After the recent cm bashing on here and having to listen to some of my local cm do nothing but moan I think we need some positive stuff about cm or being a cm. It will cheer me up if nothing else. So feel free to join in or ignore as you please.....

I love being a cm because it gives me the perfect excuse to sit and play with lovely children. Get messy and appreciate the world around us. Me and my little ones have so much fun and that huge grin and big hug I get when they arrive in the morning makes up for all the boring paperwork.

I love my CM because when we arrive in the morning DD (11months) starts smiling and jumping around and when I arrive to pick her up she smiles at me and then carries on playing happily. She loves her CM.

I love being a cm as I enjoy seeing the children grown and develop, and their little faces light up.

I think children have the right idea, and love that my job allows me to view the world as a child does.

I feel proud when my 22month old mindee asks to come to my house in a morning, and gives me lovely cuddles, and that my son says we have 'a happy home'.

Mine was a friend first and then became our cm.

She only minds my daughter.

She takes them to Gymtots and music group and is creative.

She does not charge me when we go on holiday or DD is too ill to go.

She is fab and her DD adore ours and vice versa.

We both appreciate the flexibility (I am self employed) and can sometimes work around each other's appointments.

Too much negativity on MN currently I find. (Someone is having hubby issues, first response is to split up).

Go on then, I'll play!

I loved being a CM, because I love being involved in the moulding of little ones. I love listening and talking to under fives.

I love you CM's, you know that, and I am full of regret that I had to leave the job, but I am happy in the knowledge that you lot are continuing your good work and helping to mould the next generation. (Can't say I'm not sorry I don't have to deal with Ofsted anymore tho!)

Oh this thread is bringing tears to my eyes as I have decided to resign but hopefully become a nanny.

I do love childminding but need my home back.

I love the laughter and joy my mindees bring to my house. I love the chatter and their funny little personalities and sometimes their quirky little smiles. It brings me joy to tx or tell their parents at the end of the day what their little ones have a achieved today. I love the little smiles on their faces and their little red cheeks when they wake from their naps.

Oh dear I am so going to miss them...

I love my CM because she somehow manages to combine being a natural loving mum with being a total pro who I can always trust to do the right thing. Before I found her I was so neurotic about handing over my pfb to nurseries and nannies, but then we struck gold and now I don't worry one bit as I know he's safe and happy in her home from home.

But I've meaning to say - you CMs shouldn't take that recent bashing to heart. The nursery thread on MN is forever full of fears and complaints whereas the CM threads are almost always about good things or mutual support. There's bound to be a blip from time to time, but really you should know you are loved by mums and mindees alike. If only the LOs could use the web, your self-esteem would be through the roof!

I love DSs' CMs because he is happy to see them in the morning. They cuddle him, and kiss him, and tell me every time I pick him up what a happy, lovely boy he is.

Ironlady - not sure if I knew you in the staff room, but I know where you're coming from. I was quiet tearful, when the last one left, on the last day. I still have to nip nextdoor for a squidge with her 2 year old, just to get my fix! In fact, I got one today!

There are so many wonderful reasons to be a CM, but I have to say, after 13 years, it is rather nice not to have to have locks on the kitchen cupboards and be able to leave the bleach next to the loo, if I so choose!

Hi MML, Know exactly what you mean too. Probably been in staffroom once I think, quite a while ago though.

I know that when I give notice, it will be a very sad day for me but I am sure we will all keep in touch as I have others who have moved on. Hope you are enjoying what your doing now.

I love my cm because she looked after both my boys for 9 years in total and one of them developed severe SN and she still looked after him (challenging behaviour etc) and gave him medication...she is wonderous!!!

I love being a Cm because I love watching the children smile and have fun, and thinking that I have helped in that.

I love that the minded will hang around at the end of the day - playing or hiding from mum/dad, so that they can stay a littler longer, and I love that they have to have just one last cuddle from mum before they come in in the morning.

Thanks for this thread its helped me to see the positives again.

my family love our CM because she is one exceptional, gifted, kind and loving woman.

She lavishes each and every child in her care with attention and warmth. She is sensitive to all of their needs and has an uncanny way of working with and building on their strenghts.

