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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

276 replies

shinola · 08/02/2008 22:55

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

OP posts:
TabithaTwitchett · 09/02/2008 01:17

I looked after dd for 10 months and would say it was a lot harder than going to work!

scottishmummy · 09/02/2008 01:20

imo, work is hardener than baby eg work load, interactions with others, deadlines, professional competencies.baby was different kind of hard

TabithaTwitchett · 09/02/2008 01:44

Getting a large latte is not part of the deal!

MAMAZON · 09/02/2008 08:09

"this taps into many working mums fear CM sat on Lazy arse Internet whilst working mum out slogging to pay mortgage , CM and Internet."

then they should re train and become a CM....then they can sit on their bums playing with kids and using MN.

its quite simple...find a Cm that doesn't have internet access, or a TV, or friends, bann her from buying the daily newspaper, remove her phone, demand that she doesn't do any form opf housework....etc etc

what do you expect her to do? spend 8 hours a day staring at your child?

belgo · 09/02/2008 08:22

loads of people on mumsnet are at work while mumsnetting, whether it's childminding or in an office. As long a they get the actual work done, what's the problem?

smeeinit · 09/02/2008 09:03

shinola, good luck finding anyone to care for you child whilst your at work.

if you came for a meeting with me and had that attitude id tell you where to go.

are you aware how many cms there are in the uk? and you are judging all of them on how many post on MN during work hours?

(most) cms are proffesionals who are trained and inspected by OFSTED and work hard to provide good quality care in a home from home enviroment.
if during the course of the day,i.e luchtime,nap time,kids happy doing an activity etc.. a cm chooses to do a quick internet check then whats the problem?
for many cms the internet is a lifeline, remember we work alone, if there is a problem,question,querie,MN is a good source to ask a question and getting an immediate answer.

your attitude towards cms judged purely on what you have seen on an internet forum is judgemental and appaling.

saltire · 09/02/2008 09:33

Agree with smee. The Childminders part of MN has been a great source of help and support for me as a CM. Sort of!

I once got asked by a MNetter "and who is looking after your mindees whilst on here". I pointed out that mindee 1 was at nursery, mindee 2 was at playgroup and mindee3 was sleeping. Therefore I was entitled to do what I wanted!
Just because someone who is, as you put it "paid to look after someones child" is on the internet, how do you know what is going on in their home? the mindees could be asleep, playing, eating or at school.
Am wondering if this is a wind up thread.

madamez · 09/02/2008 10:06

I like the suggestion that, instead of using the time when mindees are asleep or playing independently to go on MN, the CMs shoudl be doing hosuework. Because that;s what this is really about, isn;t it, OP. You think that childminders are servants and therefore shouldn't dream of having any kind of independent life: if you;re paying them to mind your children they should be cleanign your house as well...

vInTaGeVioLeT · 09/02/2008 10:10

good grief - i can't believe the op thinks c/m should be providing stimulating activities 100% of the time

i work 10hr days as a c/m - TBH i don't get much time to get on-line while i'm working but if i get a chance i will pop on if the kids are engrossed/content playing - c/m's don't get a lunch break or a "real" staffroom to unwind in with a cuppa, so i can not see the harm in popping on to mumsnet for a quick chat about our working day to other c/m's - we don't just moan, we really help each other out with advice and support in what can be quite an isolated job

as for moaning about our "employer" don't you ever have a moan about your boss?

colditz · 09/02/2008 10:15

'Us hard working mums' appears to be, in fact, you. Because nobody else seems to mind, Shinola.

