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

Original poster

*****VERY UPSET CHILDMINDER HADLEIGH*****

111 replies

lovingmumof1 · 01/10/2006 21:17

I have been childminding for just over a year now and haven't had the best of starts, I have been told on a number of occassions by my colleagues that people have been telling friends not to use me as I have a dog. Now I think that is totally unfair towards me and the dog as this is my living and if these people came to see us they would realise he is not bad, OFSTED wouldn't have registered me if the dog was bad. I know with what has happened resently about dogs that may put people off, it would me, but how am I supposed to make a living as I love working with children and being at home with my DS. PLEASE COULD HADLEIGH PARENTS GIVE ME SOME INFO AS IT IS GETTING ME DOWN

OP posts:
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QuiQuoQua · 02/10/2006 15:11

although I have and love dogs and cats I'd understand why someone would not choose a CM with pets. Especially dogs.

But I find it a shame that some parents do not letting their children near animals because they smell or they're etc.

QuiQuoQua · 02/10/2006 15:13

sorry for the mistakes... did it fast as I should be out shopping right now...

smeeinit · 02/10/2006 15:14

bit ott there donnie!
lmof,i do sympathise with you and i do see it from the other side too.
im a cm and personally dont have or would have a dog but thats my personal choice,as is yours to own a dog.
i think the point here is that gossip mongers are putting people off using you because of your dog and that is not fair.

hunkermunster · 02/10/2006 15:17

The reason I don't like DS1 near animals is not because they smell. It's because he kisses them (or tries to) on the mouth. Until he's big enough to understand that this isn't a great plan, I'll only let him near dogs when I'm with him.

donnie · 02/10/2006 15:24

well it isn't really OTT though is it ? the OP says that:
"people have been telling friends not to use me as I have a dog". Therefore we can deduce from this that people do not want to use a childminder who owns a dog, or feel there are risks attached.

Not exactly rocket science.

lilymolly · 02/10/2006 15:33

I have dog but not want dd going to cm with dog cos I would not know enough about the dog to make an ojective decision.
One point though, why are so many people against dog smells and dog hair?
You know I think one of the reasons todays little dd/ds have so much asthma and ecxema etc is becasue they are not exposed to such things. My concern would be the safety not that dogs may sniff me or leave a slight smell. Children should have contact with animals imo so they learn responsability and respect for other creatures.
P.S I hated dogs till I got my own now I love them!!!!!!!

donnie · 02/10/2006 15:34

cos they stink

cos it gets everywhere.

lilymolly · 02/10/2006 15:36

LOL seriously?? yeah I admit some do, but I PROMISE you mine does not, she has a bath regularly and my house does not smell either.
Sweeping generalistions me thinks......

HappyMumof2 · 02/10/2006 15:36

Message withdrawn

HappyMumof2 · 02/10/2006 15:36

Message withdrawn

lilymolly · 02/10/2006 15:36

Oh and men stink dont you think? maybe I should chuck out dp!

lilymolly · 02/10/2006 15:38

agree its parent decision. childrens safety always comes first, thats why I lock dog away when anyone elses babies come around, but uf parents let older childern play with dog then thats up to them, dog loves kids.

ProfYaffle · 02/10/2006 15:59

It wouldn't necessarily put me off. Dd goes to a nursery with dogs, chickens, sheep and a pony, I think it's fab. However, all the animals are in various pens/enclosures so the children don't have unfettered access to them. If you had a huge dog rampaging around I wouldn't like it but the conditions you describe sound fine.

I can understand that not everyone feels the same though.

staceym11 · 02/10/2006 16:12

now until recently me and dd lived with my parents and their 2 german shepards, (one has recently died, very sad) and i was only slightly worried by one as dd got bigger (she used to warn dd away) but that was by the time dd could realise to stay away from her. the other one dd can still walk all over, shout at and sit on without me having to worry, because i know that dog and if hes had enough he goes upstairs (where dd is not)

BUT.........putting your child into care where there is a dog you do not know and could not possibly have any idea if/when they would turn is another point entirely, and no, although i am a dog lover, i would not use a CM with a dog.

smeeinit · 02/10/2006 17:53

still stand by what i said donnie.....bit ott.
why would you be "mildly annoyed" that its allowed by ofsted?
do you also think ofsted should not allow cats? as their faeces are potentially lethal to children? or maybe ofsted should not allow cms to let their mindees come into contact with any dog.......just in case?
dont get me wrong in not a dog lover atall and will never have one but lmo1 is trying to make a living here and people gossiping telling others not to use her is utterly ridiculous, particually when she has obviously got measures in place to keep dog and mindees seperate.
people can make their own minds up whether to use her or not without others interfering. thats just my opinion!

