A question for CMs....

[becaroo]

....what do you do with your mindees?

i.e. do you follow the EYFS? Do you have activities planned for each day/segment of the day?

Sorry to sound so dense, but I am looking into sending my (just) 2 year old to a local CM and wondered what he would do whilst there.

It would only be 2 - possibly 3 - mornings per week to give me a break....its been a tough year and my eldest (7) will be back at school.

Any info or advice on what to expect very gratefully received!!!!

Hi Becaroo, you might remember me from our '08 thread. I'm a CM and yes they should be following the EYFS, although that (in my opinion) will not be noticed by your son as the main principle is 'learning through play' so basically he should be playing all day, as well as being fed, watered and having a nap if he still needs one.

My days tend to look like this:
Breakfast/snack at 08:15, play at home until 10:00 then park on way to Children's Centre or Playgroup, come home for lunch at 12:00 then naps, play at home until 14:30 then might go out to a soft play or something, otherwise we play at mine until pick up. I also take them regularly to various soft play centres, we go to the library, a couple of different Children's Centres, we go to a couple of different parks etc.

When at home we play with normal 'kids' stuff, I tend to keep the art/craft activities to sticking/cutting and roll out the paints in the summer when we can do it outside, we go to Children's Centres 4 out of the 5 days and they always have paint so I don't feel I need to do it at home.

yy learning through play

The CM will observe your child, and follow their interests to extend their learning; for example if she really likes playdough then introduce biscuit making, clay play, scissor activities, that kind of thing

We are out every morning, to groups or to the woods/playing fields/soft play, then lunch/naps depending on each child, then home play/baking/craft, school pick up, (snack in amongst this somewhere ho ho) play and home

I am sorry that you have had a rubbish year

Oh, and don't worry about sending him to the CM just to 'give you a break' - no minder that I know (and I know LOADS) give two hoots as to what the parents do with their time when the child is with us

Rested, relaxed parent = calm family life (simplistic but true)

DMFIB Not only are you very clever to notice my sons are gorgeous, but you have great taste in music too!!!!

Hey lolli!!! Lovely to hear from you! Thanks for all that info....I suppose I am worried as if he is only there for say, 2-3 hours 3 x per week then what can she do with him IYSWIM???

BALD I completely agree it should all be about learning through play. ds2 will really miss ds1 when he goes back to school on monday..they adore one another

If I am honest, I do feel bad about putting him into childcare just because I need a break, but it isnt just that reason, he will really miss having his dbro around and I think he needs the interaction with other kids.

The other option of course is a pre school but I feel if its possible then a CM environment is better for them at such a young age IYKWIM?

Thanks for the info x

Becaroo - I too would put DD to a CM or playgroup just to get a couple of hours to myself, I haven't had a crap year, I am just a mum that would appreciate a few minutes to myself!! If anyone tells you that it has never crossed their mind to do that then they are fibbing!

In any case, I know for a fact that all of my mindees come to me even when their parents have a day off, and I don't give a monkey's. The only time I find it a little frustrating is when they palm an ill child off on me when they have a day off

lolli oooh I hate that too I can hand on heart say I never have and never will do that...I remember when my (asthmatic) ds1 was at pre school and a mum kept bringing her dd in who had whooping cough

I live in a small village and there arent many toddler groups etc going on so I feel its a choice of either private nursery/pre-school or CM.

ds2 will miss ds1 so much and he is much more gregarious than ds1 was at the same age and needs the interaction I think.