Would you consider employing me?

[MaryAnnPeel]

I am a City lawyer currently working in London, but considering quitting. I am planning on registering as a childminder rather than relying totally on my husband for money. However, my question really relates to whether you mums out there would consider employing me. Although I love kids and had a lot of informal experience with kids in the past, I don't currently have kids of my own and have no recent demonstrable experience with children. I guess my selling point is that I understand the pressures on women working in the City and I would therefore be willing to be very flexible on hours, etc. I would really appreciate your input on this.

My old cm used to work ft with her first dc and i found this helped as she understood a lot of issues and i also knew she wasn't judgemental about working mothers. People that don't have kids look after them all the time so it shouldn't make a difference really. You will go through the same training as everyone else anyway. What I would do is try to find a friend with small children and look after them alone for a while and make sure it is for you; babies and toddlers which would be your biggest market are bloody hard work!

I would say that it's not necessarily the parents who you would need to convince, but OFSTED. I would suggest that before you make a decision, get enrolled on an 'Introduction to Childminding Course' run by your local Children's Sevice. It's about 6 weeks long for a couple of hours every week and goes through all the basics of what childminding means. There's an awful lot more to it than just looking after the kids - OFSTED have a lot of hoops for you to jump through before they'll accept you.

I'd also second what justamum said about having a practice with friend's children - you could theoretically have 1 under 1, 3 under 4 and some before and after schoolers from 7:30 - 7:30 if you're going to be really flexible. It'll make your lawyer's job feel like a walk in the park!!!! . But definitely a million times more rewarding.

Good luck with your career change.

Message withdrawn

I would ! I am looking desesperately for a nanny / childminder in East Dulwich Area to collect my 4.5 year old son from Goodrich School , 3:30pm - 6pm - 5 minutes walk from home to stay at our home until I return from work from 6pm. IMMEDIATE START- you can contact me on 07720414493 or [email protected] if you are interested ?

my friend reg as a c/m at 18 with her mum, she had no children
she is now 25 and has a ds 1yr old
the parents love her and she is always busy

If you were properly registered and you seemed to "gel" then I'd have no hesitation placing a dc with you (hypothetically, that is; DS is currently at a nursery where he is absurdly, deliriously happy).

MaryAnn - if you want to CAT me I can let you know some of "what it is like being a childminder"