Childminders with assistants.........

[Jenum71]

would you recommend having an assistant?

Jenum, I work with 2 other registered minders and 2 assistants - I couldn't be without them....but I'm in a very unusual situation

Myself and my partner are both registered and we will have an assistant 3 times a week once we open in November. I don't think it's a necessity, but I'm sure it will make things easier for us and give the children another source of entertainment!

I have dh and dds registered as assistants but only for emergency back-up, occasional overlapping hours or extra occasional days. As they are all usually at college/university/work, it isn't something that is available all the time anyway, but dh has the option of working from home if necessary (so he can choose days when I would like him in the house!)

I admire katymac with her assistants, but I prefer to work alone!

I think you should pity me - I think they are loads of extra work

I'm now on my 4th draft for October's timesheets

So can you delegate to make the coffee? (or do you do what I do and realise at 6.00pm that the one you made for yourself at 7.00am is stone cold and has got a nice, thick skin on it ??!!)

I drink tea - up until the start of this term I have been runing round making them tea

But I have stopped and I have started to ask them to make me a cup.

Occasionally I get to drink 2/3rds before it's cold - but last term it was often just warmed up in the MW (I don't have milk)

I am so busy that I just have to drink water straight out of the tap ...

How many times could a cup of coffee (or your tea!!) get reheated in microwave before it combusts?

I have to go to toddler groups etc. otherwise I'd never have a hot drink!

Or you set the timer wrong and when you finally get back to it after 2 nappy changes and a nose blow all you have left is a very dirty M/W and an empty cup

Make sure you don't put the stinky nappy in the microwave by mistake ...

Don't go there - I can't cope with the thought

Whats your unusual situation (if you dont mind me asking!?)

I can have upto 9 under 5's and there are normally 3 adults working

I have built a playroom (to keep them out my house)

I have 3 employees

What I run is like a mini nursery (with no education) - but in a homebased setting

That sounds really good.

Sounds like a lot of hard work, but good for you!
Don't think I could do it!

I have an assistant. I bascially run a before and after school club. Where including our own we have 16 children. We walk them home from school in pairs with one of us at the front and one at the back. One of us cooks the dinner whilst the other amuses the children. Before anyone wonders only 10 of the children are under 8 the other 6 between 8-11 years. shortly 3 of the under 8's will turn 8 but we won't be adding anymore to the under 8's.

Blimey!

You have your work cut out!

Xena,

Hope you don't mind me asking but do you have a huge house?

I'm going to be working with a co-childminder and they've only registered us for 7 under 8's. I'm in a pretty standard 3 bed terraced house mind you.

Tina

Its a 4 bed victorian terrace we have a front room 16x14ft back room 24x14ft and a conseravtory that is 9x8 which we use as a dining room for the children plus obv a kitchen and a downstrairs toilet.

So yeah, quite a lot larger than mine. We've got a living room which is about 16x12 a kitchen which is about the same and a conservatory which is about the same again.

Jenny - emailed you but basically, had reply from CIS rep and she said don't need to register for care under 2 hrs at a time. Do however need permission signed from parents!

Could anyone tell me where I would find occassional work with a childminder? Im in SW London. Thanks

lgcooper - I'm not sure that it would be advertised

Most C/Mers work by themselves by choice

Why are you looking for work with a C/Mer, are you thinking of becoming a C/Mer yourself?