Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3 4

Original poster

to not want to do childminding

96 replies

kennyp · 05/07/2015 10:24

someone i know but i'm so not friends with asks me "what days could you look after my children after school"

i am NOT a childminder
i don't want to be
i work anyway
i am not a fan of her kids
i live opposite the school which i suppose is why she thinks it's okay to ask me

should i say
a. i'm busy/working/etc and can't do any afternoons
b. i don't do childcare.

this has been pissing me off for AGES (she's "waiting" to hear back about what days i can do(!!!!)) and i can't decide what to say. she's not a friend so i've got nothing to lose

OP posts:

lantien · 05/07/2015 12:53

WTF? Instead of simply telling the poor woman she's made a mistake, and the OP doesn't do child minding?

Well personally I would have put her right immediately - but still it's not the OP job to chase after this mother whether she has made an innocent mistake or is trying it on.

DoreenLethal · 05/07/2015 13:11

this has been pissing me off for AGES (she's "waiting" to hear back about what days i can do(!!!!)) and i can't decide what to say.

When she asks again say 'I think you got me confused with someone who does childcare!'.

pudcat · 05/07/2015 13:15

Why didn't you say she had made a mistake when she asked you. She has got you muddled with someone else.

Aeroflotgirl · 05/07/2015 13:46

Tell her no, you are not a childminder and don't want to be

WorraLiberty · 05/07/2015 13:50

lantien there's no 'chasing' involved. The OP works at the school and can quite simply approach or text the mother, which would be the decent thing to do here, rather than string her along with false hope.

notquitehuman · 05/07/2015 13:51

"Yeah I'll look after your kids. As long as you don't mind that I've got a criminal record. " psycho stare

tobysmum77 · 05/07/2015 13:53

LOL I can't believe you need to ask this

Are there really people that cheeky?

ConfusedInBath · 05/07/2015 13:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MsPavlichenko · 05/07/2015 13:56

Tbh even if you were a CM, she is being rude as CM's don't have to accept children they don't want. I'd text asap, telling her you aren't available.

SavoyCabbage · 05/07/2015 13:56

You either need to tell her or register as a childminder and then get back to her with the days you can have her dc, like she asked.

Presumably you will have lots of available spots as she will be your first customer!

Fatmomma99 · 05/07/2015 13:58

If you work in the school I assume that as a general rule you are nice to other people's kids. Hence possibly why the assumption was incorrectly made.

I find this thread quite amusing.

I hope you'll let us know what you finally reply to her.

Tanith · 05/07/2015 14:14

That sounds like an enquiry to me (I'm a childminder).
I would say she's almost certainly made a mistake rather than trying to angle free childcare from you.

Just tell her, Op.

Andrewofgg · 05/07/2015 14:14

None is twice as long as No and it's also a complete sentence!

lantien · 05/07/2015 14:15

lantien there's no 'chasing' involved. The OP works at the school and can quite simply approach or text the mother

A quick text is little effort - and possibly better than being cornered again - but how has this mother got hold of the OP mobile number? It's not routine to give out staff members phones at my DC school or other parents numbers. Certainly a quick - it's not possible please stop texting via text with no discussion and no chance for OP to be roped into arrangements she doesn't want would be easiest.

But seeking someone on out to tell them no - I don't see why the OP should be chasing the parents as it's their job it to sort out appropriate Ofsted registered childcare for their child and find the correct contact details.

Just because OP works at the school - doesn't mean she has time to chase after other parents especially as I assume she's probably working at least school hours so presumably busy at pickup and off time.

TBH if a child-minder wasn't getting back to me I'd assume it was a no go and look for other options.

iliketea · 05/07/2015 14:17

I've just connected that you work in the school - does she think you run the after school club, and so has asked to see what spaces there might be? In which case, text "sorry, I don't work for the after school club,, here is the contact details for the right person to speak to...."

Sometimesjustonesecond · 05/07/2015 14:19

I never understand these threads. Why dont people just put the othet person straight in the first place?

lantien · 05/07/2015 14:27

Why don't people just put the other person straight in the first place?

Well quite.

A well no it's not possible have you tried after school club so and so runs - or ask at the school office about contact details for the club? or I think the council holds a list of registered child-minders or perhaps the school office has a list? Would all be obvious initial responses.

Though the question to OP is full of assumptions that that OP is going to do it - I think my first question would be check that they were a child-minder or running the out of school club and proceed from there. Even if I was pretty sure I had the right person - it would be my way of starting the conversation.

chaiselounger · 05/07/2015 14:58

Why are you even asking?

CheerfulYank · 05/07/2015 15:05

Tell her!

Aeroflotgirl · 05/07/2015 15:13

I think this a Sunday aftermoon thread when were bored, surely people can't be that silly as not to put her right straight away.

TestingTestingWonTooFree · 05/07/2015 15:22

I think the delay in getting back to her suggests that you might be available. I really can't understand why you didn't rule it out immediately on being asked.

CrystalHaze · 05/07/2015 17:08

I don't see why the OP should be chasing the parents

You're right, she absolutely should not be chasing the parents.

She absolutely should have said 'no' when she was first asked. It's kind of mind boggling that she didn't

WayneRooneysHair · 05/07/2015 17:13

Why didn't you set her straight OP?

Nettymaniaa · 05/07/2015 17:21

I would say I am not a childminder and have no intentions of becoming one thank you. End of.

Iliveinalighthousewith2friendl · 05/07/2015 17:23

You could be her kids greatest fan. That's neither hrs nor there.
You couldn't look after them anyway. You have to be a registered cm, and approved by ofsted.
Just say you're not a cm. which you're not

Flip

1 2 3 4

Swipe left for the next trending thread