and the elderly so going out and about is not advised. Children often feel perfectly well apart from the itching and find being kept inside frustrating. Sensory play can be a great way to distract children from the itching and incorporate treatment. Why not try body art with calamine lotion or water play in a soothing bath? Keeping hands busy gives them less chance to scratch and as it’s springtime get a head start on Easter with 9 nifty Easter activities or check out some previous suggestions for rainy day play.

Smart socialising for nannies

One of the biggest concerns for nannies and parents alike is that nannying can be isolating for both nanny and child. Social contact is important for all human beings and as well as giving children the opportunity to play with others, going to groups and setting up playdates also gives nannies the opportunity to model social skills and how to form healthy relationships. But if you’re new to having a nanny or new to an area, how do you get started?

 

Have clear expectations

Whether you’re a parent or a nanny the interview process is the time to test out the other party’s take on socialising. It’s a question that might throw first-time employers but it can be helpful to remember that nannies don’t have coworkers and benefit from some kind of adult contact during the day so although it might feel like they’re asking to have their friends over to drink your coffee that’s not really the case, they just happen to have a network of ‘colleagues’ that they can take from job to job. There are no hard and fast rules , the most important thing is that both sides are happy with what is agreed.

 

Nannies don’t just have to see nannies

Sometimes new nannies can get hung up on only soicalising with other nannies and miss out on all the other social possibilities out there. While it can be great to meet up with someone who understands where you’re coming from, parents and childminders at groups with similar aged children can also enrich your social circle and at the end of the day playdates should be for children.

 

Be pro-active

Although there is a lot to get to grips with when you start a new job, be pro-active about finding social opportunities. Posting on the Nannyjob Meet Other Nannies messageboard or joining our social club for nannies can help you find nannies working near you and the Places to Go section will help you find activities in your area. Searching for groups and

 

Different social circles or friends in common?

This is probably one of the trickiest social situations to navigate. Are you happy to meet up with your boss’s NCT group and are they comfortable with that? Would you prefer that your nanny only meets up with people you know during work hours? What about playdates for school aged children? What about nannies who only work part-time? Again there are no hard and fast rules but communication is key to finding something that works for both of you!

Christmas presents for childcarers

Want to show your childcarer(s) how much you appreciate them but stuck for ideas? About to nip to Tesco to stock up on tins of Roses or bottles of vino? Hold on just a second and read our handy guide to buying something special for those other special people in your child’s life.

The task of buying for nursery staff can be daunting. Most parents opt for a a special something for their child’s keyworker and a joint gift for the staff in the room – a hamper with teas, herbal teas and coffees or some nice handwash and hand cream. They’re probably overflowing with chocolates and wine so think outside the box a little. Individual pamper hampers are a nice personal gift if you don’t have too many people to buy for or  individual cards with a voucher or gift card for an appropriate store will be appreciated too.

‘I didn’t know what to get the staff at nursery so I bought a plant for the staffroom and decorated it with cards and an ornament for each of them to take home’.

 

You’ll probably know a childminder or nanny better and be able to find something to their taste – a good book, tickets to a show or a gadget you know they’ll love. Unless you know that they love a particular type of chocolate or are partial to a nice G&T of an evening, try to avoid chocolate or alcohol based gifts. Equally a photo of your children, while very sweet, is unlikely to make them light up. They love them very much but chances are they have plenty of photos already. Cash always goes down well but it can feel awkward trying to decide an amount if it’s their only present- 1 week’s salary is a good guide for a nanny.

‘I gave my nanny a KitchenAid , which was less than a week’s salary but far more appreciated, and  a lift home so she didn’t need to take it on the tube!’

 

It can be more difficult giving cash to childminders, and if you’re strapped for cash a week is a lot of money, but if you do then make it clear it’s for them to spend on themselves. Sometimes the best gifts combine the practical with the personal – a case for an iPad or a smart hat and gloves set if you notice theirs are looking a big tatty. A token gift that you’ve put a lot of thought into is worth far more than an envelope stuffed with banknotes.

‘Our childminder is a big tea drinker but I know she restricts her cuppas to when my active 2 year old can’t charge into her and knock them over. I got her a spill proof insulated mug which came in handy when he dropped his nap.’

