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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

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Original poster

work from home.childminding or anything else

34 replies

ivet83 · 07/02/2006 14:11

hello everyone i want to ask you about childming and work from home in general.i have an eight months old daughter and i stay at home looking after her.we are getting a mortgage soon so i want to help my husband with the money.i want to register as a childminder or anything else i can do from home.i can see that many of you work with their computers from home but what do you actually do?i have come across many websites offering work from home but its all crap.pay us money and whatever they are just not real.i want to actually do smth at home and get paid for it.and i am not sure if childminding is a good idea.scared of designing my home as a nursery.help

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Isyhan · 07/02/2006 15:22

I went through all this as I have a 5 mth old baby. I decided to register as CM but like anything its not quite as straightforward as you think. Ive been putting my OFSTED file together now along with all my policies, learning about tax etc,sorting the house out to make it extra child friendly for about two months now. It sounds like there is alot to do but there is! Then Ive got to go through all the checks, have a registration inspection and advertise etc. Having thought about other options this I think is the easiest unless you are employed and they let you work from home. I wouldnt bother with many of the other computer 'jobs' most of them are scams or you earn peanuts.

spykid · 07/02/2006 15:24

ivet I work for Usborne books, selling childrens books from home. I do it as a supplementary income as I also work part time, but I know of lots of people who make a very decent salary from it

Isyhan · 07/02/2006 15:36

Spikid- whats a very decent salary? It can mean different things to different people. Im interested because you hear people say they sell things on e bay and make a decent salary but how much is decent?

Kayleigh · 07/02/2006 16:01

I am work part time in the city and have become a Mini IQ accociate so that I can give up my office job and have something to fit around my kids. Ds1 is 7 amd ds2 is 4.

Mini IQ sell a wide range of educational books toys and games for babies to key stage 2 (age 12). They offer a fantastic business opportunity (as it is a relatively new company) and it is perfect for stay at home mums or anyone looking to increase their income. It can be adapted to suit your individual circumstances. There are no sales targets, but the harder you work the more you earn.

Kayleigh · 07/02/2006 16:01

sorry ..."I am working" !

Original poster

ivet83 · 07/02/2006 16:08

to Isyhan

exactly i think they earn peanuts as well.well you hear all of them saying oh i wake up in the morning with a cup of coffee i sit on the computer and that's it.but that's what i am saying can earn like 300-400pounds a weeks this is what i call earning.anyway,so do you think it's worth it,i mean being a childminder?and when you say sorting out the house what exactly do you do?i mean is it only one play room that you have or can the kids go into every room and how exactly do you arrange it?i know about the whole registration process that doesnt scare me but the job itself.how do i know if it's for me?

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LoveMyGirls · 07/02/2006 16:19

im going through the registration process and i felt like you when i first started thinking about it. i went to a registration meeting and got leaflets etc.
i am planning on using the living room for quiet time, floor play and the dining room for creative/ messy play and my dd's room fornap times if we are being too noisy downstairs though i will try to have quiet time when toddlers are having a nap. so far i have fitted cupboard locks and changed my furniture to make more space for the children to play i have also bought outdoor equiptment like a playhouse, swings slide etc but i probbaly would have bought them for dd's anyway tbh.
im expecting to be able to earn about £150/200 per week and for my house to take a bit of battering (like it does anyway with your own kids) hth

Original poster

ivet83 · 07/02/2006 16:19

where should i search for usborne books and how do you start with them?ooo and to the other person with
the mini IQ how do you become one.and these things that you guys do do they gurantee you the income?

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Kayleigh · 07/02/2006 16:25

ivet83, mini iq or usbourne books won't guarantee you an income. You will only earn if you sell. Having said that mini iq have a very generous associate package:-

You receive 25% retail profit
Up to a further 15% in commission on the wholesale value of the products you sell.
In building a team you will also recieve up to a further 12% commission on the wholesale value of both your own sales as well as your team's income

Please email me if you want more info on shelley at bennett-dodd dot wanadoo dot co dot uk. Will be happy to answer all your questions

Original poster

ivet83 · 07/02/2006 16:27

ok so it sounds like you basically have to adapt half of the house for the children.i thought that the living room will be enough for everything.and that's what worries me cause i want to be able to decorate like i want and i am really tidy as well.my daughter is small to make a mess not just yet.but she will soon i guess.and do you know howm much you would take in london if you live there?

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Original poster

ivet83 · 07/02/2006 16:32

that's what i don't like in these sales jobs.there is a potential to earn but not guranteed.

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Original poster

ivet83 · 07/02/2006 16:44

i would greatly appreciate it if anyone works as a childminder can join this discussion because i am really curious about all aspect of that job.from what do you do all day with the kids to arranging your home and so on.thanks

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ThePrisoner · 07/02/2006 18:29

ivet83 - lots of the things that you have to do to your house for childminding are the things that you would have to be thinking about once you have a crawling baby anyway (stairgates, cupboard locks, socket covers, moving things to a higher level etc).

