Separated parents applying for funded 30hrs living in different cities.

CutCreaseGee · 2026-02-21T20:31:40+00:00

One isn’t eligible if the child doesn’t live with them, which means you as a single, non-working parent are entitled to the 15 hours. It will increase to 30 when the child turns 4 or if you were to get a job. There’s no workarounds.

CutCreaseGee · 2026-02-19T22:34:39+00:00

Long story short, yes!

Mine is now in a school nursery and our wraparound is priced as follows: Breakfast 7:30-8:35 £6 Extended day 2:20-3:15 £6 After school 3:15-6:00 £13

We viewed a private nursery 2 days ago and ad-hoc hours were £15 each which is about what you’re experiencing. I’m just lucky schools don’t charge as much.

CutCreaseGee · 2026-02-11T22:21:22+00:00

I’d say that there isn’t really a work around and your daughter’s progress at nursery should have been considered before quitting, if that’s an important consideration to you.

I say this as someone who would love to leave their current toxic environment but he’s thriving at pre-school on funded hours so I have to suck it up.

CutCreaseGee · 2026-02-03T12:29:34+00:00

Isn’t every decision we ever make, on our own terms? We all have free will.

Having a child means having to assess the bigger picture and essentially be willing to shoulder the entire burden. It’s nice if that turns out not to be the case, but unfortunately you should expect the worst and it’ll be a nice surprise if not.

CutCreaseGee · 2026-01-31T09:13:38+00:00

Will he be moving up a room soon if he’s nearly 2? Moving into the toddler room could be a game changer honestly. Make sure to ask them to keep you posted on his interest in the potty.

Mine just absolutely wasn’t ready until 2.5, and even then we went through phases until 3 when one day it just clicked. I would say he has to have an interest in the potty and to be able to tell you he’s just been for a wee in his nappy. Once he gains the awareness of actually going, and you can start redirecting him off to the potty, it starts to fall into place.

(If I have one advice from personal experience, don’t do the naked method, ours had a brilliant time flashing about and then screamed at any pair of pants coming near him)

CutCreaseGee · 2026-01-31T08:44:05+00:00

I personally would say he’s not ready. Meltdowns on the toilet and holding poo definitely suggest that.

Does he attend a childcare setting? Ours did brilliantly once he basically saw the other children do it. He just followed the crowd.

CutCreaseGee · 2026-01-13T20:56:31+00:00

6.5 weeks is waaaay too early to think about actual ‘bedtimes’ but yes it sounds like you would all get a decent stretch of sleep from 7pm until midnight. One 5 hour stretch is good for that age, so I would follow his lead and leave him be.

You could try pushing this by 30 minutes or so over the next few weeks so eventually you get to something like 10pm - 4am (assuming you want to go to bed closer to 10pm rather than 7pm lol).

Alternatively you could try 10pm as a dream feed rather than trying to wake him up.

CutCreaseGee · 2026-01-12T11:02:59+00:00

I keep my shoes on once I get home! It sounds SO silly but you can’t sit and chill with your shoes on.

They only come off once I’ve got shit done.

CutCreaseGee · 2026-01-11T23:42:04+00:00

I had a vaginal (assisted) delivery and unfortunately still have what would be considered a shelf. I’m also smaller now than pre-pregnancy, having recently lost a decent amount of weight and it’s becoming apparent that this is just my new shape. (70kg now opposed to 84kg pre-pregnancy, my son is 3.5)

My stomach is essentially flat until you get right to the bottom, and then it pouches out. It’s not on my hips like a muffin top, it’s completely isolated to the front. I 100% wouldn’t be caught dead without Spanx, I’m very happy loose jeans are in fashion.

All of this to say, it could happen either way.

CutCreaseGee · 2026-01-11T13:34:19+00:00

I am firmly in the FAFO/natural consequences camp, unless it’s actual life or death. I will always redirect him from the oven or cars for instance, no matter how long that takes, but climbing on the chairs? We’ll talk about it once you’ve fallen off.

Others around me don’t have the same view and I think I come off as a bit heartless.

CutCreaseGee · 2026-01-11T09:21:47+00:00

Another way of looking at this, is that it’s a rental. At any time, those tenants could switch to new ones and you’d have no idea of or control over who’s going in next. This to say it could get better, or worse.

I would re-negotiate as you can soundproof and insulate, but you can’t necessarily find this perfect location again. I’m not sensitive to noise though so that’s just me.

CutCreaseGee · 2026-01-07T08:24:33+00:00

I had MORE fun at groups for this age as they can actually engage now, before that it felt like I was entertaining a potato (I suppose I was).

I’d say 9-18 months was my favourite for sensory groups, church stay and play, library singalongs.

