CM Club: A guide to parents..........."Your childminder likes......"

childminders like it when you don't spend 15minutes just to get your kids out of the door.

You've paid until 4.15. It's 4.30. LEAVE!

childminders like it when you don;t pull a funny face at their holiday dates

Childminders like it when you bring a rain mac on rainy days

Childminders like it when you don't go on about how you can't wait for the school to open a breakfast/after school club, as it will be soooo much cheaper

Childminders like it when you appreciate the little things

Childminders like it when your child leaves their own toys at home!

Chilminders like it when they are greeted by a big toothless cheeky grin in the morning!

oooh this is fun!

childminders like it when you tell them when your babys last feed was and if they are due one now. (its no fun going stright to toddler group and have her screaming for a feed, while your trying to get all children out of the car, in to the building then make up a bottle which then needs to cool down before she can have it.)

childminders like it when a bottle is ready made up in the bag when your baby is due a feed the minute they get to you.

Childminders like it when you have the same rules at home, that you want me to impose on your child when he's with me...

(he's definatly not allowed juice, crisps, cake, sweets....and no TV! though he comes in and proudly exclames he had blue cripies on the way and knows all the words to every nick jr theme tune...)

Childminders would like it if you taught your kids some manners!

(a 5year old that talks from the moment she is picked up from school until the moment mum comes, and not ONCE says please!)

Frannyfroo - DITO with the Power Dresser and Make-up

Childminders like it when you send more than one change of clothes when potty training

Childminders likie it when children go to bed and get a good nights sleep before arriving at 8am with a "sorry she/he might be a little tired"

Childminders definately want pull ups banned - please

Childminders like it when they are asked if they can pick mindees up late - not "oh by the way I will be late picking up tonight" or even ring an hour before pick up time

Childminders like parents to actually take notice of holiday dates given to them, and not to turn up expecting care on first day of said holidays whilst C/M packing car full of tents etc.

childminders like parents who at the VERY least say THANK YOU after having childminded their DS for 18 months......

Childminders like parents to realize we work longer hours than any of them.
Childminders like parents to realize we are not having a day off, just because their child doesn't attent that day.
Childminders like parents to know we are not stupid.

:-)

Love these. Any more

Childminding is our jobs, and like many other jobs we feel the need to let off steam, or have a rant over something that may seem trivial or petty to an outsider. The difference is that we don't have colleagues to rant to.
I have once or twice posted a comment to a thread and been met with the response "i wouldn't like my CM to be saying that about my child",posted by a parent.. I have also had some not too nice comments directed my way by parnets(and other CM's) before. The point i'm trying to get across is that we all know what it's like to a CM, and the fun, and the downsides it causes, and threads like this are great for allowing us to let off a bit of steam. maybe we need our own section where we can moan without parents answering.

Ayla I think I share your mindees parents too.
Do parents think we really dont notice the big red Ive just had my eyebrows waxed look while they are trying to tell me that the traffic was bad/ big queue at bank/ what they done at work all day etc.
This childminder likes everyone elses suggestions and cant understand why parents all have to give their children their car keys so they can run across the road to the car, leave car door wide open and sit and play with the bl*y car horn for 10 minutes while the parents chat away.
Apart from that my parents are all great.

I'm so glad to read the things on this thread as I feel so petty sometimes. It's nice to know the little things pile up for all of you as well.
I particularly agree about looking clean and tidy when we go out, you want to be proud of them, not dying of shame!!

Strawberry, reading your earlier post about parents arrivng later than drop off time, and not paying you, but not actually saying why, well are you sure we don't have the same parents?

Mindee 1 usually here between 8 and 8.30. 8.50 today still no sign. Got home from school run, having been into school office and nursery on way to find them all sitting in the car at 9.35, her excuse - she took the dog out and it took longer than expected. They are both out the house all day, him from 7 till 5, her from 7.30 (ish) till gone 6. Every other week he works nights so is sleeping all day. And they got a pup.
So mindee 1, his brother and his mum all take the dog for a lovely walk this morning at 7am! - when it was still dark - and it took them an hour apparently to get the dog round this little walk nearby, then they all had to get breakfast, etc. Then it took her 15 minutes to cover the whole of the downstairs with paper and towels to catch any dog wee, and then fiteen minutes to catch the dog indoors from the garden!.
obviously thought o phone me and tell me this, and explain it was the reason for being late would be too obvious

ah, yes would be nice to get a call when parents have booked a driving lesson straight after work which runs 20 mins AFTER your childs home time....and actually have the decency to either apologise and not do it again or make sure you tell instructer you MUST be there to collect!

ayla i think we must share mindees/parents!!!!