I work full-time as a childminder, and no longer have small children of my own. My house is not specially adapted for mindees, but it obviously has to be safe. We use all of the downstairs rooms, but not upstairs. It certainly doesn't look anything like a nursery, it is my home and I want it to stay that way!!

I have children of all ages, including children before and after school. You can take on as much or as little work as you feel you can manage. You may choose to have just one toddler during the week, or you might just have older schoolchildren.

As LoveMyGirls says, you can go to a pre-registration meeting which will tell you answers to some of the questions you may have.

Original poster

ivet83 · 07/02/2006 18:38

to theprisoner

thanks for your message.do you think it's better to have younger children under five or school kids.which ones are more trouble.i am just curious.and if i may ask can you choose which child to take on or not?and as a childminder do you necesary go to school with them and pick them up?do you need a car to go places with them?cause i don't drive.i heard that you have to go to libraries,playgroups and so on.i thought this was looking after kids in my home not being a tour guide.

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HappyMumof2 · 07/02/2006 18:47

Message withdrawn

Original poster

ivet83 · 07/02/2006 18:57

along with wanting to become a childminder i also thought of going back to work and sending my child to nursery.i can honestly say that i never expected to pay 1000pounds nursery for a month in london.i mean i want to go to work to earn money right?and it turns out that i have to work to pay the nursery which is rediculous.it doesn't make sense.how does the government encourage families to have kids?that's one of the reasons i thought about childming.its obvious i cant send her to nursery i might as well look after more kids to earn smth and for my child to socialise with other kids too.

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HappyMumof2 · 07/02/2006 18:59

Message withdrawn

ThePrisoner · 07/02/2006 19:07

As my own children were older when I started minding, I had experience of all age groups, so certainly haven't found any ages being a problem. I guess it would be a bit more difficult to have a much older schoolchild if you don't know anything about that age, but it's not rocket science and you'd soon learn. Lots of other childminders mind older children and only have toddlers of their own, so you can make it work.

I love looking after babies, but I also love them learning to walk, becoming toddlers, and then seeing them off to school. Some childminders don't have babies, others won't have over fives.

As HappyMum says, I think you'd soon find that staying indoors all day long with a child would soon tip you over the edge! Going to a toddler group or soft play session is good for your sanity, not just fun for the children.

You don't have to drive to go out and about, I know minders who use public transport! Do you have a school which is walking distance? If you had children before or after school, you would have to go to the school to drop off and pick up.

Also agreeing with HappyMum, you don't have to take on anyone you don't want to.

ThePrisoner · 07/02/2006 19:10

Another agreement with HappyMum - don't be a childminder if you don't want to work with and care for children. I do this job because I love being my own boss and I love mucking around with children. I wouldn't do it if I didn't earn a decent wage from it, but you definitely have to want to do it (not for the money).

mumlove · 07/02/2006 19:36

ivet83 - you said this (along with wanting to become a childminder i also thought of going back to work and sending my child to nursery.i can honestly say that i never expected to pay 1000pounds nursery for a month in london)

1 question I would like to ask you is why wouldn't you sent your DD to a childminder, you are asking for our advice but still wouldn't use 1 of us for your own child?

most childminders are cheaper than a nursery and gives better care to a child under the age of 5yrs and the same face to see every day they go.

Original poster

ivet83 · 07/02/2006 19:47

well i enjoy looking after my child but i don't know about other children.i just don't know how is gonna be.i am at the stage where i have to see if this is what i want.i wouldn't do it just for the money.no way

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HappyMumof2 · 07/02/2006 19:49

Message withdrawn

Original poster

ivet83 · 07/02/2006 20:01

i qualify for child tax credit not for working tax credit so there is no help out there

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Original poster

ivet83 · 07/02/2006 20:03

i don't mind you are not being rude but how would i know if i've never looked after other people's kids

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lexiemum · 07/02/2006 22:05

ivet - I'm not a cm but would consider it based on the fact after many years working with children of varying ages I love working with children but then I'd be no good at the business side of things so I'd rather be employed.

Trying to think about how you could meet other children. How about visiting your local toddler grps, soft play etc - you'll find lots of cm's there, no doubt and chat with them or you could, as I do go and play with the kids rather then chat - see how they respond to you and you to them.

Why not have a friend over with a couple of toddlers and take charge for the hour or so they are with you. That'll no doubt give you an idea.

The best bet though - is go to the local Registration Meeting and hear all about it. I guess (TP will correct me if wrong!) that local CM's with variety of experiences will be there too, so you'll get the full picture.

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