Voice Professional Nanny of the Year Award

The Voice Professional Nanny of the Year Award, which was launched in 2004, was created to recognise the highly professional, important role nannies play in providing high quality, safe and flexible childcare to thousands of families throughout the UK.   

We believe nannies have been, until now, the invisible professionals and it is hoped that this Award will significantly raise the profile of professional nannies, giving them the recognition they deserve. 

Is your child an inter-nightmare?

Our society today seem to conduct their whole lives online, so is it any wonder our children are doing the same?

It could be argued that we are breeding a generation of inter-nightmares.

More and more schools are incorporating digital curriculum resulting in children needing to go online to research for their homework but sadly the internet offers lots of ways to waste time and often what starts as homework research, ends in online chatting and social networking.

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Gina.....She's like Marmite!

 Gina Ford- you either love her or you hate her, in my case I have to say it's the    latter.

  Well, actually, not hate her, I'll save my hate for Jo Frost and the 

techniques she claims as her own! 

Gina Ford (pictured,)    has written various childcare books for new parents. I'm not about to start advertising them here, but if you're a parent you'll probably know the titles.

'Contented little baby'? Hmmm. Like Nick Clegg, MP for the Liberal Democrats, I'll have to disagree.

As a professional qualified nanny (check out 'Nanny Fi' and you'll see my quals) I believe routine is so important for any young baby or growing toddler. 

I have invented and implemented plenty of them for my charges to fit in their activities, socialising and all important quality time with their parents when they return from work. However, I believe Ford's routines are far too regimented and inflexable and, quite frankly impossible to follow without loosing any kind of social life, something that is so important for the new parent.

There is no doubt in my mind that pretty much every parent loves their child and wants what is best for them. However, it seems to me that many are intent on reconstructing their lives as much as possible and as soon as possible, exactly as they were before their new arrival. They think by implementing regimented routines as harsh as Ford's, that they'll get back what was taken away. But isn't having a baby supposed to be a wonderful turn-your-world-upside-down kind of experience?

As a new mum to my darling baby girl who is three months old and in a pretty good routine which we made up together (this is my point here, routines are good, just not the same routine for every baby as Ford suggests) I find the daily routine wonderful, yet flexible. If I had adhered to Fords plans, my little girl wouldn't be half as happy as she is now.

Betsy sleeps all night, stays awake all morning, then has a lovely long Three hour nap in the afternoon, leaving me lots of time to update my blog and complete mundane housey tasks such as laundry and cleaning!

I'm not alone in my fight against the Ford! Nick Clegg, The Liberal Democrat leader, and father of three, described Gina Ford’s approach to bringing up babies, as “absolute nonsense”.

An indignant Ford immediately hit back, suggesting Clegg “was stupid and immature”.

She accused him of insulting millions of parents who use her methods and suggested his party should think about finding a different leader. Perhaps Ms Ford is in need of one of her regimented afternoon naps after throwing such tantrums!

Neil Gilbride a student in Education Psychology and a Parent Support Worker suggests the answer is trying to achieve a balance.

“I find Fords methods way off-balance when taken word for word literally and followed to the T.” said Gilbride

“However, there are elements in her suggestions which can be really helpful for any parent - the idea of not 'over-exciting' before bedtime, and trying to stick to (some, albeit flexible form) of routine are strong points which are really quite hard to argue against as these basic points do help a lot of parents. Furthermore, its more about the adult maintaining control and forcing the child to adapt, then the family adapting around the newborn. Any theory of how to support a child in development should most definitely by focused around the latter, not the former.” He concluded.

Life is too short for books like hers and similar books (eg. Jo Frost) telling you how you should raise your own children.

As parents, it is your responsibility to raise your children, and if you rely to heavily on books, websites and DVDs telling you what is right and what is wrong, you will never gain the experience or trust yourself and your own instincts. 

I'm not suggesting to never look in a childcare book, or to take advice, as there is some information out there that is valuable as Philip Peakes Lib dem councellor suggests, “I suspect you could say the same (like Ford) about any self-help manual, even the most wacky diet book will contain some suggestions that any nutritionist would say were common sense. And in both that example and the case of Gina Ford, the suggestions wouldn't actually be "theirs", but tried-and-tested knowledge used in such a way as to give the rest of the argument spurious credibility (actually a common political debate tactic often associated with the 'questionable cause' logical fallacy).”

At Childcare is Fun, we aim to provide information for parents, to help them on their way to having fun with their children, and using our qualifications and years of experience, teach them how to handle situations that they really need help with.

We would never set regimented rules and ideas of how children should be cared for. 

Childcare is supposed to be fun, and it is, if you put down the books and get on with doing it!

It's snow joke!

Childcare problems are arising due to heavy snowfall due to thousands of schools being shut across the UK. In some cases children were able to get in but staff who travel from further afield were unable to do so.