 

For a casual babysitter an extra bit of cash is probably most appreciated, tucked inside a nice card. If you prefer to give a present rather than slip an extra tenner their way then think about their interests or what they’ll find useful- if they’re a student then funky notebooks or pens for use in lectures may brighten up their day.

‘My babysitter is a retired lady who lives a few doors down and has a beautiful garden. We got her a new pair of gardening gloves and some handcream so she can keep up the good work.’

 

If a carer has their own children with them at work you might want to buy a token gift for them as well. This doesn’t need to be expensive but will be very well received by the children and the thought and effort will be appreciated by your carer too.

Whether you give a significant gift or not,  put the effort into making a card with your children – the glitterier and messier the better – and send a card from yourself as well with a note saying how much you appreciate them! That’s a gift that keeps on giving.

The nanny diary: Day 5

This post brings us to the end of our series following a nanny and a mother through the first week of a new job. If you missed the first posts you can find them here: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4. And if you’re interested in writing a guest post or a nanny diary of your own then get in touch!

Nanny:

I felt really nervous all day with the chat looming in the evening.

I had questions of my own:

Do you still want me as your nanny?

Is there anything I did this week you would prefer I did differently? Is there anything I didn’t do?

I’m glad to say they still want me! And no major changes to be made! Which is a huge weight off my mind because nannying is such a personal job that when it doesn’t work out you feel like someone has broken up with you. Three more weeks of the probationary period to go still but a good start. It turns out it wasn’t anything bad at all, she just wanted time to think about real solutions to the stuff I’d raised throughout the week and I get the feeling that’s more her style than giving a quick yes or no answer, which I’m glad I discovered now before I need to ask something really important. Plus we’re probably getting a double pushchair and I’ve got a budget and free reign to choose two to show MB which I think is a really good sign, because if they didn’t want me to stay they wouldn’t be prepared to spend money on something they don’t really want, right?

Overall today was better than yesterday. No tantrums at least and I was super-efficient at getting all the jobs done.  I’m speeding up on the school run and probably getting fitter as a result and learning just how much leeway there is in the routine. It’s amazing how fast things become second nature, although I still need to check the schedule every morning before we start to make sure both boys have what they need for the morning even if I’ve put it ready the evening before.

I checked the calendar for the next month as well to give myself a heads up on anything important and it’s charge number 3’s birthday in two weeks, which brings a whole new load of challenges, not least how her siblings are going to be able to make her a card without her finding out! I’m really enjoying having such a busy job again. It’s a totally different kind of challenge.

Mother:

It’s Friday! And I don’t have piles of laundry! And the bedrooms are clean and tidy! I’m never letting this woman leave. That’s all!

The nanny diary: Day 4

It’s day 4 and things are starting to get a bit tougher as we follow a nanny and a mother through the first week in a new job, but who is feeling the strain? If you’re joining us part way through catch up on day 1, day 2 and day 3 first!

 

Nanny:

So today was the first tantrums from almost everybody. Eldest didn’t want to go to school because they have swimming and he didn’t want to go, which nearly made us late. I couldn’t find the church hall for toddler group, not that it seemed very appropriate for a 6 month old but MB obviously wants me to keep the routine going at least for the time being. People weren’t terribly friendly either when I tried to introduce myself although I met a lovely childminder who told me about a group that lots of nannies go to so I’ll try and bring that up with MB. I never know how soon to suggest introducing new things. On the one hand I think it shows I’m being proactive but on the other hand I don’t want to feel like I’m criticising the way things are at the moment and I know that wanting to go to this group is totally for me at the moment, even though I’ll hopefully meet nannies with charges a similar age to the older ones as well.

Charge number three was having so much fun at nursery she wanted to stay and not come home with me. Youngest didn’t want to go down for a nap so I didn’t get everything I wanted to done in the afternoon. I hope the older girl keeps her nap for a good long time or I’ll be really behind on laundry and cooking. 4 charges feels a lot more work than 3!