Murphee · 02/10/2006 18:38

Hunkermunster, I'm wondering if I trod on your toes back there - if so, I'm sorry - it wasn't deliberate AND I didn't even get your name right

Xena · 02/10/2006 18:52

We had a dog that the children and I adored but when I started childminding full time (I started and registered for my niece) he had to go. He was VERY well trained ( I have offered to train other dogs in the past) and we got him as a puppy when DS was 2 so he was well used to children.
No matter how clean you are the hair gets everywhere, you need to keep the dog with you or shut away. Most Ofsted inspectors do not like childminders having dogs. Finacially I couldn't give up childminding when we had to give him away but I Would have done if I could. We still miss him terribly and to make matters worse we are moving to the countryside at the end of the year and my parents are going to help with the childcare of our 4 dc's so I won't be childminding.
But for the reasons I have listed I wouldn't choose a childminder with a dog either

Elf1981 · 02/10/2006 19:14

My CM has 2 dogs. Doesn't bother me. One is her's, the other was her sons but when her son moved back in, so did the dog!
The dogs are kept in the kitchen / on the garden in the day. So in the living room, the kids have full roam. DD is only in the kitchen when the CM is sorting out dinner (dd is nearly 1 year old and gets fussy when cant see CM in the day!).
I personally dont trust dogs, but I still visit places with dogs at the house, cant seem to get away from them to be honest.
I'd much rather leave my dd with the CM who is loving than the faceless nurseries that I experienced when looking around for childcare places.

ThePrisoner · 02/10/2006 19:51

I'm not keen on dogs myself (had a couple of very nasty experiences with so-called "nice" dogs) so wouldn't leave my own children with a minder with one. I'm afraid that, apart from the perceived danger non-dog-owning people like me have (sorry ), I also don't like being licked or dribbled on.

I currently have 2 cats, and it used to be more, and parents need to be reassured that I will keep their children safe from them. I love my cats, but are well aware that lots of people don't like cats. One of mine stays out when children are around; the other one, who is still very young, loves being around the children. However, I make sure that parents know that she isn't allowed to wander around on kitchen work surfaces, is well-toilet-trained and doesn't poop in toy boxes, and would never ever be left in a room with a sleeping child! I also accept that I may lose work if someone doesn't like cats.

lovingmumof1 - I think it is unkind for other people to badmouth you because you have a dog. Who are the people doing the talking? If it's other childminders, you need to ask them not to judge (easier said than done). However, if it has been potential parents who have visited already, then you need to look at why they have said anything.

As someone else has said already, parents will choose not to have a childminder for all sorts of reasons, and we have to accept that.

Original poster
lovingmumof1 · 03/10/2006 22:18

Thank you everyone for your input the main reason I put this ad on the board is to try and find out why these people are saying this, do they know me and are they trying to put me out of business. I have one Fulltimer at the moment and everyone gets on great but I would just like to have some other people phone me with interest.

OP posts:
S88AHG · 05/10/2006 13:21

Hi I am CM with a dog and most people are glad I have him as it means their own child will not ask for one. He is extrememly friendly and neither of my children have any allergies relating to pet hair or asthma and I believe this is because we have a dog. I think it is unfair to just dismiss a CM because of that reason alone. I personally would be more worried about older children bullying my child as I have heard more stories of that than animals attacking children.

Twoandabump · 06/10/2006 18:32

This reply has been deleted

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gscrym · 06/10/2006 18:50

Our last child minder had a dog and honestly, I couldn't tell you what he looked like. He was walked outwith the area of the house and garden before mindees arrived. He was kept upstairs in the house with his food and water. At lunchtime, childminder walked him whilst her mother (also registered) did the lunches. This allowed her a lunch break. He went back upstairs after that and only came down once the last child had gone. She had other registered childminders working with her (3 in total), so if she wanted to check how he was, there was always someone with the kiddliewinks. Her bathroom was downstairs so no-one had reason to be upstairs.
I have a dog and I would be wary of a minder with a dog wandering around. My pooch is placid but I have seen her growl and snap at a child who was in the house and had been annoying her, after me telling her mother to get her to stop.

daisy1999 · 06/10/2006 18:58

I wouldn't dream of using a childminder who had a dog. I wouldn't trust anyone's dog with my child and there is the hygiene factor to consider.

janebracelet · 06/10/2006 20:08

I have three dogs who the whole family love to bits,but i would not use a childminder with a dog because you can never be sure of the way the dog has been raised/trained.
I thing the asthma/allergies thing is starting to be shown by studies to be caused by lack of exposure to animals/dirt(obviously not excrement)that todays children experience -known as the hygiene hypothesis(anyone scientist bods out there to verify?)- however if you dont like dogs then you dont like them, nothing is going to change this-its an emotional reaction.
Its definitely each to their own.
I childminded for a short time(and I emphasise the short -I put away my working mother guilt and got back in the office very quickly).none of my clients seemed to care about the dogs -most had dogs of their own-they were more interested in quibbling over money.I did however set up a dog room in garage with old sofa for them-but noone asked me to do this,it was for my own peace of mind -they are big dogs and toddlers do get knocked over easily.
Loving mumof one I think you will have to accept that with the two schools of thought -like dogs but not keen on trusting someone elses dog with my child and the just dont like dog'ers -your potential clients numbers will be reduced.
My advice -QUIT CHILDMINDING (have to admit I'm very biased had a nightmare experience cm'ing -I'm scarred for life!!!)

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