Thursday, 23 August 2007
Friday, 3 August 2007
Are They REALLY Looking After Your Baby?
In a previous post, I mentioned that I have daughters who work in two different nurseries and I hear some worrying stories. It would seem that when it comes to looking after your baby or little one, it is all about money not a love for children.
Okay, so that is a bit of a general statement, but certainly the nurseries I have contacts in (not just where my daughters work) come back with similar tales. Here are just a few.
"Food" For Baby and Children: In one particular nursery, they grab various items from the freezer and throw it all together on one tray and "cook" it in the oven. It makes no difference as to differing times that such items should be cooked for. They all go in for the same period of time and then served up for the children to eat. There is little or no consideration for the healthy eating requirements of children.
Poor Motivation For the Key Workers: These are the members of staff who have direct responsibility for your baby or child. Generally speaking, these are the members of staff who do really care about babies and children but are controlled by managers under quite a tight regime. The managers find themselves able to pay the lowest rate possible to their staff (and sometimes below the legal requirement). It is common that new members of staff join for the opportunity to work with the children and have their childcare studies funded, but they often miss the clause in the contract that says that they will indeed be funded at no cost to the staff member as long as they remain with the nursery during studies and for a specified amount of time beyond. The result is that these members of staff can be treated abysmally as such members of staff simply cannot afford to pay back the costs of the course if they leave the nursery early. They are often put upon to work extra hours and receive extra duties for no reward. I personally know some such members who live in fear of losing their job and having to pay back the mentioned amounts.
The Number Of Staff Per Child: There is a law that covers this and it is a law that is broken in at least two nurseries I know about.
There are various other incidents I could report here, but to label all nurseries as the same would not be fair - or would it. What do you know about the inner workings of the nurseries near you? Do they take good care of your baby or child? Are you sure? Or do they do just what they have to and treat their staff as virtual slaves? Just a thought that you might like to investigate for yourself.
Okay, so that is a bit of a general statement, but certainly the nurseries I have contacts in (not just where my daughters work) come back with similar tales. Here are just a few.
"Food" For Baby and Children: In one particular nursery, they grab various items from the freezer and throw it all together on one tray and "cook" it in the oven. It makes no difference as to differing times that such items should be cooked for. They all go in for the same period of time and then served up for the children to eat. There is little or no consideration for the healthy eating requirements of children.
Poor Motivation For the Key Workers: These are the members of staff who have direct responsibility for your baby or child. Generally speaking, these are the members of staff who do really care about babies and children but are controlled by managers under quite a tight regime. The managers find themselves able to pay the lowest rate possible to their staff (and sometimes below the legal requirement). It is common that new members of staff join for the opportunity to work with the children and have their childcare studies funded, but they often miss the clause in the contract that says that they will indeed be funded at no cost to the staff member as long as they remain with the nursery during studies and for a specified amount of time beyond. The result is that these members of staff can be treated abysmally as such members of staff simply cannot afford to pay back the costs of the course if they leave the nursery early. They are often put upon to work extra hours and receive extra duties for no reward. I personally know some such members who live in fear of losing their job and having to pay back the mentioned amounts.
The Number Of Staff Per Child: There is a law that covers this and it is a law that is broken in at least two nurseries I know about.
There are various other incidents I could report here, but to label all nurseries as the same would not be fair - or would it. What do you know about the inner workings of the nurseries near you? Do they take good care of your baby or child? Are you sure? Or do they do just what they have to and treat their staff as virtual slaves? Just a thought that you might like to investigate for yourself.
Wednesday, 1 August 2007
Do I go back to work and place my precious baby in the care of someone else?
There comes a time in many parents lives when they have to make a very important decision: "Do I go back to work and place my precious baby in the care of someone else?" It can be a tough call - or is it?
A friend of mine is currently going through this exact crisis question and this was what I said to her: "Is it essential to the financial needs of your little family for you to return to work?" If the answer to such a question is a "yes", then there is another question to be asked: "Could you change your situation at home in any way so that you do not need the extra financial income?" It may be true that a "yes" to this question would mean living within a new financial circumstance, but could it be done?
I have two daughters who work in nurseries caring for babies and toddlers on behalf of their mothers. My daughters tell me how sad they feel in that they are the ones who often witness the "firsts" of baby and childhood. It sometimes gets to the point where the nursery workers are called "mummy" by the children and the children are reluctant to go home. Careful consideration needs to be given to the question of whether or not money is more important than such things. Maybe it is. Maybe we live in a society where there no other option is provided for some mothers and I understand that. It is sometimes a sad fact of life, but perhaps even more sad is the ever weakening structure of traditional family life and the house not be filled with laughter and happiness resulting from experiencing those early special baby and childhood moments. Then as the childhood years continue to pass, will your young son or daughter be able to come to an inviting home with parents waiting to greet them and listen to them tell about their day? Or will they come home to a cold and empty house?
It is a tough call indeed. I know what it is like, I have been there and between us made our decision. It has not been about the woman of the house staying at home, it has been about that kingpin of the home who is so vitally important in many ways - the mother - being there for her children every single day. It has meant a lower income and a "lesser" house, but we definitely have a home and a welcome waiting.
A friend of mine is currently going through this exact crisis question and this was what I said to her: "Is it essential to the financial needs of your little family for you to return to work?" If the answer to such a question is a "yes", then there is another question to be asked: "Could you change your situation at home in any way so that you do not need the extra financial income?" It may be true that a "yes" to this question would mean living within a new financial circumstance, but could it be done?
I have two daughters who work in nurseries caring for babies and toddlers on behalf of their mothers. My daughters tell me how sad they feel in that they are the ones who often witness the "firsts" of baby and childhood. It sometimes gets to the point where the nursery workers are called "mummy" by the children and the children are reluctant to go home. Careful consideration needs to be given to the question of whether or not money is more important than such things. Maybe it is. Maybe we live in a society where there no other option is provided for some mothers and I understand that. It is sometimes a sad fact of life, but perhaps even more sad is the ever weakening structure of traditional family life and the house not be filled with laughter and happiness resulting from experiencing those early special baby and childhood moments. Then as the childhood years continue to pass, will your young son or daughter be able to come to an inviting home with parents waiting to greet them and listen to them tell about their day? Or will they come home to a cold and empty house?
It is a tough call indeed. I know what it is like, I have been there and between us made our decision. It has not been about the woman of the house staying at home, it has been about that kingpin of the home who is so vitally important in many ways - the mother - being there for her children every single day. It has meant a lower income and a "lesser" house, but we definitely have a home and a welcome waiting.
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