I don't want my children's care to be perfect, I want it to be natural, and that means seeing the adult in charge of their care sitting down occasionally with a cup of tea and having a rest. Children who are continually stimulated by one to one caring adults tend to behave like spoilt brats if, all of a sudden, that stimulation stops for any reason. And I %know, because I was that child, and even to this day need constant input.

kindersurprise · 09/02/2008 10:18

And since when is a childminder not a "hard working mum" too?

mawbroon · 09/02/2008 10:30

Scottishmummy - the parents don't pay the childminders wages. Childminders are not employed by the parents. The parents pay the childminder for the service provided. If the service fails to meet the parents expectations then they are free to go elsewhere.

vInTaGeVioLeT · 09/02/2008 10:35

i don't really understand tabithatwitchetts posts about helping the household we are talking about childminders who work in their own houses - so it's ok for them to do housework while being paid to mind but not go online

MaureenMLove · 09/02/2008 10:39

Ju, so sorry you had to defend our corner, on your own. Such a shame I was already in bed, since I started minding at 6.30 yesterday morning and didn't finish until 6.30 last night!

I have only one thing to say, in the words of that most wonderful childcare worker Mary Poppins. 'Let me make one thing perfectly clear, I NEVER explain myself to anyone!'

vInTaGeVioLeT · 09/02/2008 10:40
Grin
smeeinit · 09/02/2008 10:41

very good mo!

MaureenMLove · 09/02/2008 10:43

Trouble is, I'm not Mary Poppins, although I am almost perfect and I'm gagging to kick off!

smeeinit · 09/02/2008 10:46

go mo,go mo, go mo,!!!!

alfiesbabe · 09/02/2008 10:49

For goodness sake, surely this is a matter of common sense? I can't see what's wrong with a CM having a quick check on MN while mindees are sleeping/playing. If on the other hand, the CM was surfing the net for an hour or so at the expense of the children then, yes, I'd be bloody angry. A parent may not be the employer per se, (CM are self employed) but we do pay a hefty chunk of our earnings to them and are entitled to a good quality service. I dont see how anyone can disagree with that. And I agree with Scramble - a good CM will want to be taken seriously, and will view their service in a professional way. I wouldnt dream of logging onto MN when teaching a class, and I wouldnt expect a CM to do the same if it meant compromising the care of the children.

KatyMac · 09/02/2008 11:05

I am a childminder
I spend vast quantities of time on the internet
Usually with children in the room

But I am researching opening a nursery & I have assistants

I would still spend time on the internet even if I didn't

I think childminders should be able to use the european working time directive and have a 30 min break every 6 hours (or whatever it is)

As it is I'd be pleased to do a wee by myself
as no matter how many staff I have in, a child will sit outside the loo and talk to me whenever I'm there - maybe they think I'll get lonely or something?

alfiesbabe · 09/02/2008 11:16

I'm sure many working people would love to use the working time directive! As a teacher, I rarely get a lunch break - even when i try I probably get 10 interruptions from kids/parents calling or various crises!

KatyMac · 09/02/2008 11:20

Do they follow you to the loo too?

MamaGotMassiveNorks · 09/02/2008 11:21

HMMMM [suspicious] I think a naughty regular MAY be namechanging here. But I won't name hunker and greensleeves names

Surely nobody REALLY thinks this? If you are new shinola, please read this thread and take on board the comments. If you are a regular who has namechanged but genuinely believes this, please have the courage to be "yourself"

MaureenMLove · 09/02/2008 11:26

Morning m'dear. I'm putting a special package together for you, with a list of top tips for cake making! I feel like the professor on Bedknobs & Broomsticks! He did witchcraft by correspondence and I'm doing cake making!

Oh, hope no one minds me hijacking this lovely thread. As I said before, I have no comment to make on the subject, its nothing to do with anyone other than me & my parents, what I do all day!

Original poster
shinola · 09/02/2008 11:27

had to log on to see what was happening - this is addicitive!

I'm me, I'm new, how many times do I have to say it

and logging on for professional reasons is fine, short posts etc, but if you are providing a high quality service I don't see how that can be compatible with a lot of time spent on here

sorry, but I don't

and alfiesbabe - I really wouldn't be happy with you spending 'vast amounts of time' on the internet researching your future career when I have paid you to be in charge

unless the parents you provide a service to know, and are happy, then I will gladly eat my words

OP posts:
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