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Original poster

Parents- do you expect your CM do complete homework with your child?

37 replies

NickNacks · 23/09/2012 13:46

Just a general survey really after a parent has asked that I read with her year one child each evening. I have replied that I don't really feel I have the time, peace and quiet or indeed feel it's my responsibility to do this.

Each evening i care for 5 school aged children (2 are my own) plus toddler DD and a baby mindee. They all get a home cooked two course meal and stay until 6pm. We get back from school about 3,45pm, have a snack, free play for an hour, tidy up at 5pm, dinner at 5,15 plus pudding and clearing table/getting things together for home time all takes us up to 6pm. I then have my own 3dc to do homework with, bath, spend one on one time with etc.

Do you think it was reasonable of me to say that I couldn't listen to them read/ do other homework with them? I am happy to provide a space and be on hand for general questions about homework for older ones.

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PoppadomPreach · 23/09/2012 18:23

Very lazy parenting! Poor child Sad

Viviennemary · 23/09/2012 18:20

Absolutely not the job of any childminder I have ever known. Most are much too busy for this. What a nerve. She should get a nanny if she wants this.

ZuleikaD · 23/09/2012 18:15

I agree with OP and the others - sounds like a lazy parent to me.

Original poster
NickNacks · 23/09/2012 17:29

Thank you all for your replies. Glad you agree! I felt right saying no at the time and then today wondered if I'd been a bit unreasonable since the mum looked a bit taken aback when I said I couldn't. Thing is she only lives about a mile away so home in minutes, I feed the children so I think she must have a decent amount of time left to read with them.

OP posts:
looneytune · 23/09/2012 17:12

Agree with all others. My own children don't get this help and I have to do what a lot of other working parents do and fit it in once the children have gone home. I would have also said no if asked.

user12785 · 23/09/2012 16:40

Absolutely not. It's not her job, and she has other peoples' children to look after, so can't do the one to one that homework requires.

xelliex · 23/09/2012 16:38

I have a year 1 dd and it's never occurred to me to ask her cm to do her homework with her! I'd have thought most parents would like to keep track of their DCs progress themselves. When they have just come out of school I think it's better to let them relax for a while before starting on assisted reading, and with other DCs to attend to you can hardly give one child the one on one attention they'd need. I think the parents must have asked you to do this without thinking.

bakingaddict · 23/09/2012 16:35

No never...it's the job of the parents not the CM.

VivaLeBeaver · 23/09/2012 16:30

I think it was very reasonable of you to say you don't have time. If the parents want that sort of iput they need a nanny or an au pair.

lechatnoir · 23/09/2012 16:29

I would also say no for all the reasons given. Maybe if I only had 1 or 2 children or similar age who could take turns reading or do a project, spellings etc all together but otherwise no, you're getting into 1-2-1 care of a nanny.

wishiwasonholiday · 23/09/2012 14:42

I'm a cm and struggle to find time to read with my own child never mind others, my mindees all do their homework at their own home. no parents have ever asked and I would say no if they asked.

forevergreek · 23/09/2012 13:59

perfectly reasonable. the time/ quiet like you say simply isnt available. if there was less children/ no dinner then maybe but not in this case

at year 1 age anyway, reading can easily be incorporated into bedtime (child reading, then parent)

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