Reply to: English Nurseries in UK and EU

[sydney]

Is Cybertots any good?

Hi Meridian

Would you recommend Cybertots? I may registar my son there but would love to hear a parents feedback first.

Were your kids happy there?

Thanks

[MaryPoppins]

Sure, but the (admittedly minor fear, realistically) paedo going to break into a nursery cam feed to stare at kids was the lesser of two evils. I'd rather that the nursery staff knew they were being watched. My wife has worked in nurseries before, it's pretty shocking how lowpaid and underskilled most of the staff are.

I agree with you - I think it's a great idea. Just surprised it's out there I s'pose, considering we're meant to live in a constant state of fear.

[meridian]

I see. How secure is that? I thought the whole world was scared of all the paedo's lurking round every corner these days?

Sure, but the (admittedly minor fear, realistically) paedo going to break into a nursery cam feed to stare at kids was the lesser of two evils. I'd rather that the nursery staff knew they were being watched. My wife has worked in nurseries before, it's pretty shocking how lowpaid and underskilled most of the staff are.

[MaryPoppins]

www.cybertots.co.uk

They have secure webcams in all their rooms. As insecure first time parents we logged in every day for the first couple of months, and then we just got security from the staff knowing that the cameras were there

I see. How secure is that? I thought the whole world was scared of all the paedo's lurking round every corner these days?

[meridian]

cyber nursery?!

www.cybertots.co.uk

They have secure webcams in all their rooms. As insecure first time parents we logged in every day for the first couple of months, and then we just got security from the staff knowing that the cameras were there

[MaryPoppins]

We've paid (at various times):

£1000 per month in West London for a cyber nursery (cybertots, nurseries with secure webcams....)

cyber nursery?!

[SueEllen]

Thanks for all the replies, it looks like the service is more or less equally pricey anywhere in Western Europe (for example ca €10k in rural Spain - nuts) and we will only have ourselves to blame that there won't be enough young ones to support the economy/infrastructure when we're 90.
Even if some of the countries are a bit better off in the sense that people are paying into their own savings accounts, that still doesn't mean that there will be enough taxes collected to support the roads, buses, hospitals and all the infrastructure that the old people need...

If you are unhappy about nursery being expensive either:
1. Move to a Scandinavian country and pay more in tax, OR
2. Get a larger extended family so your child can spend a day or two with a grandparent, friend with a child the same age, aunt or great aunt.

[SueEllen]

In Essex/London Border one of my friends' was paying £50 per day. In East London (zone 3) a colleague was paying £35-40 per day. The first nursery had more staff per child.

[meridian]

We've paid (at various times):

£1000 per month in West London for a cyber nursery (cybertots, nurseries with secure webcams....) for full daycare (8am to 6pm)

EUR220 per week in north Dublin for half-day (9am to 12:30) rising to 270pw for full daycare

CHF14000 per year for full daycare in Switzerland (with a few hidden extras such as an upfront "development" fee).

Edit: Cybertots on the Green has the following pricing on their website:
Age Full time
3mths-1yr £260 per week or £1136.67 Per month
1yr-2yrs £260 per week or £1136 per month
Over 2yrs £200 per week or £876.67 per month

[xchaotic]

My sister pays about 12,000 p.a. for her lad to be in daycare (London).

Thanks for all the replies, it looks like the service is more or less equally pricey anywhere in Western Europe (for example ca €10k in rural Spain - nuts) and we will only have ourselves to blame that there won't be enough young ones to support the economy/infrastructure when we're 90.
Even if some of the countries are a bit better off in the sense that people are paying into their own savings accounts, that still doesn't mean that there will be enough taxes collected to support the roads, buses, hospitals and all the infrastructure that the old people need...

[moorfield]

Don't forget you can expense childcare vouchers through your ltdco.

[TykeMerc]

My sister pays about 12,000 p.a. for her lad to be in daycare (London).

Ye gods!

[realityhack]

My sister pays about 12,000 p.a. for her lad to be in daycare (London).

[MaryPoppins]

You can also have a ferret take care of the children.
that is usually a great solution.
Keep the ferret fed though.

A small animal like that seemed silly to me.

[ThomasSoerensen]

After careful considering and much research, I decided the best thing to do was employ the family dog as nanny. It works Ok in films and she's happy with food as payment.

Bit like an au pair, but slightly hairier.

I had to staple sausages to the paws to enable bottle feeding, but it worked a treat.

You can also have a ferret take care of the children.
that is usually a great solution.
Keep the ferret fed though.