Questions for childcare providers

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Princess Morripov
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Re: Questions for childcare providers

Post by Princess Morripov »

purple_dress wrote: Sat Apr 10, 2021 2:33 pm That sounds great. What is the parking like? Ours had a dedicated car park and that made things so much easier and less stressful. The other two I looked at were both a lot more difficult to park.
Yes! Definitely worth considering this. When it’s raining and pitch black and cold in the winter trying to grapple two small people into the car is really unenjoyable :lol:

That sounds really positive. Biggie eats at a little table at nursery now, it’s really cute seeing them all sat round the table if we ever pick them up a bit earlier.
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Kenickie
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Re: Questions for childcare providers

Post by Kenickie »

That's really funny as I was just coming back to add that I think the parking is the other downside of the one I went to see today! The zoo one has a massive dedicated car park, I think the nearest one has their own car park. The one today it's just street parking. It's in the middle of a big suburb and so not a particularly busy road but it's just on street car parking and would be a bit annoying with two of them if it ends up being car -> pushchair -> nursery each time and I hadn't even considered doing it in the cold and rain!
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Kenickie
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Re: Questions for childcare providers

Post by Kenickie »

Beatrix wrote: Sat Apr 10, 2021 2:21 pmSo much about what makes you feel more comfortable is knowing that someone is giving consideration to the same things you are.
Yes, I've been struggling to articulate this but I think this is really key to what we're looking for.
If your back's against the wall, turn around and write on it.
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Kenickie
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Re: Questions for childcare providers

Post by Kenickie »

So I think we've made our decision!

We saw Nearest Nursery the week before last and really loved it, essentially it was very similar to Street Parking Nursery in the things we liked, but their own car park and a bit shorter drive, and also their outside space is brilliant but it's sectioned off into different parts so they'd just be in with others around two years old as the bigger children have a separate bit. Also my friend's children go there and she really rates it and I think we're quite similar in our outlook and parenting opinions. The manager who showed us round seemed to know the children there really well and was really interested in Topsy and Tim.

We saw Zoo Nursery today and it's brilliant in lots of ways - great ethos with a focus on emotions, fantastic outside space with just a fence between them and the giraffes and zebras so the children can watch them all day. But, they don't seperate by age after two, and they only have two different rooms, so they'll be in a room of 35 kids, with them being the absolute youngest and the others potentially up to 5, which seems absolutely crazy and also a massive adjustment. I don't know if I'm being precious about it and it's more normal than it seems (everywhere else I enquired about would put them in a room of about 12 of children their own age) but I'm just worried that they'd get lost in the mix and just keep being barged over by bigger kids. I think we'd consider it in a year's time when they're more used to childcare and a bit older and more robust but I think I'd just be worried about them there at the moment.

All the poor communication has put me off too, plus they didn't ask anything about them during the visit which didn't allay my fears of them not getting enough individual attention. Also, I think they'd just spend all their time rampaging around outside, as they're totally child led, which would be lovely for them in some respects, but Nearest Nursery said they're child led but also encourage them to do new/different things, which at their age is what they need a bit -I don't want someone to pin them down and make them do a painting or anything, but it would be nice for them to give things a go that we don't do with them as they get plenty of aimless outdoor rampaging time with us. ;)

I feel a bit sad in a way as I love a lot of the stuff about Zoo Nursery but we both had the same gut reaction to being told that they'd be in a big mixed age room so I think we'd be silly not to listen to that.
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Kenickie
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Re: Questions for childcare providers

Post by Kenickie »

Thanks, it's nice to know I'm not just being ridiculous!

Will A be starting soon?
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Froozy
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Re: Questions for childcare providers

Post by Froozy »

Definitely sounds like you've made the right decision, a massive room with all ages in sounds unusual. I think it's a bit like buying a house - some places just click and everywhere else looks a bit wrong in comparison.
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Kenickie
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Re: Questions for childcare providers

Post by Kenickie »

That's very true Froozy.

I bet A will adjust really well knowing that her sister is there, and it must make it so much easier for you knowing that she's going to be so well looked after.
If your back's against the wall, turn around and write on it.
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