childminders on MN when someone is paying them to look after their dc

[shinola]

am looking for a childminder so has a look athe childminders and staffroom bit of mumsntet

and see loads of messages from childminder, in work hours on line, in time they are be paid to work by us hard working mums, moaning about us hard working mums.

how dare they? I mean, if you are going to moan, do it in your own time

I don't have time to go on mumnset when I'm with ds, how do they find the time? what happens to the kis they look after? and t add insult to injury they are using their paid time to moan about people who are paying them

but not even that, I can't believe any reputable childminder or nanny can be on mumsnet when they are supposed to be looking after kids

money for old rope

Shinola, I have the perfect solution stay at home and look after your children yourself.

I can sort of see where the OP is coming from - I wouldnt be happy paying for childcare for that said provider to be surfing etc. If you are paying for a service you should get that said service. However if the mindee was a baby and sleeping then I suppose I wouldnt be too bothered.

Forums and the net are great and help people - but they also open your eyes to things as well.

I personally wouldnt use a childminder for various reasons but cant say asking over use of internet would have been on my list of questions to ask.

The thought had crossed my mind, too ...

I am absolutely confident in the professionalism of my childminder. If, in her professional judgement, my dd is happily engaged in something which does not need direct supervision, support or intervention, I hope that she takes the time to have a few minutes peace to make a cup of coffee, put her feet up or send an e-mail.

I do not expect her to "entertain" my daughter all day. In fact, I would be horrified if she did. I certainly never do. I think it's vital that my daughter begins to develop the skills to concentrate on play on her own, or with other children.

Absolutely Littlefish. I had a CM who was great. And as the person who was paying her wages, I expected her to be professional - which she was.

Thanks alfiesbabe.

Just thought of another thing!

The reason I always wanted my dd to be looked after by a childminder is that I wanted her formative years to be spent in a home environment - either our own, or someone else's.

Our home environment is one where dd is involved in cooking, making choices, gardening, shopping, going to different places, tidying up, doing the washing, reading together, or watching me read, watching the television, being imaginative, playing on the computer, or seeing me on the computer, singing songs, having friends round, or visitng friends etc. etc. etc.

I have every confidence that her time with the childminder is the same. I don't want her to have or do anything different from that which she has or does at home.

She is with a wonderful, caring, talented and professional childminder who treats her as one of the family. That is why my daughter is so happy with her, and why I feel confident going to work and leaving my daughter in someone else's care.

It must be hard work looking after other people's children for 10 hours a day without a proper break and if my childminder found it theraputic to go on-line briefly to seek support, have a whinge or a laugh with like-minded people then I would fully support that. Far rather that, than her feel grumpy!

Shinola, it doesn't sound like a childminder would suit your needs, so may I respectfully suggest that you look into nurseries and avoid criticising (sp!) a profession which you clearly don't understand and have little respect for.

Littlefish (& alfiesbabe) I love you lots

What a load of bollocks!

I'm a cm, i have my computer on most days for a lot of the day..we send pics to parents, email them with little messages from their children, play online game(no not bungo and poker!, nickjr cbeebies etc), print off prinatbles for them to colour in..if children are amusing them selves i will pop on to maybe look for supplies/toys, here or on actual websites, if i have a prob throughout day, im here quick as flash cos you can guarantee you will get someone to help..better than sat worrying over it..how on earth do you KNOW some cm's are on here all day??...ill pop on, post and if all calm, sit here a minute..most times i post and am off, then ill check the next time i pass computer, if the mindees are asleep and everything i need to do has been done, ill pop in here and other websites..i was on for 2 hours fri as my mindees were at school/preschool and asleep.

Every person on here 'probably' should be doing something else while theyre here through the day, if theyre a sahm or out at work, im sure they'll click off MN when their boss wanders into the room, but on breaks or when quiet??!!!..obv you could start and argument in an empty room and have pondered what would cause as godd un' on here!?

I'll share my chocolate buttons with you...you've been really nice & you need a sticker

oooh can i have a sticker too please

A nice shiney red star for being lovely

ROSEgarden - I love the idea of the children e-mailing their parents at work. That would absolutely make my day

You are both welcome in the Staff Room and are now honorary childminders. Don't be logging on unless you've got a spare 5 mins mind!

Hi Mo - very free with your favours aren't you?

Its the drink talking!

I like nice people and they are both nice people, so they can be my friends!

well, I found childminding that hard that I chucked it in within a year...it was the most difficult job I ever did, besides parenting my own Kids, that is...
give a cm a chance...obviously if your child is neglected that is a whole other story, bt children really do NOT need to be anybodys axes 100% of the time ever day, you know...they thrive on independence and playing wiht other children, etc...as well...

Ooooh, look at me

I'd love to come and visit the staff room. When I come, I'll tell you what I do for a living, and why

I have given up childminding and I nannied before my DD and DS came along. I see no problem with a CM being on mumsnet (as long as not A-L-L the time, if you get me) but TBH hanging the washing out/emptying the bin etc... probably takes more time to do than add a short post here.

I feel it does no favours for you or the child if they have your 100% undivided attention. What when another comes along? What when you have to do something? Both of mine are happier when playing ith each other or without my help. And i'm not saying that I don't spend time with them because I do, an awful lot BUT we BOTH need time out and space.

I do appreciate that you feel you are 'paying' for their time but as I understand you are paying for childcare within their own home, in a home environment. It's what mums do in their own home ~ it's called multi-tasking

My suggestion is (and I feel you're rather bitter because you might think your CM is on here talking about your DS ??) if you want DS to have 100% attention all the time, then pay for a nanny whom will give you it in contract that her sole responsibility will be your DS. I'm sure no CM will be able to or want to commit to it, or at least I wouldn't of. I had DD and DS and other mindees to watch.

climbs off soap box, still rather narked at Shinola's attitude

Oh god, I hope she's not an undercover Ofsted officer, checking out our internet usage!

HappyMummyOfOne on Sat 09-Feb-08 18:23:40
"I can sort of see where the OP is coming from - I wouldnt be happy paying for childcare for that said provider to be surfing etc. If you are paying for a service you should get that said service."

Question is, what service is it that you are paying for? Should a CM push ahead with doing things that aren't good for the mindees, simply to give value for money? After a few years of my first CM, I realised that I was paying to have my children overstimulated and unhappy because that made her feel good, and because she thought it would make us feel good.

I am very happy to pay for (part-time) childminding now that it is taking place in a more relaxed, natural home environment.

i'd be happy to know my cm wasn't being driven mad all day and rather had the time to relax.

i'd be even happier if she was on mumsnet, cos she's not likely to be a crazy claire verity type

My childminder is fantastic, my daughter is very happy with her and as others have said she is in a home environment. I would love to be a STAM but as a single mum if I don't pay the morgage no-one else will. My childminder gives me peace of mind that she is the next best thing (to me!) for my daughter whilst I have to be at work.

Yes I AM paying my childminder to look after my child and wish I could afford to pay her more as in my eyes she is outstanding. If she had 5 minutes for a coffee break I would not mind if she spent some time on MN as I know she would NEVER knowingly jepordise the safety of my daughter.

I think it takes time to find the childminder who is right for you and your children and I know I have been very very lucky in finding mine.

My (little) children are like duchesse's: if you can't see them, you can guarantee they're doing something destructive or dangerous or both.

I'm sure it must be possible (with different children) to post on MN while caring for children, but in my case I would expect a CM to do the same as I do and pretty much never sit down or turn their back on the children.

Not because I would like to be mean to CMs and stop them from having fun, but because I've learned that taking my attention off the children even for 2 minutes is inviting disaster.

[tired]