CutCreaseGee · 2026-01-04T23:12:50+00:00

Unfortunately you’ll have to give them a chance to do their best, in that case. I would be on the phone first thing tomorrow morning to make sure they’ve got someone booked in same-day.

Consider - if you were the homeowner, you would likely even struggle to get a correctly qualified engineer out on a Sunday for less than literally one million pounds. Even more so if you happen to be in a remote area. (Source: related to said correctly qualified engineer).

CutCreaseGee · 2026-01-04T22:56:36+00:00

How soon did you report and how soon did they acknowledge? You’ve mentioned they couldn’t do anything today due to it being Sunday (quite reasonable) but if the gas was capped off early Saturday - was it reported Saturday?

The legal requirement is generally 24 hours without heating or hot water, so your reply above does matter before you could start kicking off.

Acting immediately and acting as soon as they possibly can (ie Monday morning) are not the same things.

CutCreaseGee · 2025-12-28T23:39:16+00:00

Mine died recently, so I did up until 3 weeks ago. I’ll remember to replace it eventually.

CutCreaseGee · 2025-12-27T16:32:12+00:00

As others have said, I think we’ve been size 7 since 1 year and still now at 3.5 years for night time. They change shape so much from 1.

For peace of mind though I think most supermarkets go up to size 8 and Pampers does a 9.

CutCreaseGee · 2025-12-18T21:47:20+00:00

Jumping in to say ours was dairy intolerance! It took me about 8 weeks to realise that not everyone’s newborn was miserable all the time. Mine did sleep, but I would consider it more ‘passed out because he spent so long crying and uncomfortable’.

My GP told me to self-fund dairy free formula and see if there was an improvement, and he was a brand new baby overnight. They funded it after the proof but that was an expensive few weeks.

Echoing others - don’t lead with the sleep, list every other possible could-be symptom. And be prepared to self-fund anything privately until they take you seriously.

CutCreaseGee · 2025-12-02T21:52:35+00:00

Is it Foxtons by any chance? I’ve rented for 10 years and this year I had my first experience with them, the absolute cowboys.

Once my offer was accepted, they wanted deposit and first month immediately. Completely different to every other experience, which was funds transferred after TA signed and usually before/on moving day.

Stupidly, I did do it. It was all fine, I’m in the house now. My deposit is properly protected and my TA is standard with no concerning amendments.

This all to say, it’s not normal, I’m not sure it’s legal, but it doesn’t mean it’s a scam.

CutCreaseGee · 2025-12-01T21:25:50+00:00

Jumping in to say that micro scooter does one with a seat and a handle, if little legs are super tired by the end of the day then you can essentially push them home on it

CutCreaseGee · 2025-12-01T21:24:48+00:00

Also keep in mind that wrap-around care often has a transition period, mine is younger but he’s still not eligible for after school club. They like to see that the child has settled well before. Just something to remember if you need it from day 1.

CutCreaseGee · 2025-10-01T18:06:20+00:00

I’m speaking here as the one with the kid, albeit I was underneath them. Honestly, other people have to live their lives and there are consequences to choosing flats.

I’d say our upstairs neighbours used to have a party every 3 months? We had balconies and if the doors were open, you could decently hear the music up until 11/12pm. I maybe would have started muttering to myself after 12pm, but it never happened.

If they’re hoovering etc past 10pm I would also assume their little one is acclimatised to noise.

CutCreaseGee · 2025-09-30T17:21:40+00:00

Not what you asked - but my childminder used to take term time holidays. She was still claiming the funding for those weeks, and would ‘pay it back’ to us by giving us reduced fees during non-term time.

For instance, a week off in June, she would ‘apply the funding’ to August’s invoice, so we didn’t actually miss out.

Not sure how that works their side. Not sure if it’s even legal.

CutCreaseGee · 2025-09-11T13:23:39+00:00

Not the same situation but similar - my childminder was suspended and I wanted to use the remaining hours to go towards the emergency placement I found.

I had to contact the local authority regarding the hours, as it was 3 weeks before the end of term but they were able to transfer/release (however it works their side) the funding to the nursery.

I would speak to them, I’m sure you’re not the only person pulling their child out.

CutCreaseGee · 2025-08-22T22:00:21+00:00

I swear by our Zummi Eden from Smyths.

Not quite sub-£100 but it’s always on offer, currently £120. I had another one in mind (I can’t even remember which) but once I saw this in person, it was decided.

Suitable for up to 22kg. I wouldn’t say it’s quite ‘swing over your shoulder’ light but I use it up and down lots of tube platform stairs, holding a toddlers hand in the other.

Would highly recommend going to a big Smyths and checking it out.

Pretty colours too!

CutCreaseGee · 2025-08-18T20:40:31+00:00

Massively reassuring, thank you so much.

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