According to BBC news Just under half of England's schools were closed on Wednesday and a similar number are believed still to be shut. Closure decisions were taken locally, so there are no central statistics on how many schools were affected, but BBC reports suggested well over three thousand.

At a school in Harrow, one headmaster has kept his school open throughout the bad weather, claiming that it was 'important to teach children good values for the future in the workplace.' 

It seems he is alone in his plight, as there were over 700 closures in Wales and many more across southern and midland counties of England. Up to 10cm (4in) of snow fell in some areas yesterday and more snowfall and severe weather warnings have been issued for Wales, the Midlands and the south-east of England. So do schools close too easily?

On the Telegraph website a heated discussion arose between teachers and parents, who claimed teachers should live closer to the schools they taught at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/topics/weather/6940288/Do-schools-close-too-easily.html

Yet again, it seems that the majority of people have used the snow as an excuse not to go into work, but many braved the treacherous conditions to get into work. 

Nanny to Four children, Cheryl Mackay braved the snow and walked to work.

“I drove in yesterday but couldn't drive home so walked which took me over an hour! I also walked in again this morning, it's only snow!!”

In Brighton, Emma Russell told me she couldn't go to work because her nanny had failed to get in for two days, leaving her in a difficult position regarding pay. 

" I asked my nanny if she could take the days off as holiday or maybe make them up, and I'm happy that we have come to an arrangement."

 As a result of the snow, and the childcare problems it has caused, many parents face loosing pay as many companies are refusing to pay those who stay home. 

According to the Employment Rights Act 1996 If your children are forced to stay at home because of the weather, and you have no childcare, you may stay off work to provide "emergency care" (you can do this for any member of your close family, such as a parent, child, or spouse, but previous cases have said that looking after remote relatives like nephews or cousins doesn't count). 

You can take as much time as you need. Obviously this is unpaid. Your wage is for working! Your employer may agree to arrange a day holiday for the time you take off. 

The headlines suggest that we don't let the snow bring the country to a standstill, but with limited public transport and the majority of schools closed, how is this possible. 

Today the government announced the worry over limited salt supplies, and suggested  only gritting main roads. This will leave thousands still stranded and make the trip into work an almost impossible task!

In the meantime, the children are loving the snow, maybe we should enjoy it too?

Here at CCIF we would love to see your pictures of fun in the snow. 

Email them to fi@littlestars.tv together with your snow nightmare or snow fun stories!

It’s not goodbye forever!

Leaving a long term position by Fi Star-Stone

It’s been almost eight years since I started my job with the wonderful Hoffmann family, and here we all are, at the end of an era, saying goodbye.

There’s a lump in my throat as I write this, and yet a smile in my heart for all of the wonderful memories I have of such a loving and fun family.

I have given my best and in return they have given me love, and showed their appreciation in so many ways. I have been treated both as a professional and a member of the family. How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.

So why am I leaving such a wonderful family?

Handing in my notice was one of the hardest, and most emotional, things I’ve ever had to do. It was such a hard decision, and one I didn’t make lightly.

My husband and I are from Stafford, and all of our friends and family are there. We felt it was time to move back home and with this comes the exciting prospect of opening my own Nursery.

I think I gave the longest notice period in nanny history! Nine months in fact!

I wanted to give them so much time, as they needed to think about what they were going to do. To the boy’s great delight, their father, James, has decided to take over from my nannying duties and become a full time dad!

It’s a hard job being a Nanny, but a rewarding one, and I thoroughly enjoy it. It’s been fabulous watching the boys grow over the years, catching them when they fall, encouraging their steps and using my super nanny powers of persuasion when dealing with the dreaded green vegetables! All of these things and many more have helped them grow into wonderful, polite, well balanced boys that I love dearly.

Some people appear surprised when I say how much I love the boys, but for me it’s part of the process in being a nanny. Mary Poppins would disagree:

‘And what would happen to me, may I ask, if I loved all the children I say goodbye to?’ Poppins, 1964  

It’s simply not possible to keep such a distance in this wonderful job. We go into the homes of families, and many of us stay for years. We would have to be superhuman to not form bonds! I love the relationship I have with the boys, Karen, their mother, tells me I’m their best friend which is the loveliest thing to hear.

So here I am in the final few weeks with my little friends. I can’t imagine my days without them, but I’m so happy that they say they have had as wonderful a time as I have.

It’s not goodbye forever, I’ve promised them faithfully that I shall be visiting them lots, and taking them out for tea, and they have proudly declared, ‘we are coming to your new house and having our own room!’

On Halloween, my last day and one of our favourite holidays, Karen and James are throwing me a spooky leaving party. This wonderful gesture means my hardest day with the boys will be cheered up and made easier with fun and games and a firework show!  All of the nannies I’ve worked with are coming along with their charges and some parents I’ve formed friendships with over the years are doing the same. The boys are insisting that this year I shouldn’t ‘be a witch again, because it’s not scary anymore, please be something even scarier!’ So my thinking cap is on; maybe something that can hide the tears that will, no doubt, come flooding as I say my goodbyes!

