The boy I look after as a childminder, has for more than a year been going to nursery in the afternoon for his funded sessions, but had the mornings with me 4 days per week. In the beginning when bringing him to nursery I was quite shocked by that rarely any of the staff in the group he is in would say hello to him when we arrived. One of them was good at being welcoming, but she wasn't always there, and the leader of the group would hardly aknowledge even me as an adult when I made a point out of saying a cheerful and loud hello. So after a couple of weeks of this, my blood boiling every time I left, thinking I would never let my child attend this nursery, I decided that it was about time I said something. So I went to see the leader of the nursery, who was very understanding of what I said, and she obviously pulled the staff up on it, as things got better. Then the boy got moved to a different room after the Summer holidays, and credit to the staff in that group, they were very welcoming and cheerful and I could see a big difference in the boys happiness about being in that group. Unfortunately, after Christmas that group had to be spread out into the other groups again as there was a lack of children. Occasionally some of the staff in this group would be welcoming and greeting the boy when we arrived, but the two that was generally good at this wasn't always there, so yet again it was a very unpleasant start to each session, and I am only ashamed it took me so long to say anything about it again! I had been about to a few times, but as the leader of that group was normally in the middle of something when we arrived, and the leader of the nursery was nowhere to be seen, it got put off time after time. But today I had enough, and as my luck would have it, the leader of the group was in the office, so managed to get a few words with her. I was polite and friendly, just pointed out that rarely anyone would say hello to the boy when we arrived, and that I found it very little welcoming and that being greeted would be good for him as he is such a quiet boy who could do with a proper greeting to feel noticed and welcomed. The leader of the group thanked me for saying it, and said the staff had been told before, but that they obviously needed to be told again. I had to bite my tongue, as the leader of the group is probably the biggest culprit when it comes to no hello's! Sigh! But hope it improves, as in a couple weeks I won't be bringing him anymore... :-( Rant over. ;-)
Hopefully some good news on the child care front though, as last night a passer by stopped as we parked up outside my house. I have signs on my car advertising my childcare services, and he said he had a 6 month old baby, but that the baby and the mother was on holiday at the moment, but when they return they would be interested in childcare! So fingers crossed they will contact me when the time is right and that I get a baby to look after! :-)
It's my day off, well after working for 15 minutes bringing the boy to nursery, and my plan is to do housework! Oh joy! ;-) Beds are stripped and bedding washed already, and am about to start ironing while watching the first Harry Potter film, The Philosophers stone. Bought the first 7 DVD's of Harry Potters films used last night, and quite looking forward to see them all again in order. Guess I will have to buy part 2 of the last film new to get all the films, but that is ok. :-) Better get started! Oh, but just want to show a couple pictures from a trip to Lechlade on Tuesday, as it was a beautiful day!
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The Riverside Pub at Lechlade |
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Lechlade and the River Thames |
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Barges on the River Thames at Lechlade |