Community Posts, Tips & Support on Childcare & Education

Honest, unfiltered, and in real-time: what women like you are talking about. Peanut group chats, support, and posts on Childcare & Education

What do you do with your kids when you go into labour?

Hi mamas,
Just wondering what you all do with your children when you go into labour if you don’t have family nearby? I have two kids and no support around, so I’m trying to figure out a plan.
Would really appreciate any advice or experiences 💛

Childcare - 30 free hours

Trying to figure out the best way to make the 30 free hours work since you have to return to work in either September or January - had baby on 3rd Nov and wasn’t supposed to be returning until mid Oct. Are we returning early, late or just sucking it up and paying the full amount until Jan?

Keen to hear how you are all making it work!

Daycare costs for babies?

Considering going back to work but wondering if financially it is worth it because of the cost. My baby would be about a year by that time. Anyone have 1 year olds in daycare in the metrowest area and can share what is the monthly cost for daycare? Thanks!

Nurse Baskets 🩺🩷

Is anyone making baskets or bringing anything for their nurses?
I want to this time around but would like some more ideas!!

help

I have two kids and I’m just fed up, years of physical and mentally abuse and the constant cheating my kids deserve better. my kids can’t goto school yet and I don’t trust local daycares. how do I still work my part time with little to no family ?

Is this insanely overpriced? I posted on my local support group for parents of kids with disabilities asking about summer camps....

I got a message about a daycare that will be holding 3 different summer programs that run for 3 days in the last week of July for 450 dollars per child. 450 dollars for 3 days of "camp" seems like a rip off to me especially being for kids with disabilities???

Bookcases

Was thinking of getting this for my Lo as she loves reading so want to make a reading corner for her but thinking would this be safe for 18 month old? Let me know what you think or if recommend something else thank you

A silly question about nursery fee

My daughter has been in the nursery for over an year and I'm still not sure about the bank Holiday fee.
So obviously the nursery will not be opened tomorrow, but why do I still need to pay for it?
Thanks.

Nursery fee’s (UK)

How much (may I ask) is everyone who pays for nursery actually paying.
As of April our fee’s have increased but I must admit I’m in shock and embarrassed if anything to admit we can’t afford the additional £65 a month it is costing us.

We currently pay £161 now, our son goes
8am-6pm Monday and Friday. As we both work obviously he goes term and none term time.

What do I do he’s in a “contract” technically with the nursery. It’s currently taking 3 days wages to afford the £161 we pay now. I understand we use the government top up pot but he’s only claiming 20 out of the funded hours and I don’t know what to do!

Help!

Do you have a babysitter and is it worth it ?

Debating whether to get a babysitter for the odd occasion 1/2 times a month for my partner and I to have a few hours to ourself to do whatever. I’m just wondering if it’s worth it? We don’t get much family support and fed up asking asking asking to be let down. Constantly. We never get proper time alone but I feel if we did get a babysitter we would be limited to what we could do. The sitter I have seen is £10ph she seems good and has good resumé but I mean that could be up to £100 a a day out for a few hours babysitter then whatever we decide to do.

I mean money isn’t necessarily an issue for us but I mean it could be used for something else you know but I think we are at the point where we NEED something.

Can anyone share their experience. Pros and Cons

Thanks

Nurseries Central Lincoln

We are relocating to Lincoln soon and are looking at nurseries for our little girl who is 3.
Has anyone got any recommendations or ones to avoid?
Thank you

Why are some daycares closing down when there's such a long wait list everywhere else?

I would think it's a huge need in society and in communities so I don't really get it unless it's because people can't afford home daycares or what have you

JUNIOR ISA

Hi mamas, I’ve been looking into opening a Junior ISA and was wondering what you think about using Vanguard or Hargreaves Lansdown. Do you have a preference & why? can’t decide!

30 hours funded childcare

I am planning on taking my little one to nursery when she is one and I go back go work. I am just trying to figure out finances... how much do you get roughly for the 30 hours free childcare?

When do I start searching for a school & what's the process please? (UK)

My daughter will be turning 3 in October. When should I start looking at schools & what's the process?

I find the thought of it all very overwhelming 😬 plus I don't want to come to terms yet that my baby will be going to school 🥹😭😂

Hello

My oldest is 14 going into 9th PS. But we plan on homeschooling our youngest whose 3.5 and id like to start now, having a hard time though... any suggestions

Nanny question

I need someone to talk me down. I found out my nanny wore my hat on a walk. I don’t like sharing hats because the idea of forehead oil glands and sweat glands gross me out. Am i wrong to feel negative things about my nanny using my hat?

Work!!

I know this isn’t a place for asking about other things other than our babies but I’ve got a serious question. So I work in a nursing home as a housekeeper. I was just informed that my new boss can and will not work around my schedule. I need a sitter Wednesday-Friday. As of right now, we have that sorted out however, on days that I have to pick up(it’s mandatory) I will not have a babysitter. Everyone refuses to take him and I refuse daycare because of so many things that have happened (don’t argue with me ab this because the answer will still be no). I’m just trying to figure out if I should wait it out or start looking for another job. All of our other staff have fully quit so I’m the only housekeeper left.

Anyone want to co-work from home to share the load?

I’m looking for a small group of ladies with children who’d like to get together and work from home while looking after our children together once a week on Wednesdays.

The idea would be that we share the load - one/some of us supervising the children while other(s) have online meetings.

I would of course want to meet you, if you’re interested, to see if we’d be a good fit, and would be happy to host in my home if we both/all agree that this kind of set up would work for us as people. I’m based in Purley.

This arrangement allows us to be in short reach of our babies while hopefully being able to focus a bit more on work at the same time - other mums who are currently juggling WFH alone with a baby would definitely find this helpful!

Appreciate you may find this a strange ask but I’m unwilling to send my child to nursery or a childminder as it currently stands (anxious baby) and know many women who are currently juggling both, but unfortunately we don’t all live close enough to manage something like this on a weekly basis.

Please get in touch with me directly or comment if interested :) thank you!

Childminder suggestions🫶🏻

I’m not fully against putting my son into nursery but would like to look into a childminder first. I had one when I was younger and she was my second home, I absolutely loved it so I guess I have high expectations of childcare for my own child.
Does anyone know of any childminders in the Waltham abbey area or even a website or app?