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

Original poster

Am I missing something here - what are the children whom you are meant to be minding doing while you are on the Internet??

240 replies

fivecandles · 12/11/2008 19:11

Because I would be livid if I was paying you to mind my child and you were Mumsnetting.

OP posts:
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Shoshe · 12/11/2008 20:15

She hasnt got a answer which is why she cant answer.

guyFAwkesreQuiem · 12/11/2008 20:14

there's another thread about this???

Tee2072 · 12/11/2008 20:13

Marla, I'm loosing it right along with you.

Fivecandles, ANSWER THE DAMN QUESTION.

WHAT DO YOU EXPECT THE CM TO DO WHILE THE CHILDREN ARE SLEEPING AND WHERE ARE YOUR CHILDREN RIGHT NOW AS YOU START TWO THREADS ABOUT THIS?!?!?!?

Whew. I feel a little better now.

nannyL · 12/11/2008 20:13

as a nanny my bosses couldnt (and dont) care less if im on the internet during work time and yes i have been known to come on here too

they have provided me with a laptop so i have internet in the house 24/7

so long as the children are content and happy what is the problem

(incidently unless its nap time / kids at school etc i barely get a spare second, but if i happened to they wouldnt mind)

ih and in a few weeks when i proxy parent for the week, on duty 24/7 i will still log on etc cause i want and like to, and my bosses couldnt care less

marlasinger · 12/11/2008 20:11

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

marlasinger · 12/11/2008 20:10

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CatIsSleepy · 12/11/2008 20:10

marla that would be my objection too
blimey, don't kids get to an age when it's actually good to let them play on their own? use their imagination? etc?

and it's not the same as teaching surely
minding covers a lot of things-looking after, keeping safe, feeding, entertaining, encouraging kids' development

I think these things are compatible with the odd foray onto MN in a way that actually teaching them in a classroom wouldn't be

Saturn74 · 12/11/2008 20:10
Shoshe · 12/11/2008 20:09

Me Katy, but I don't think she took my answer seriously

And you know, after almost 30 years in Childcare, I am about to give up.

1 because of all the paperwork
2 because I want my home back
3 Because of totally unreasonable demands by some Parents, note I said some, 99% are brilliant, others are a complete PITA!

And BTW Pretty Candles I just got a Ofsted Reprt, Good in the new EYFS, and Outstanding in the rest, and yes I do use the bloody Internet when the kids are here!

popperdoodles · 12/11/2008 20:09

Ok I'm a cm and I have just recently discovered mn. I find it a great resourse. I only have minded children 3 days a week anyway during the day. apart from those days I look at mn in the evenings and for a short while maybe whilst they all all asleep. Whislt they are here and awake laptop is packed away. What the hee is wrong with that?

flowerybeanbag · 12/11/2008 20:09

I am ROFL at marla!

jimjamshaslefttheyurt · 12/11/2008 20:09

I think if I was a CM I would be pleased to know that 5candles was never going to risk my services (I'd quite like to be a childminder but I could never cope with the parents )

marlasinger · 12/11/2008 20:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

jimjamshaslefttheyurt · 12/11/2008 20:07

I would worry if my kids had a childminder who was hovering over their every move.

georgimama · 12/11/2008 20:07

Answer the question, fivecandles, we canout Paxman Paxman you know.

What do you expect a CM to be doing whilst their mindees are asleep?

And

Why are you on MN yourself if children have to be looked after, all the time, even when they are asleep?

marlasinger · 12/11/2008 20:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
fivecandles · 12/11/2008 20:06

'If this is all you've got to worry about, you should be very pleased about your life'

There's nothing more that parents worry about than that their kids are safe and cared for when they're not there.

There's no bigger and more important worry in my view.

Sorry, if you think that makes me 'insane'.

OP posts:
spookycharlotte121 · 12/11/2008 20:06

I havnt read the whole of this thread but when I used to baby sit my next door neighbours (about 2 or 3 years ago when I was 17) I used to take my laptop with my and do work, access the internet and chat on msn. The kids were happy playing or watching a dvd. If they wanted me to play with them that was cool but sometimes thwy just wanted to chill out and do something quiet. I dont think I was being irresponsible by using the net whilst watching the kids. They were in the same room as me and were safe. I really dont see what the problem is.

If they were on here constantly and ignoring the kids then it would be a different issue but theyre not.

hatwoman · 12/11/2008 20:06

I tie the children to the railings outside the house while I am on the internet. That way passers by can make sure they are OK and knock on the door if there is a problem.

If they are asleep I would normally head to the pub for 20 minutes or so. I'm paid to supervise / mind them - when they are asleep they don't need supervising or minding - so that's my time.

Hat's nanny

marlasinger · 12/11/2008 20:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LadyMuck · 12/11/2008 20:05

My children are asleep and I am on MN. Sorry but what exactly is your issue with this???

dustystar · 12/11/2008 20:05

me me me katy

Saturn74 · 12/11/2008 20:05

jimjams, I am affronted.
I'll have you know that my eldest son is eating vienetta and watching harry hill practising his calligraphy under my gentle and encouraging tutelage, and my youngest son has buggered off to play on his DS decided to have an early night.

Original poster
fivecandles · 12/11/2008 20:05

Look, I'm just saying that I personally would not be happy about this situation. It didn't occur to me that childminders would be Mumsnetting or otherwise surfing the net while I was paying them to mind my kids any more than it would occur to me to expect this of my kids' teachers. I think it's shocking and it has completely put me off using childminders especially given the response that my concerns have met with. I'm sure that a lot of parents would feel the same way as me and indeed a lot of childminders. Certainyl my MIL is a childminder and she would find it shocking. When she is minding children she does just that and nothing else.

OP posts:
KatyMac · 12/11/2008 20:04

Hang on

How many actual childminders have posted on this thread (apart from me)

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