Childminder cutting the grass while childminding

[yelnats]

My dd told me this evening that her Childminder was cutting the grass this afternoon while she was minding her and 4 other children under 5. Am I being unreasonable to be annoyed about this?

I don't recall anyone saying that a child minder should provide nothing more than their presence. Of course they should be taking your child to playgroups, to the park, actually playing with them and teaching them throughout the day. A good CM would naturally do these things. But, they will also go shopping and put the washing on etc.

Karma I was about to post that laundry takes 5 mins to put on and shopping takes little constant concentration...so it's different. Guess it depends on the lawn. My lawn takes an hour to cut and I concentrate on getting my stripes lined up not trimming anyone's toenails. I really cannot childmind lots of small children during that time. I have a 9yr old who will jump on the trampoline for the duration. I'd probably not do it when other friends were running around because they might run into my path etc etc

I guess it is different if the lawn is small and takes 10 mins. It might seem comparable to popping the washing on.

I would be a bit if my cm had been cutting the grass when my dd was there but thats because I think of it as a health and safety thing, lawnmowers are noisy and dangerous imo and how can she be supervising all the kids as well as doing that?

Truthfully Toothbrush, I probably wouldn't child mind and mow the law either cos mowing the lawn is what men are for. Agree that it does depend on the size and type of the garden. I think what irritated me was the OP saying that she pays her CM to entertain/supervise her dc and that the CM shouldn't be doing anything else apart from that.

I don't think I'd be happy about it.

Putting washing on, cleaning, general gardening - all absolutely fine - even better if the children are involved too! But mowing the lawn with 5 pre-schoolers seems a bit silly.

I would mow the lawn with my 2 DCs around (2.5 and 5), but not if we had friends children visiting. I think that should be the benchmark really - would you do 'xxxxxx' if you were looking after other peoples young children. And I would say no re. mowing lawn, car maintenance, use of power tools. Just seems unnecessary IMO.

karma

oblomov, I love it when people call a poo a "pooh" , as in Winnie the Pooh, always makes me giggle.

Yabu, she can't be supervising the children while cutting the grass, if she had them inside she wouldn't be able to hear them over the mower and it wouldn't be safe to have them in the garden with her while she's mowing. Totally different to doing things in the house like clearing away after meals which you would expect her to do during the course of the day.