childminders club- are you paid enough?

Isyhan - my dh is registered as my assistant (doesn't have to do any courses) and, if he is here (occasional working-from-home or days off) it means that I can have up to 6 children under the age of 5 years. He sometimes deliberately picks a day to work from home if someone has asked me to have mindee an extra day, or someone wants a one-off day. I am the one doing all the work, to be honest, but he is still here (in study) and makes himself available if I need him.

There are two non-English-speaking Asian minders near me - as Vacancy Co-ordinator for this area, I can't give out their phone numbers. There is some other arrangement in place, but don't know what it is.

He initially work P/T (job share with me)
Then F/T
Now P/T again - he is quite a bit older than me and has been medically retired for over 12 years

we have lots of black and asian childminders in croydon

DH is a black Childminder.......

Got any more bright ideas then?

Yes, Isyhan - just look at what you started!!!

Yes Hennipenni - we are working mums - my youngest (although technically young adult) is still at college & I will still be supporting him financially for the next 2.5 years as I am sure many other chidminders are; I set my fees at a rate that earns enough to;
a. plough back into/run the business, b. make sure that I am able to pay my rent/mortgage, Council Tax, bills etc c. support my children through their education.

A contentious thread indeed Isyhan

and not all minders are full either, I'm not.

thats a point so many people forget. we may be at home all day, but we are working....in what is sometimes a very hard job. very few minders charge min wage ok it x however many children but not all minders have the room for lots of children.

thats a point so many people forget. we may be at home all day, but we are working....in what is sometimes a very hard job. very few minders charge min wage ok it x however many children but not all minders have the room for lots of children.

thats a point so many people forget. we may be at home all day, but we are working....in what is sometimes a very hard job. very few minders charge min wage ok it x however many children but not all minders have the room for lots of children.

thats a point so many people forget. we may be at home all day, but we are working....in what is sometimes a very hard job. very few minders charge min wage ok it x however many children but not all minders have the room for lots of children.

And please don't forget we childminders are also working mums!!

This is an interesting thread - I too am with TP comment - all housework and washing are done in the evenings when mindees go home - some evenings at 7:45! paperwork etc all done evenings and weekends; courses at weekends but that already been said . Still need to get up at 6:15am for first arrival at 7:30am. A comment was made to the effect that we, as childminders, should not price ourselves too high so that parents are unable to afford childcare - we are surely all trying to make a living and I would have thought that with the help that is offered from the Government for Childcare costs it is more affordable today than it ever has been.

I became a childminder over a year ago - both my children are young adults now; I became a childminder to earn a living like everyone who works in this country but decided I had a choice to either go back to working in an office doing something that I didn't really enjoy or do something that I knew I would love and that was childcare.

im normally on mumsnet during nap time

I would never iron around any small children - but hey I don't iron anyway except for collars when totally necessary.
But yes I do cook as I do a proper cooked meal for the children at lunchtime and make it in large quantities so that myfamily can have it for diner in the evening too.
I also do my washing as with the size family I have I can't allow it to pile up. But as this only entails trips between washing pile, washing machine and tumble dryer - and the children love to help sort the warm fresh stuff from the drier - I don't see it as a problem and wouldn't dream of stopping.
Yes, I sweep mucky floors often and can frequently be found with an ecloth in one hand. But if I didn't work from home with a house ful of children I wouldn't create anything to clean - so it's job related housework iyswim.
I'm sure nursery staff too clean up as they go including wiping around toilets and sinks where small children need to be kept safe from slipping and cross infection.
I have even been known to slip in a quick Tesco online shop during nap times

i may be at home but i can't always get to school things. i can't drag 3 under 5s to school plays etc. i would never do housework or ironing whilst "working" (i would'nt expect a person looking after my child to) thats all done at the weekend or in the evening. mind you have a great motherinlaw who does alot of my ironing so am very lucky. and hubby does lots of cooking, not so much washing up though....but hey hey, cnt have everything.

I'm with TP - I don't do any housework while minding - DH does the dishes (& oh boy are there a lot of them) and the housework at the weekends

Never mind the Fridays I can't attend DD's assembly because I couldn't come out as a mindee is poorly (or the mindee who won't go to school - she gets too scared)

I didn't start C/Ming until DD was at f/t school

Tho saying that a parent today was astounded that I only charge £3.20 an hour and that meals are included....so I must be doing something right

Same here, I do ALL my housework when the mindees have left and ds has been put to bed! Apart from clearing the table after meals!

Please please please don't make the assumption that childminders all do their washing and put their dinner on!!! I don't do any housework during my working day, apart from clearing up after meals. I do my "housey" things like any other working mum - evenings and weekends. I am also not available for repairmen/deliveries as we are often out and about, or doing a school run.