Your childminder likes it when
you don't knock on my door until you're ready to come in so I don't have to stand there letting all the cold in while you play hide & seek with your child in your warm coats
you hold your childs hand when leaving and actually leave at the same time as your child rather than let them run down the street while you try to carry on chatting
you don't give your car keys to your 5 year old and wait for them to start your car engine before leaving my doorstep
you don't allow your child to knock repeatedly at the neighbours front door or run across their gardens
you tell your child that a huge branch is not a suitable toy to bring into your childminder's house
you ask your childminder if its okay before booking your mot/manicure/eyebrow shape appointment for on the way home rather than leave your child and your childminder wondering why you are so late
you keep your lego, pencils, and other items that I have in plentiful supply at your home.
you haven't forgotten your child's nappies, coat, hat, spare pants/socks etc
you tell other parents how great I am
you write lovely references to show Ofsted & prospective parents
you pay early and never forget your chequebook

Your childminder would like to see the occasional tissue in your childs coat pocket when they have colds, so as I do not have to carry a toilet roll around with me !

your childminder would prefer it if you wiped the dinner/brekkie/snot off your DC before you dropped them off when you know we go straight out......

your childminder would like pull ups totally banned, for ever......

your childminder would like you to realise that dropping off 10 mins late is not reason to pick up 10 mins late.......

your childminder would appreciate it if you cut your childs fingernails once in a while to save me the job.........

your childminder would like it very much if you dressed your child appropriatly for the weather/gym day......

all these apply to just one parent!

your childminder would prefer it if you didnt arrive at 7am in power clothing and stunning makeup.

your childminder would prefer it if you didnt return in the evening still in power clothing and stunning makeup.

your childminder would like you to leave straight away and not stand chatting unless it is really urgent. I HAVE A LIFE YOU KNOW!

we like it when......
we get paid on time, or if you do not have change etc, you actually say so and ask if its ok to pay a tea time instead of walking out the door leaving us wondering and making me walk miles to cash point for cash..better still make sure you have change/enough money as im not a flaming charity(one mum payed me short last week as she didnt want to give taxi driver a £20 noteas "he'd moan")!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
.... your children come with warm out door clothes, inc vests and socks FGS it january!!!
....their outdoor clothes get washed once in a while as everyone always thinks mindees are our DC's inless we tell them so think WE have dirty children!
....dont put them in thin tights and little skirts when you know were off to walk miles to playgroup in the buggy as their little legs are freezing!
....do not turn up 50 minutes later than drop off time expecting me to be sat happily waiting while dd should be at school and do not dare to be off with me cos i dare to set off to school makiing sure my dd is not late!
...please give them a awash every now and agin, clean fingernails esp!
....do not arrive on time/late then expect to talk for any longer than 5 minutes cos your children then wreck the house or beat up dd'cos mums there and i wont get told off', you have a diary to fill you in on day to day things!..hang on there will be more!...

your children likes when:
you send spare clothes for your children
tell me when child has had a bad night
you dont hang about till your child is crying for you

brings birthday/christmas cards

Can you tell.
The child in question has just turned 2. He is a small 2 though, a good head and shoulders smaller than the other 2 year olds we see at toddler group. His mum puts him in 2-3 year old clothes, the trousers of which fall down, constantly. Of course, the pull up goes down with the trousers.
When i said about his clothes being too big, her reply was
"Oh but he's 2 now so he needs 2 year old clothes".
that, coupled with the pull-ups can often make for a lot of mess!

Eww saltire, that sounds like you've just had a yucky experience!!

Your childminder likes it if you do not send your 2year old in pull-ups, when they are not being potty trained. This is especially the case if they poo and the pull up is too big!
Your childminder likes it if you put clothes on your child that fits the "size" they are, not the "age" they are. This is especially true if you have a non-potty trained child wearing pull-ups, and trousers that are far too big for him