So it’s the end of an era, the end of me being their Nanny, but the beginning of a new chapter for all of us; a new chapter that will be populated with new memories for us to share with each other as the years go by and the boys grow into young men that tower over me.

I would like to take this opportunity to say a great big thank you to Karen and James for their respect, kindness and generosity over the years. I would also like to thank Jack and Ben the two wonderful little boys I have cared for. They are both my dear little friends and it has been a pleasure to look after them for the past eight years.

So, even though Mary Poppins is wrong, I have my own umbrella at the ready; out it pops, and off I fly to pastures new...

The return to school can trigger mixed emotions in both parents and children and can be an unsettling time in the house. It's impotant to work togtether to dissolve any apprenhantions and start the school year happy and positive, but this can be difficult. 

Parents may feel sadness that extended time together as a family is over, mixed with relief that they don’t have to provide all-day care while their children are at school. Children may feel excited at a new term and being back with friends, or apprehensive at what awaits them. 

Those who are approaching a change – going from nursery to primary, primary to secondary or starting a significant year with important exams – may feel particularly uncomfortable, as may their parents, so it is particularly important to be positive about starting school, and make it an exciting, not daunting time.

Parents who did not have a positive experience of school may, without realising it, pass on their anxiety to their children or find it difficult to support their children by communicating with their teachers. It is difficult not to pass on your own fears to your children, but essential to maintain a healthy and positive apporach to school life. Times have changed, schools are a lot more equipped than in our day, and teachers are more caring and responsive to childrens needs. Children benefit from encouragement and reassurance from their parents about going back to school, and from having anxieties listened to and taken seriously.

School is where your children will form many of their firm friendships, and this can be the case for you too! It's great chatting to other parents about any anxieites you might have, or anything you are unsure off. Dont worry, everyone is in the same boat!

Buying uniforms can be a headache task, but make it fun, not a chore. Don't be pressurised to buy labels, or the most expensive items, it's not a fashion parade in the early days, however when your school starters turn into teens they may argue otherwise!

Many supermarkets now offer uniforms at a competitive price, so its worth shopping around. Make sure you have plenty of everything, you dont want to end up washing and ironing more often than you need to!

 Asda     Tesco    Matalan

Most importantly, enjoy your childs return to school. If it's their first day- don't forget the camera!

Enjoy!

Easter is a fun time of year, and another excuse for spoling the little ones rotten, yet in this days society when the focus is on healthy eating - is it wrong to give our children so much chocolate?

Should children be limited in the amount of chocolate they eat? Most people would say yes; Children need limits, but they also need to learn things for themselves surely?

What would really happen if you didn't limit the amount of chocolate your child ate at Easter? Well, most likely, they would eat a lot of chocolate. Quite a lot of chocolate, in fact. Then they would develope an uncomfortable tummy ache and thus learning a valuable lesson- or would they? While the idea of 'learning for themselves' this Easter might seem like a good idea, we have a responsability to teach our children well, and care for them, let them have life experiences, but with guidance and control and care.

Some would argue that this is a valuable lesson to learn- eating so much that it makes them sick, but is it really a valuable lesson? Would the child learn that when they eat too much chocolate, they get a stomach ache; therefore they shouldn't eat as much chocolate, or would they think all chocolate makes them sick?

We all love things that are bad for us, I love chocolate, but too much just isn't great for us, so bare this in mind on Easter Sunday, when you are surrounded by a thousand calories, remember sugar rushed children and a tummy full of chocolate dont mix very well!

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Create your own festive hand-made cards with this pack of 50 Cream A6 Cards and Envelopes from Craft Tonic. Boasting outstanding value, the pre-creased card measures 10.5cm by 14.9cm and co-ordinates brilliantly with the matching envelopes.

Either draw or paint a picture, or get super creative and add stickers and ribbons.

Product Description
Three designs, two small square and one tall rectangular design. Featuring Santa, a fairy or Rudolph, all with glittery background and curvy lettering Greeting inside reads 'Christmas Magic', 'Cosy Christmas', or 'Season's Snuggles'.

  Its 3 o'clock in a busy supermarket and little Beth has decided it's time for some tantrums! You're standing by the cheese counter wishing the ground would swallow you up while the little old lady to your right tuts and stares.........

What is a temper tantrum?

Tantrums tend to occur most frequently during periods of tiredness, and hunger. It is important to support and help children having frustration or fatigue related tantrums. The child needs encouragement and understanding most at this time.

Attention seeking/Demanding

 It is important to ignore attention seeking or demanding type tantrums. This kind of tantrum includes whining, crying, pounding or hitting the floor, and breath holding, if possible and safe, leave the room or put your child into a safe environment to have his 'time out'   so your child will not have an audience.

Do not give into your child’s demands, this will only encourage future tantrums.

                    Remember, praise your child when he/she is able to control their temper and verbalize their anger.

                    Be a good role model for your child by staying calm and not having adult tantrums.