Cm - stopping cm, mixed feelings, any ex cm got advice?

[Becp]

I've been a cm for 9yrs & have just got a ta job in a local school. I've been winding down for about 6mnth really (not advertising as children moved on to nursery etc) I now only have 1 mindee although he's been with me the longest. Any ex cm regretted giving up?

Not an ex CM but would like to be!

I am giving up as soon as I have a job. Sick of it and only been doing it since June this year!

Oops I mean last year!

That's a shame, hope you find a job soon. Why are you stopping (just being nosey really)? For me it was my own dc's going to school, paperwork & despite getting level 3 & accredited still being treated like a cross between a baby sitter & a sahm

I would like to stop because I really dislike the paperwork! To be fair I only have one EY's child (2) 3 days a week and a 5 yo who's at school so it's not loads.

I find I do lots of planning and he just plays with the same things and ignores the small world set up.

I have found the other CM in the village to be a bit if a clique dispute me covering a different school and not being any competition really.

I dislike having my home invaded at 7.30am sometimes 6.30 in the morning.

I dislike the mess!

On the whole I like the kids though, but my own (6&4) do struggle with sharing everything, and having toys broken (accidentally)

And one of the kids kicked my 6 year old last week for no reason and I just thought I can do without this - my gorgeous boy being hurt for me to earn money.

I am also dreading Ofsted as I feel unprepared as I trained and registeted in 2011 and didn't get up and running until June 2012 and then the EYFS changed and can't get my head round what Ofsted will look for when they come out!

Sorry it's long!

good luck to you op! i can;t wait to give up either. Sick of it.
I don't think you will regret it, especially if you have been doing it a while, it does all get rather tedious after a while.
Good Luck with this new chapter of your life!

For me the uncertainty surrounding Childminding's future with regards to agencies etc is also an influential factor.

Good luck OP and Reetpetit

thanks and to you worriedmary

I gave up 2 years ago after 30 odd years. Far to much paperwork. Ofsted only being interested on that and not on the care given to children.

I just had enough of the having to turn my home into a nursery.

Had enough of toys posters and stair cognates everywhere

So I became a nanny instead.

All the fun, none if the hassle and being employed don't even have to do my own tax :)

Sounds good megsdaughter

I agree completely with you all, I'd already decided before the latest changes re. child numbers & agencies but that has confirmed to me it's the right choice.

Don't worry too much about ofsted, I've always found them reasonable on the whole. The planning was /is an issue for me too, I've planned many activities that my mindee has just not wanted to do, eg he hates messy play no matter what I try shaving form, jelly, cornflour & water he just doesn't like it, which surely should be his choice.
I'm quite excited about a new challenge too & painting the room after taking down all the ofsted posters, first aid, insurance certificates etc. Lol

I gave up 18 months ago and have just re-registered!

I stopped for a variety of reasons; was doing it with my youngest still at home (he's at school now) and was having difficulties with him, I don't drive and my kids were at school a bus ride away so had to do school run with Mindees (we have moved and can now walk to school) and I came to a natural break as Mindees started nursery.

So: moved house, started looking for other employment (hard to find!) and.... missed it! I genuinely missed having Tiddlers about.

I had 3 years experience from last time and learned a lot. Currently building up clients and doing it MY way, ie: no after schoolies, only taking on 2 or 3 a day and not saying yes to everyone.

It's an absolute pain in the arse re- registering, so make sure you are absolutely 100% sure before you resign. My biggest regret is resigning. Should have just had a break from it.

I just paid my osted fee so plan to leave it running "just in case" I assume I just tell ofsted I've no children on my register atm

I'm currently looking for a job or teacher training place.

I can't wait to stop, I'm fed up of living on a shoestring and having to remind parents to pay.

It's all well and good having late payment policies and charges, but they don't make any difference when payment is late and bills have to come out

I LOVED it at first, gutted I'm not enjoying it so much now.

I gave up 3 years ago, I did it for 4 years so the renewal of all the courses and registration made me decide it was a good time to finish.

I hated the paperwork & the fact that the parents I had expected me to be a nursery and treated me like an anytime drop in - would drop of an hour late and then pick up late, because they hadn't had their full 12 hours. I remember one morning a child was dropped in at 9.45 instead of 7.30am (this happened quite alot) myself and the other mindees were waiting to go out but the child hadn't had breakfast so I said nicely that of course I would feed her but really I stopped doing breakfast at 9am - he replied "I pay your wages, so you can feed my child when I tell you"

Chasing money was a nightmare too. Once I had to go and collect my fee from a mindees home because the family were going on holiday and "if I wanted the money before they went then I would have to get it myself"