CM club - which would you choose? 1 full timer or 5 part-timers?

[HiccupHaddockHorrendous]

In my mind, it's a no-brainer but wondering if I'm missing something obvious.

I currently have a lot of part-time mindees who all slot in and around eachother through the week. Every day has a different line-up and some days have to be very carefully thought out, in advance, to make sure things run smoothly.

Some only started in September, some have been with me nearly three years and a few more inbetween.

I've just had an enquiry for a full-time, pre-schooler and when I worked out the weekly rate, it's the equivalent of 5 of my before/after schoolies .

Life would be sooooo much calmer without the school run but I don't know if I could or should give notice just to make my own life easier.

Two things I can think about that might be disadvantages....

1. It's "all eggs in one basket" - what if the new one doesn't settle? Or their family have a change in circumstances ? Or they leave for another reason ?

1. I don't think it would do your reputation locally any good to give notice to 5 families you have contracts with, just because you have an offer from another family.

Of course, it would be easier if you can get to the position of having 1 full timer, but I think you should take the other things into account.

I've moved more towards full timers, but only as children have naturally left. It is true about the eggs in one basket, but the admin for 1 child is much less than for 5.

I prefer the variety of having different children & do feel happier not being reliant upon 1 family for my income BUT if I was only doing the school run to collect mindees (ie not my own DC too) then I would seriously consider stopping all wraparound care & just focusing on pre-schoolers.
I do agree about considering your reputation if you drop 5 families especially as some have only just started with you so wouldn't do it now, but, it might be worth thinking ahead & working towards this over the next year maybe aiming to stop before the summer holidays (by which time hopefully 1 or 2 will have left & the others you can give plenty of notice to & advertise your pre-school space with lots of advance warning).

Generally I much prefer full timers because they seem to be less work all round. You get to know the child and the family better and it is easier to have a set routine every day. The paperwork is less and you don't have to deal with lots of different families with different requirements. For me the main disadvantage is that you then never have any time off for your own errands / doctor's appointments / dentist / etc. With part timers it is easier to slot them in so that you have a morning or afternoon off each week. Also, if you take a full timer and they turn out to be particularly badly behaved or don't get on with your own dc then it can be quite difficult as there is never any let up. With a part time child it is easier to cope if you know they are only there for one or two days a week.

Thanks for the replies

I suppose I'm just thinking out loud and it would be highly unlikely that I would give notice because a better offer came along.

There have been quite a few niggles with some of these families, recently and I'm just looking, longingly, for a school-run-free life for a little while at least.

Full-timer's not looking for a place until September and two of my existing pre-schoolers will start school at the same time so I would have space for all of them.

I totally get the point about damaging my reputation and absolutely agree.

Re all eggs in one basket. This is also a good point, although, there is quite a high demand for cms in this area.

I'm not doing before & after school care anymore as I much prefer tinies. I've got 6 mindees at the moment, all part time and ranging in age from 11 months to 3 yo. Every days different and I do have to work out every morning which car seats, pram etc I'll need. Occasionally though, they sleep at the same time & I manage to eat or even pee! Go with what suits you best, School runs can be a pain if you don't have to collect your own dc anyway, but what if you take on someone full time and the parents are a nightmare or child doesn't settle?

fivesacrowd - i am the oppostie now, I only do before and after school (and school holidays) I don't do full time under 5s anymore. It is mainly becasue of my health (I have fibromyalgia) and also becasue my 2 are now teenagers and I much prefer just having the before and after school mindees in the house. I do however offer an emergency under 5place for things like Cms holidays or parents going away etc etc. it works for us, but I realise it might not for some people

Think I just had bad experience of school age mindees - took on one of children in dd's class and it didn't work. Mindee was bullying dd at school & at home. Situation was a nightmare - littlies are hard work, but they're all really sweet and my dc love being around them all.