CMCLUB- how long did it take you to get your first mindee?

[LoveMyGirls]

just wondering just so i can have a realistic idea. ta

It took me 5months to get some school age children and 8 months to get an under one. it has taken a further18 months to get another mindee (who hasn't started yet).
Sorry if this isn't the time scale you are looking for but around here there is deffo more minders than work-although this wasn't the case when i registered.

I have been chilminding for a few months now and had my first call about a month after advertising, in the past week had a further three contacts all from my daughters school.So good luck, mine have really been from 'word of mouth' first call from cis. Good Luck

hi
I had 2 after schoolers as soon as I was registered ( a friends children). It took me another 9 months to get another after schooler and 13 months after I registered I got 2 one yr olds. At the moment I am full (6 mindees in total plus my own 3 all at different times though). I havent met anyone who gets loads of children instantly, it takes time unfortunately - I think they should tell you this when you register and not keep registering minders in areas where there are already plenty without telling them this. Hope that made sense. Definately more minders now than there was 3 yrs ago when I registered. Good luck

My first enquiry was within 24 hours of registering and was via mumsnet advert (only one through mumsnet though), next enquiry was 5 days later and within a couple of weeks I had another enquiry and this one turned into 3 mindees so within 2 months of registering, I had my 4 mindees I was allowed. These were through my own advertising/website and not CIS as it took some time for that to appear (and to be honest, not that many of my calls have been via CIS).

When I gave notice to a parent I lost 3 mindees overnight (because they all came from same enquiry so asking one to leave meant all 3 had to). After this happened, I had a few quiet months as a few of you know and then it went mad again in Jan/Feb and I'm full again (although I don't have after schoolers anymore).

HTH :)

Not sure if you are working tonight but feel free to msn me if you want :)

hi thanks for your replies, pretty much what i was expecting. i know i need to get out to mother and toddlers (feel a bit of a fraud going with a 7 mth old that cant sit up let alone toddle)

looney - yes was working last night but im off tonight. after tomorrow i will be working weekends only (so hopefully ill have more time to concentrate on childminding) chat later hun

LMGs nooo! I just took my 7 month year old yeaterday. She loved it. Her and another baby were holding hands!

my friend said today that i need to bite the bullet and go, i will go to bounce and rhyme next week, i braved it at the weigh in clinic today

What a strange attitude to parent and toddlers. All the groups i have been to (its a few, 5 in total) have always welcome bubs of all ages. There is always an area for younger ones as well as toddlers. Perhaps if you visited these groups you would find out what they are actually like instead of assuming. All parents and local minders know me firstly through these groups even before i was registered.
BTW i have my first mindee starting full time next month which will be 4 months after registering but i know that the area im in (watford) is extremely quiet at the moment for everyone.

i went to my first mother and toddler group when i had my 1st dd when i was 17 and felt i was being looked down on. i never went back because no -one spoke to me. silly maybe but i was young. now im older i still feel a bit insecure around others mothers i suppose i feel a bit inferior. i know i need to work on it if im going to be a childminder.