Topic : Canada

i thought i would get a board for people in canada because this is an american website but canadians have computers too. anyone from canada feel free to post about your pregnancy troubles.

Hi,

 

Just recently had a gorgeous baby boy, and have watched several Nanny cam shows since having him.  I am terrified to return to work and leave my baby in the care of someone else.  I plan on puttng him in a dayhome, but since it is in someone elses home there is no way of finding out or seeing what is going on.j

 

If anyone has any suggestions on what I could do please let me know.

 

Greatly appreciated!

 

Thankx

Hello I am Living in Alberta and I read your message board for Canada so here I am. I am a wonderful mother of a 3 year old loving girl, so I know a little about babies.

As for your comcern about a day home. I know the stress that comes form going back to work and finding babysitters that you can trust.

I never had maternity leave ( not enough hours ) and her father was a job hopper...... nevr kept jobs long. so I was back to work when my daughter was just 2 months old. She has been everywhere from dayhomes to babysitters homes to day care.

Day homes are usually ok for me. Remember; it is a mother that wants to make money but stay home with their son/daughter, so that is a good initentive. BUT beaware of the tv cartoons that some mothers put their child in front of. ASK your DAYHOME provider if she plans to do games and crafts with the children and maybe even a stroll to the playground.... I know my daughter enjoyed the dayhome that she was in. Hope this helps. Your Friend

i'm excited that other people are posting on the board i created. i just thought it would be good to have a board for canadians. we kinda get left out sometimes. we are sorta outnumbered. well, hope this is a board where people can talk about all their troubles with pregnancy, parenting and babies in general. enjoy, jenna

 i'm writing to you from manitoba.  leaving your kids in the hands of a stranger is a very serious topic.  another mom that just wants to make some extra cash, can be a great sitter for your child, but no matter who she is, the truth is when you drop your child off, and she shuts that door, you will never really have any idea what is going on in that home.  after a couple of situations that made me uncomfortable, i made the choice to stay home with my kids.  the truth of the matter is, being a stay at home mom is a great "job", but it doesnt pay that well.  so i eventually became a "work from home mom".  i work for USC education savings plans inc.  i'm home with my preschooler all day, making phone calls and doing paperwork around her schedule, where i can.  i'm always home before and after school for my school age son.  then, in the evening, when my husband comes home, i go out for an hour or so and introduce other parents to the Canada Education Savings Grant and help them start savings plans for their own children.   i feel great about what i can offer these families (a future for their children), i get out of the house on a daily basis, i give my husband a chance to be the primary caregiver for a while, i know who is caring for my children when i'm away, i have the opportunity to volunteer in my son's classroom or on field trips, and i make a nice income all at the same time.  its a win-win situation. 

 please see my message above.  it might give you something to think about. 

I, too, put my 8 week old baby, who's now 6 yrs, into a "home daycare".  She sounded good, loving, thoughtful, and with all of the right intentions.  Also, the price was less than most, so we decided that we'd be able to "save a little extra".  After about a month, I had a gut feeling that she was neglecting the older children, 1 and 2 year olds.  She would be on the phone for long periods with me, when I called.  She would walk me out to me car, when I'd pick the baby up, and there were still children in her home, unsupervised.  The final straw was when my 7 1/2 month old baby had his toes chewed on by a 15 month old.  There was blood and broken skin on my little one's toes.  My baby was in a swing, caretaker in the kitchen, and the 15 month old had full access to my little one's toes.  My baby fussed, and the 15 month old had my baby's sock in her mouth, but the caretaker had said that she thought my baby had lost his pacifier.  We removed him from her care as soon as possible.  My point is:  GO WITH YOUR GUT, MATERNAL INSTINCTS, MOTHERLY INTUITONS, whatever you want to call it.  Don't keep your child/children ANYWHERE that you have even the slightest ill feeling about!  Good luck!!!

I moved from a smaller city  (Saskatoon, SK) to a much bigger city (Edmonton, AB) I worked from the day I graduated until the day I moved.  I had a job lined up here, but couldn't find a dayhome.  It was very scary.  I decided to stay at home with my kids and help other mothers.  I watched others children for 7 years. 

 

I would suggest when looking for care and after rec'ving the care, that you do these few things......make sure they come home with crafts and pictures, even if they are 10 mths old they can hold a crayon, and the caregiver can help make a picture.  Ask the caregiver no matter what the picture looks like you would like to see it come home. 

 

Food....what if you are serving something my child doesn't like? Do you make them eat it?  Do they go hungry? Or do you serve something else?  Or can I bring something for the days you are serving that?  What are they eating?  Is their a meal planner?  What are the portion sizes? Drinks?

 

How often do they play outside?  how often do you go for a walk?  Or to the park?  What would you do in an emergency if you had to leave to go to the hospital? How would you fit everyone in your car?  Do you have enough seat belts?  Ask to see thier Drivers licence (regulary) car insurance?  Do you disipline your kids differently from my kids? 

 

There is so much I could say.....but also remember that the person watching your child is raising your child more then you are.  You pick your kids up, go home make supper and clean up and then you  have an hour or two to play and put them to bed, and you have the weekends.  Treat your caregiver as part of the family, tell them how the night was, tell them they didn't eat breakfast, tell them as much as you can, and if dad usually picks up and today it is going to be mom, and that makes it 5 mintues later, call the caregiver let her know.  5 mitnues late can be a big part on your caregivers lives.  Rememeber they have a life too.  They need to spend time with thier family too.  Respect your caregiver, they better you treat them the more they will respect you.  Pay them on time.  Even once in a while bring a treat for the kids, like watermellon, or cupcakes on a birthday.  We really appreciate that.  Communication is a big thing.  Show appreciation to your caregiver, when it is her birthday, make a card and give to her.  It is so easy to feel unappreciated, even by your own family.

 

I could go on for ever.  But that is all for now.........Tray

 

 

Con't from below post....

 

Pop in with out notice occassionally.  Come 15 minutes early.  Another thing I would suggest is take an afternoon off work or come over on a Saturday, and stay for coffee.  See how the kids play together.  See how things are going. 

 

ANd be on time, even in the morning when dropping them off, and in the pm when picking them up.  I had this one lady that I agreed I would continue watching her girl (she got a new job and started at 7am) I agreed to start at 630am, so I would get up an hour earlier, which also my kids would get up, (they heard me) and then she wouldn't show up.  Used to make me so mad.  She would phone me at 9am and say her dad ended up staying home.  She did that all the time.  Sometimes she wouldn't call me at all, and then I would phone her and wonder what was going on, and she wouldn't say " didn't her dad call you? That was another thing she said all the time. 

 

Anyhow.....Like I said I could go on and on.....LOL 

Hello from Nova Scotia!!

 

I was surfing the message board and came accross this wonderful CANADIAN spot. I just wanted to say a freindly hello. We are 13 weeks pregnant with our 3rd child!!