Any other CMs struggling with their own child this holiday??

[Numberfour]

My poor 5 yr old DS seems to have had enough of the others being around! I do have a busy house and we are keeping ourselves active and out and about, but DS is really tired.

I am wondering if next summer I should have 2 days off before the children starts so that I can just have some time alone with him for him to "chill out"!

How are other childminders handling this? We have just been sitting on the kitchen floor now, with me reassuring him that he is my one and only [pfb] and that we must be very kind to the other children because their mommies are at work and they have to come to me!

DS loves having the kids around, but he seems to have no temperament for them at the mo.

I think if you have young children of your own, then you should (if you can) have reduced days in the holidays.
I only do term-time and ad-hoc one day a week for a mindee over the long holidays as in the end it's not fair on your own children, even if they get on with mindees, if they don't then it must be pure hell

I've 4 children of my own and decided after the first year to do term time and adhoc care in the holidays, your own children really need that chill out time, they need to be able to stay in their pj's and watch tv occasionally.It can be too full on with arts and crafts, outings and children to play with all the time.
I make enough money doing babysitting in the holidays in local hotels which fits in really well.
I admire any childminder that works all year round there is no way I could do it, but then I only have a small house and don't have a dedicated playroom which would make a difference to me.

I have less children coming during the holidays. I childmind five but only two come during the hols, but not on the same day.

I have four kids of my own and did not want to have lot of childrne during the holiday times.

Numberfour are you working throughout the summer hols? If you are, are you not tired yourself?

I know its not easy for children of childminders to have other children in their home. I could share my kids experience but it would take too long.

Sometimes its not just the younger children of childminders who want their space, its children who are older too.

I have to look at things from my kids view, at times. ONe more thing sometimes the children who come into your home can be annoying to your kids with their behaviour.

With childminding you are always learning. Learning what works and what does not work. All the best with the summer hols!

So baby is sleeping, DS and two others are watching a DVD.

I have been Cming for about 4 years now, and I remember some particularly hard holiday times, but those were usually because of challenging children ()

This time, DS has just come of out reception and is shattered. I think I will need to ensure more breaks for him over the school holiday periods.

I will be on leave from 21 Aug to the end of the month so we will have a good break - we are going camping which we LOVE!

Mum2bless, DS does get irritated with some of the children, you're right.

The problem is that I need to work as much as I can, but then I have to balance this against DS's needs.

Danthe4th: we are the same - no separate playroom. I would love love love love love love LOVE to have one!

My eldest two have driven me to the edge of insanity today with their relentless attitude and mis-behaviour.

The mindees have been lovely

With the older minded children one WAS in my daughters class at school, his brother is in my sons class. Got its advantages and also challenges too.

I am use to childminding the little ones whilst my kids are ALL in school. Today I have no children that I am childminding. I am much more relaxed with my own children. Childminding with my own children present is much different.

My kids will play with the little one which makes it easier for me. When it comes to sleep time I have to try to get my kids not to make too much noise and wake up the little one.

I'm struggling a bit. I have 2 dds, one is 6 and the one is 3 and I have 2-3 mindees a day but managed to have my fridays off. We are always doing activities or out and about but I can see my 6 years old is suffering a bit. My 3 years old is really hard to deal at the moment so I'm sending her with her dad to my pil this week end so I can spend some quality time with my eldest. I'm taking them to France next week and they are going to stay 3 weeks there with my parents (the last week will be with us). I dont know how I would have done it if it was not for this trip to France.

I nice to be able to have less children during the hols. I am aware that not everyone can do this for financial reasons.

Sorry must check my spelling before posting it.

I also notice that time goes quicker when my kids are at school. Its because I spend time travelling to and from school.

Hi there im a childminder with a 2 yaer old and a 7 year old and have been childminding for 4 years. I know how hard it can be with lots of kids in the holidays and luckery this year ive just got my own two and one mindee a 20month old 2 days a week. This is much easier i can give my children the attention and time they need without lots of others around. They are happier and can chill out and relax alot more and go places we couldnt normally go. Its nice not being tied down but i go without the money sometimes you have to have a balance and this year less money but time with my children is gold dust.
GOOD LUCK with the holidays if your childminding it can be long and tiring (i know).

SNAP. I have 2 boys, 7 and just turned 2. My 2 year old always drives me mad so holidays not that much different as have 4 toddlers a day in term time anyway. My 7 year old loves the outings when we're out but always says he doesn't want to go as he just wants to veg and play lego, Wii, DSi etc. But I'm reassured by the way he plays once we're out.

Having said that, although my 7 year old enjoys the going out every day etc. he really does need some chill out time and is woken up earlier than he wants to the sound of kids arriving at 7.30am!! I know he'd love to stay in his pjs all day, watch tv (don't really allow when minding!) and get some proper attention too. But I'm one of those who has to have the full 6 kids, all day every day just to survive (especially since dh was made redundant! ) I'd LOVE to have some quality time with just my kids! I am really looking forward to October half term though as I've taken that week off to spend time with mainly my eldest. When I think of next year's dates, I think I'll factor some summer holiday time off too!!

I must say I'm VERY lucky that I have some on holiday tomorrow and therefore only have 1 mindee (who is currently here staying overnight so no early drop off tomorrow )

I'm lucky to not have to work in term times and get double for ds to be home since dh's terms are different, but if ds were with a cm whose kids were on holiday and I had to work I'd be more than ok with at least a few pj and tv days or chill out at home days. We've had a few here!
All the cms in MN work extremely hard from what I've read - I hope You do take a relax day, looneytune! And others. You deserve it.

I have had trouble with my DD (age 11) being tired and just needing a bit of peace in the Summer. My lovely brother saw her plight and now takes her away to stay with his family for a week each Summer, so she can just play and relax, without having to remember to shut stair gates, be quiet when the babies are sleeping, etc. This year I have ignored the bank manager and have booked a week off minding before she starts Secondary School in September, so she can relax and get prepared in a quiet environment.

HSMM, I am thinking of taking at least the Friday before DS starts Yr 1 - we would have been off for 10 days, then work for 3, then the last Friday I only have one boy and his mother is fairly flexible, so I will ask her today.

I will definitely give DS a few days' break before having the children next year.

It is comforting to know that I am not the only one going through this. I thought I was perhaps doing something wrong with him - other then bombarding him with unchosen playmates!

I have 3dds ages 9, 12 and 15. I took the decision last year to only work 3 days aweek during the holidays as my own childrens needs were not being met, when I was working 5 days a week last year I had no energy to spend any quality time with my children and I was continually catching up with chores at the weekends so spending very little time with them. It also meant that due to the enormous variation in ages that I was looking after that all my activities were aimed at my mindees as I found it very difficult to do activities that both my own DDs and mindees could join in together.

It is very hard financially to mange on 3 days fees aweek but I'm aware that my own children are growing up and I won't have this time with them again.

yy henni

My children were EXHAUSTED last week and found it hard to adjust to the tinies being here

next week will be a bit grim because my car is due in the garage on Monday and I am crossing fingers that the mechanic can fix it (electrics) quickly so that we can carry on with our planned trips and activities

heigh ho [sigh]

I am definitely going to cut down for future school holidays. DS is still shattered, but then we went to see my elderly aunt this weekend and were kept extremely busy! it is now nearly 10pm and he is still awake....