CM CLUB:Do any of you get anything 'done' through the day?

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There is a world of difference between the activities that nannynick is talking about (all acceptable as part of a working day) and the childcarers who think they can carry on running their home as if they have no children around at all.

We walk to the local shop for bread and milk (having discussed and made a shopping list so the mindees can do the shopping), and will post letters, and put empty jars in the bottlebank.

It is unacceptable to do your entire washload for the family, all your weekly shopping and ironing - but I do know minders who think that this is OK. I think my minding parents would be rather unimpressed with me if I carried on like that.

Shopping is educational as far as I'm concerned. It helps to teach the children about money, social interaction, locating things using their eyes and also using maps, plus helping them recognise letters and numbers.

However, if I go shopping with the children, we only get a few items. It tends to be things we desparately need, especially for our homebaking.

The children also like posting things in the post box, and when driving around they have taken to saying 'POSTBOX' whenever we drive past one.

We also walk around town so they get to know the layout and where to cross roads. They love to push the button for the crossing.

I like to encourage mindees to join in helping me. Thats why this is different from a nursery setting. I go shopping with them, do laundry, clean. As parents do. My OFSTED inspector actively encourages it.

I occassionally hoover when mindees are around last time was went one mindee tipped full pot of smelly fish food all over carpet, another was to ensure no Hama beads were left on floor!

I do take them to the shops but then again my mindees love that as we have tiny trolleys and I let them push them(I have bruises to prove it too) we dont do big shops usually go to buy whatever we are having for lunch or fruit (things they can help with etc)

Dont even iron when my DC are about so defo wouldnt with mindees.

CM is another great excuse for NOT doing housework

Not sure if SA88 AHG means me or not but if so, of course the parents know, and are very happy, as are their children. (I am sure the children would tell them what we'd been doing anyway, so no point me telling them something else!). I certainly wouldn't attempt a big supermarket shop with my 4 under 5 - I'm not that mad! But I do stick by my opinion that they should have access to 'normal real-life experiences' and not be hot-housed.

I'm reporting you now!!

I wonder if that CM s mindees parents know she pops out here and there or whether she tells them something else. I agree that on the odd occasion you may have to go to a shop but regular personal shopping trips seems a bit unfair And not being funny I would nt fancy Tesco with 2 or 3 extra kids in tow my own 2 are bad enough!!! I did however pick up my husband from the train station yesterday to save him walking in the cold am I a bad CM?

Whilst I am like the rest of you in that I tidy lunch stuff away, sweep under the kitchen table, scrape food off the floor etc during the day as necessary, I really can't see the problem with the odd trip to b&q or anywhere else, as long as the child(ren) are actively involved, 'helping' and not ignored in a trolley. I think parents have chosen a childminder to be as close as possible to a normal family environment. If the children cannot get involved in 'normal' or 'routine' real-life activities, as well as planned and structured play activities AND LOTS OF FREE PLAY, they might aswell be in a nursery all day. That's just my opinion, but I (and all my parents and children) are happy with it.

Would it be acceptable to make the mindees do all the washing and housework for us?? That would be educational.

i can see both sides here. i do take my children to tesco sometimes, we buy things for lunch or for baking we talk about different things as we walk round ie where things come from, what they taste like etc etc. my parents are all ok with this as it is part of daily life which is why most parents send there children to a childminder. i would never go christmas shopping or clothes shopping but i think there is a big difference!! with regard to the housework i seem to spend my days sweeping the floor with the dustpan and it still looks like a bombsite when they leave!!

There will always be occasions where childminders have do things that are for ourselves or our family's benefit - I've had educational visits to my dd's orthodontist, educational visits to Marks and Spencer to buy something nice for my lunch, and the odd educational sit-down to finish my lukewarm coffee (but I always write it down in the mindees' diaries!!)

I agree with everyone else - there is absolutely no time to do anything other than playing with my mindees. I barely have time to clear the dishes much less vacuuming - or shopping!!

I am pretty busy as it is - plus I too think it should wait until they are gone as it's not right to be doing housework..

Can I just nip in and say that if my childminder spent the day doing housework I'd move my kids to another one who spent a bit more time with them!

My DP seems to think that I should be able to keep the house spotless whilst minded children are here! Not likely even without them here with an 8 yr old and 10 month old myself!

I tidy toys up every night, and he has just bought me a dishwasher so that gets loaded as and when things are dirty!

Hoover every morning at 7:15 before mindees arrive! And she helps me load washing machine and hang things up when DS is asleep (sorting socks is educational I have been told).

Other than that we go for a walk to local shops most days but that is mainly cause pushing her in pram is only way to get mindee to sleep!

I will admit to hoovering/washing up mindees mess after lunch/craft activities, popping to the local shop to buy milk,bread etc-never a full shop and horror of horrors I will put washing out and load the machine but only when mindees are asleep,however most days I don't get chance to make cup of tea never mind clean the house!!

If you had a prospective new family visiting - it would hardly be a selling feature of your practice if you said, "I always keep the children happy and entertained - I let them watch CBBC whilst I iron next to them. We pop to Tesco on alternate Tuesday mornings for my big fortnightly family shop, do the washing first thing every morning, I let them do painting whilst I polish the silver, and I only watch Jeremy Kyle on Thursdays whilst the children enjoy "free play" ... " Doesn't really sound that good!!