Her house is a shrine to fun, pictures children have done on all the walls, the garden given over to messy play.

My eldest can't wait to get their in the mornings and doesn't want to leave at night.

My youngest had difficulties separating from me when I began back at work and wouldn't eat or drink for CM, crying all the time. CM asked if she could come and be part of some family mealtimes at home (out of her working hours) so that little one began to associate her with food and family.

The children have all developed bonds of easy friendship with one another and act in brotherly/ sisterly ways towards eachother.

She is the mother I aspire to be at times in that when she is with the children she gives all of herself to them- when I pick DD up often she and they are dancing with abandon, laughing, happy. They head off to the woods for the day and come back rosy cheeked and full of tales of adventure.

She has added so much to all of our lives and we feel priveldged to know her and to have such care and love invested in our girls. She loves and understands children and how it shows.

I love the huge extended family this gives me, the challenges and the sucesses.

Aww, feeling all warm and happy about being a cm, thanks

I love getting messy, scrabbling around on the floor on my knees, playing in mud, jumping in puddles, running through piles of leaves, getting glue and glitter on my face then going out to the shops and getting strange looks lol, I love the cuddles, the intense looks from the baby when I feed him, the kisses from the 7mo, the way 2yos face lights up when she sees me when I pick her up from twosies, being my own boss, picking and choosing which families I want to work with, working from home and not having to put up with office politics, and the pay for what to me is FUN! not work.

I have recently got my ofstead approval and am desperate to start work as a cm.

I was a nurse and gave it up to have my 3 kids.

they all getting older now so need to fill my day with other lovely little ones.

lots to offer, large garden and playroom and lots of love, if you live birmingham, Bromsgrove or Redditch area please get in touch.

i think you need to put all that into your own new thread chick, this is a thread about something else, you can start diff ones in main page

I love being a cm because i see the changes in the children, that i missed when my dd was a baby/young..its different being a cm as when you're with your own you still have to do housework and get jobs done...as we work full time, although its not all roses, it is a fantastic and very often rewarding job

i love telling parents what their DC did that day, what new things theyve learned, how well they did something etc..and i get to think "I did that"!...like when a 3 yr old mindee was counting to 10 in spanish when on hol with mum..as mum hadnt read diary..she didnt know we'd been counting in spanish and friends were so impresed..mindee said yes im a very clever girl, Pink told me so

I love my cm because she and her family love my children and my children love them. And that's enough really, but she also does lots of fun things with them, is prepared to escort her mindees to swimming lessons and such like if at all possible, has good ideas (i.e. the same as me) on discipline and behaviour. I could not work if she wasn't so fabulous. I feel confident that my children are safe and happy in her care.

And sometimes I feel a little when my children don't want to come home or would rather go to the cm's than stay with me but I prefer that than if they were unhappy to be going there, IYSWIM.

We've used several different CMs over the years - only one let us down a bit (but was in line with contract) so generally yes CMs are great and have enabled us both to work as needed and flexible around school dates etc. Current CM is only a few doors down and does lots of craft stuff which we don't seem to have time for at home. All the rules and regs can be a bit at times - not sure it really helps - main criteria is for child to be happy, stimulated and loved.

As a woman who has tried to have a child of my own for many years, my mindees fill a special gap in my life that I cannot fully explain.

The kids literally fall through the (open!) door when they arrive and dive into my arms, do they never tire of me??? Their love is overwhelming... I love the tickles, the hugs, the knackered head on my shoulder, the little hand reaching for mine, watching them take their little starting steps and the pride when they have made their first poo in the potty!

Other mums at toddler group thought I was the kids' mum, until they realised I was their childminder... I treat them as if they were my own.

It's the season for 'mistlefingers' and 'Farmer Christmas' now as one of my mindees says

From a *high flying* and thankless corporate job, to being home as a childminder has meant the world to me. Wouldn't change it for anything.

Aaw JP that's a lovely post, I've gone all soppy reading it.

I love that my childminder is like a home from home for my son and that he smells of her perfume at the end of the day from all the cuddles he's been getting!

I also love that first smile you get after they've been away from you all day

Love my CM because the children have such FUN at her house! And dd is devastated if she is ill and can't go in.