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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

Original poster

*****VERY UPSET CHILDMINDER HADLEIGH*****

111 replies

lovingmumof1 · 01/10/2006 21:17

I have been childminding for just over a year now and haven't had the best of starts, I have been told on a number of occassions by my colleagues that people have been telling friends not to use me as I have a dog. Now I think that is totally unfair towards me and the dog as this is my living and if these people came to see us they would realise he is not bad, OFSTED wouldn't have registered me if the dog was bad. I know with what has happened resently about dogs that may put people off, it would me, but how am I supposed to make a living as I love working with children and being at home with my DS. PLEASE COULD HADLEIGH PARENTS GIVE ME SOME INFO AS IT IS GETTING ME DOWN

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misdee · 01/10/2006 22:31

i wouldnt use a CM with a dog. even though i have had dogs in the past, i have seen how my kids can be around animals, even ones they know.

Twiglett · 01/10/2006 22:30

I wouldn't use a childminder with a dog either

but I'm sure other people would

Original poster
lovingmumof1 · 01/10/2006 22:29

I also have drop in's at my home were there could be any number of children between my colleagues and me, he is fine around them, may sniff but what dog doesn't.

OP posts:
NastyNemo666 · 01/10/2006 22:27

personally..wouldnt use a CM with a dog even though I am a dog owner. I would worry about a strange child doing something to the dog which could make them turn. I am sure your dog is lovely and placid as ours is but you can never 100% trust them even if they have been in the family for years.

Original poster
lovingmumof1 · 01/10/2006 22:23

To answer some questions he is a pointer, I have his bed under the stairs and a gate on the living room door to keep them seperate. I am quite lucky I have a large garden with a fence between the children and the dog, he is trained to walk with the pushchair ever since DS was born he may pull occsasionally, In my opinion all children should get the chance to learn how to look after a cat or a dog,no offence about cats but cats can be just as bad as dogs even worse.

OP posts:
Katymac · 01/10/2006 21:38

I'm sorry Lmof1 - but if you have a dog you will put off some people

If you have a cat you will put off others

& if you have a snake/tarantula you will put off loads

I'm afraid that's life

Have you policies for keeping the dog away from the children (eh when you go to the loo)

& for keeping part of the garden poo free (no scooping them up won't be enough)

& for handling struggling children/buggy/dog on lead

zoeuk1 · 01/10/2006 21:35

im a childminder and no-one has ever been put off because of our dog

cece · 01/10/2006 21:30

There are people like me though that don't really give it a second thought. However, cm dog was a lovely old plodder of a labrador. And I really like dogs.

The only reason we don't have one is becaus eDH doesn't like them...

KellyKrueger1978 · 01/10/2006 21:26

my cm has a dog. The kids love it, but I msut admit I don't. Dogs can turn, they can get worms or fleas, they jump up and lick, and scare my toddlers, and they often smell.I know for a dog owner, the dog can eb a big part of the family, but many parents who don't have dogs prob feel the same way as me. However, there are lots of ppl out there who do keep dogs or may be happy for their children to be around a dog, so focus on them. Emphasis the positives of the children beign around a dog. Either that or can you keep the mindees and the dog seperate?

foundintranslation · 01/10/2006 21:22

I'm not a hadleigh parent, but tbh I wouldn't use a childminder who had a dog. However nice the dog, there is always that potential for something going wrong - and if you are looking after several children you could always be distracted and something could happen in that moment. i think I would also prefer to be able to assist my child to build up a relationship with dogs on my terms, not someone else's. HTH.

cece · 01/10/2006 21:19

That is ridiculous!

My cm had a dog and when that one died she got a puppy. Certainly didn't put me off.

What breed is it though as that might be influencing people's opinions?

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