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ElfsMum View Drop Down
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    Posted: 09 December 2008 at 7:55pm
If you are in Chch please help me:

I wanted to put E into home care but a few things recently have changed my mind on this so I am going to be looking at a preschool to put him in a few afternoons a week...I have a few questions...firstly he cries when left with anyone except my parents...partly familiarity I guess but even for my aunty and I want to know when they generally get over this stage?

and as I am a preschool teacher I have an idea of what I am looking for in a centre....

th main things are *warm friendly environment...not one which forces (as in one preschool i was at) teachers to have no time with the children as they complete all the tasks!!
*Preferably under 8 or under 12 under 2's(but i know this is not very common)
Obviously i wan to go on how I feel when i visit as well..but

how did you choose your child's preschool?
how long did you have to go on the waiting list?
what about the centre do you specifically like?
anything else?
if you feel comfortable(you can pm me if you want to) you can tell me which one:)

I know most of the ones that aren't recommended.. lol..
Mum to two amazing boys!
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McPloppy View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote McPloppy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 December 2008 at 8:14pm
I have my son at richmond early learning centre - Barnardoes.
What I like about the place is that when I walk in to drop my son off there are no children wandering aimlessly. It is messy (not dirty) which shows me they have been playing and having fun. every other pre school ds went to he cried everytime I left and was very keen to come home...i have to drag him away from the one he is in now.
There was not a waiting list for him at three and a half however for the nursery there is a long wait...Tracey is wonderful (she looks after the under twos and there are only four of them in their own area of the centre.

May i ask why you decided to reconsider home based care? (I am a home educator)

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emz View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote emz Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 December 2008 at 8:36pm
The crying thing goes, Jack started at DC at 5 months and always cried, now he doesn't even know I left most of the time lol (even though we do the big goodbye thing). I guess the older they are the longer it may take, but also some kids adapt easily depending on the environment.

We wanted some sort of structure eg they would stick to routines as best as they could, there were specific opportunities for art, music, learning gentle touching with animals etc. I also liked the fact that they provide all the food and its relatively cheap.

We have 12 under 2's at our ABC (Aidanfield). Some love ABC's, some hate them, but I was recommended our one by 2 people (one who worked there, one who has 2 kids there). It's fantastic. They have also just had a male staff member join the nursery which Jack is stoked with.

Another thing I like is they have primary carers, so there's continuity and you get to know the carer really well. Reporting is also a big thing to me, we get a sheet everyday.

But most importantly was how Jack and I both felt when we first went in. Nothing was a problem, the kids were all happy and were allowed to do various different things but weren't walking around aimlessly or bored so that was great. They're friendly, loving and gentle. If you can find a place like that I recommend you book ASAP!

Um waiting lists... we got 1 spot and have had to wait 8 months for another 9-3 spot to come up. For full time, the waiting list is 18 months if not already enrolled part time. It's pretty ridiculous.
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ElfsMum View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ElfsMum Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 December 2008 at 8:30am
thanks both of you..

mcploppy- i always wanted home care then I saw that lady in the news who killed her friend's baby and I know it's not related but it got me thinking..I never really know what they are doing with my child and where they are going etc.. and I know there are a lot of protocols at preschools etc so I felt safer about that.. (no offense to home educators if i knew one personally it would be by far my most preferred option)

that's awesome EMZ about the male staff member..always need more.. I did a teaching practice at Aidanfield a long time ago..it's a great place.. :)

as a general rule I don't like big places because of the sortof farming attitude(that you have to get say 16 children fed all at once and there's not time for interaction..but I personally like Kindercare and I have heard great things about specific ABC's so that is good too..it's just there are so many !
the bad things were mostly about pay rates not that actual places anyway!

ohhh i like primary carer system and reporting:)

that is ridiculous(waiting time:(!!)

thanks though that was very helpful!!!:)
Mum to two amazing boys!
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Rachael21 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rachael21 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 December 2008 at 6:22pm
Hey Kerri Anne

Funnily enough out of all the places I looked at I liked Ottawa gardens the best but as a playcentre family thats the kind of thing I was looking for. My two aren't going there as they have no room but I'm keeping them on the waiting list in case we don't like where they end up.

We chose lindisfarne in Linwood as its nice and close to everyone who would be picking them up and I just liked it. I hate the area but it fitted best for us. Second chioce was kindercare but its just a bit too far away and they wouldn't say if there would definately be aplce available but their should be. They never return my calls and couldn't fit them in part time for a week or two before hand so they could get used to it before they had to go full time.

I don't think you will ever find a place that you love 100% because its not your home IYKWIM I've spent so many nights worrying about it and I think its hard to know how your child will actually do before you send them.

Good luck its such a hard choice.
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nekes View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote nekes Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 December 2008 at 8:09pm
hi, i am looking trying to gt my bubs on the waiting list at the new hezeldean early learning center for when i go back to work, we are gong down tomorrow for a look.

i dont want to use a center but we wont be able to live on one wage. i will only use a home basd educator if i know them.
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MissAngel View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote MissAngel Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 December 2008 at 11:01pm
I'm also having this problem. I really need to go back to work for a few months to get us out of the poo - but a) no-one will take us for shorter than a year and b) they're so bloody expensive that what i'd earn would cover the fee's.
I dont want to send Thomas anywhere out of Rangiora - i'd hate to have any problems and not be able to get there quickly etc, but it's looking more and more like we might have to send him over to Kaiapoi or up to Woodend or something like that.
Does anyone know of somewhere thats a pay per day thing or something that isnt expensive?! We dont want to do in home care at all.
Alex, Thomas and Lily
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ElfsMum View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ElfsMum Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 December 2008 at 9:38am
i definitely want a centre where unders and overs are divided though :)

rachand jack- yeah it is so hard isnt it..good point about the 100% and areas around preschools..

nekes-what is different about an early learning centre? I'm assuming it;s quicker to get in if i want part time though i know some places don't do parttime?so you didn't put his name down anywhere before missangel?is it that way even in Rangiora?:(

very few places if any do casual anymore..they just don't have the space ...:( (the pay by day thing) Kaiapoi and Woodend have some great places..I'd love to send him there..
Mum to two amazing boys!
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ElfsMum View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ElfsMum Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 December 2008 at 9:39am
thankyou for your input everyone:)
Mum to two amazing boys!
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jack_&_charli View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jack_&_charli Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 December 2008 at 4:42pm
i'm happy to look after someone's baby

went to the mall today and all i could see were babies, babies and more babies!

sorry threadjack

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MissAngel View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote MissAngel Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 December 2008 at 5:07pm
Done Vanessa :P
Kerri-anne - no we didnt book him in anywhere as I was too lazy to get off my arse and go somewhere. Yea it's like that in rangiora - its pretty sh*t actually. Gone are the days when there was plenty of room.
Alex, Thomas and Lily
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jack_&_charli Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 December 2008 at 7:52pm
sorry that made me sound like a crazy lady eh!

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Rachael21 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rachael21 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 December 2008 at 8:16pm
Hey MissAngel put his name down everywhere tomorrow even if you haven't checked it out yet. Then go check them out in your own time and take his name off if you don't like it. I put my two down for a few places 8 months in advance where they said they had places and now they don't Its such a horrible stressful thing finding a daycare.
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