Dear All
An unusual post but Kevin and I are hoping to attend this event but have a technical issue with my two small daughters. Too small to sail and certainly too small to be left to sit on the side! Their Dad is off to an event at Shoreham - soooo....are there any local babysitters or anyone going along and not sailing who would like to care for my adorable children?
Jane
So I am not being super organised that should read Summer 2009!!!!
Jane, not an unusual post at all as it's a situation we regularly face
We would very much like to get to more (ie some) open meetings but we are often constrained by our two youngsters, 7 & 9, who are both into Oppi sailing and would be keen to sail with dad but mum does that.
Whilst we are quite happy to allow our kids to play at our sailing club, they know the place and there are plenty of parents who watch out for each other's kids but that isn't always the case at a different club.
Is there any merit/demand for a creche/babysitting/kids minding service to be organised at open meetings to allow parents to sail? Is there anyone willing/able/prepared to take this on? It might need some upper and lower age limits but it was certainly a big factor in our not being able to get to Thorpe Bay this year (still spitting about that :-( ).
Distance aside, it might just encourage a few more people to travel
Cheers
I'm thinking some sort of large cage would do for my 3 yr old hooligan!!!
Have a word with Bernard, he has a portable Camp X Ray which he carries around in his car for the dingos. My small brother has one for his Border Terrorist and can vouch for the fact that a four and a half year old can fit inside it. Joe was unable to turn around but it kept him quiet and happy for ten minutes or so.
Last night we had both Dingos and a 7 year old child in our cage (I hasten to add Ellie was there on a voluntary basis and the door was open). At that point they were all quiet. Not so at 11pm last night when the dogs realised that Monty's enforced 'cage rest' meant separation - in the end it seemed the best solution to shove Peggy in with him. All quiet until 5.30am when they decided choir practice would be nice. Certain Border Terrorists would do well to remember that when they have racked up huge vet bills due to their bad backs they could at least do the decent thing and play ball with the idea of 'rest'.
I have organised child minding services for the Ripon Open in the past but no-one has taken up the offer!
Jane - would love to help but I think I will have my hands full dog sitting and keeping a 7 year old motivated to go sailing.
J
I've often noticed the owner of 3398's children wandering around the club pick pocketing innocent bystanders while their Father and Mother put plastic over carbon around the lake. I'd no sooner want to look after those little darlings than act as nursemaid to one of the pike (no, not Pikeys) often spotted nabbing the baby ducklings on the lake. On a serious note though, Spinnaker have a play area where the little ones can play safely in clear sight of all of us. Come to our Open and I am sure we will happily arrange to keep them occupied while you sail.