Only charge number two didn’t have a full on meltdown but he did get grumpy that we might be late for school and tried to kick his brother. I’m beginning to think I had it easy the first couple of days and now everyone is showing their true colours. I got a bit strict because I want to nip any bad behaviour in the bud so I hope they don’t give me a bad report this evening. It’s really important that some things get done on time and they need to learn that applies to time with me as well. I just didn’t think they’d be testing so soon. It’s also really difficult when you don’t know their personalities well enough to spot when they’re tired or getting annoyed with each other and you can’t step in early enough to prevent ructions. I forgot that part of settling into a job…

I have achy legs again and my upper back is starting to resent the buggy board. 4 school runs today because the eldest had an afterschool activity at school. I might see if we can find something to do that isn’t go home, take shoes off, have a snack and put shoes on again. There must be a park nearby, or possibly going to the library. When the weather turns bad going back out again in the dark and cold is just going to be awful.

Didn’t reply to MB’s text because she sent it just as the girls were waking from their nap and it was all go for bottle, school, back, school, back and I genuinely forgot. She didn’t mention it when she got home so I hope she’s not really annoyed and saving it up to fire me with tomorrow. I hope I didn’t come across as too tensed up either, because to be honest today really wasn’t an ideal day and there are a lot of thing I would like to do better.

Mother:

Today started with an odd question about the boys clothes. I hadn’t realised they had so much stuff the same size but they do definitely have different clothes. It’s bad enough people thinking they’re twins already without them sharing clothes. I obviously don’t deal with unexpected questions in the morning well but by the time I got home she’d taken the initiative and got the boys to help her.

A lot busier so I didn’t have the temptation to call as much but I did fire off a quick text before I managed to stop myself and got no reply which worried me a bit. I could see how hectic the afternoon had been when I got back though so I forgave her. It would be a bit of a pot, kettle, black situation because my husband is forever telling me off for not answering my phone or responding to messages or emails. It’s quite reassuring to see that everything is getting done and that means I should be able to focus 100% on work when I’m there and not worry. It’s a big jump to having a nanny not just the stuff you have to do to become an employer but also the emotions that go with it. I never felt that I would be replaced by a nursery or our childminder but having someone do exactly what I do every day is a bit disconcerting.

The nanny diary: day 3

 

This week we’re following a nanny and mother as they settle in to a new job. Day 1 and Day 2 went well, so how does it go flying solo?

Nanny:

MB left at 7.45 this morning so I had to do everything all by myself. I don’t think anyone went out with visible toothpaste or without something important. School run success.

I sorted some laundry while baby napped this morning and I realised I don’t know which clothes are which for the older boys. We’re going to have find some way of marking them until I learn. Or maybe they just share because they’re the same size? I haven’t dressed them in the morning so that’s something I need to find out but typically I forgot to ask this evening.

I also realised I didn’t ask MB how she felt about messy sensory play. I had sort of planned to do some this morning once youngest charge woke up but everything seems so clean that maybe she doesn’t allow it at home, so we read some stories and rolled a ball around instead.

The afternoon was pretty uneventful and for once there is nothing afterschool, so we played games together in teams – eldest and youngest against the middle two and me by myself. Then the older two played with Lego while I did dinner. I felt a bit bad that MB came in with Lego all over the floor as one of the things she seemed quite keen on was having everything tidied away, but she was home a bit early and I was going to make them clear up.

We went through my list of questions except the clothes, some easy to answer, some not so easy. She’s asked for a chat on Friday which makes me a bit nervous.

Mother

First day back and even though I’m not back fully until Monday I’ve kept 3 KIT days to the end to sort everything out. This means I’m not busy and I have to resist the temptation to call and see how everything is going. I keep bringing up the number and then not pressing call.

Now resisting the temptation to go home early and do a surprise pick up from school. I don’t want to barge in on the first real day. I’m not too sure how to ask how it went either. Part of me wants a really detailed handover detailing how the day went minute by minute and part of me says I have to trust that it was all okay and she’ll tell me if it wasn’t.

So at the end of the day it seems the timings were fine, but there are a whole load of things we never talked about. I’ve suggested we block aside time for a proper chat on Friday for the things I need to think over, like whether we really want to get a double pushchair. I’ve managed without one so far but I suppose we could get a double stroller affair and I take her point that she’s 4 inches shorter than me so the pushchair plus buggy board combo isn’t working and we need to find something that does.