Childminders - how do you structure your day?

[Twiglet2015]

I'm thinking about starting a childminding business but cannot see how you do it at the moment! I have 3 children and 2 will be in school. At the moment I usually do a group in the morning or park etc but the rest of the day seems to be filled with tidying up/ housework. Do you have lots of time to be doing activities such as craftwork, phonics etc or do you go with the flow? Could you tell me how your day is structures and what you do about paperwork/ housework etc

Thanks

I'm not a childminder but a nanny.
My day goes,
Morning school run and then home get bits and bobs we need, maybe some lunch prep, bum changes, then off to group til lunch then come back eat lunch followed by nappy changes then have nap time, the afternoon school run then bk do dininer prep feed the baby/toddlers lwhilst doing homework with older ones then feed the older ones, bath the lil ones and play til mum gets home. Depends what age groups u have as lil ones amuse themselves really.

If you're lucky they'll all sleep at the same time and you can get a cuppa do paperwork or housework while they sleep. Otherwise it's all done in the evenings and weekends. So you could go to toddlers in the morning and do other activities in the afternoons.

Cm here. I do arrivals and breakfast from 7-8. School run. Toddler group/soft play/music group etc. home for lunch. Naps. Playtime. School run. Snacks or tea. Pack bags/find gloves etc. home time 5-6. My own 2 kids eat with minded ones. I then do baths/homework/brownies etc and bed for mine. Then cook for me and oh. Eat tea and collapse in bed.

I do minimal paperwork (an hr) during the weekend and do a massive catchup every school holiday (think post it notes and write up observations etc and do planning every weekend plus termly updates, newsletters etc during holidays)

I have a cleaner twice a week.

I have shopping delivered every week (fri evening).

I shop online if possible for everything.

I do minimal housework during day (think stack pots in dishwasher and sweep crumbs up) and put a wash on every night.

I have a dog walker comes at lunch for my dogs. I walk them far too early in the morning before work and oh does an evening walk.

It's a fab job and I love it but so tiring!

I am a nanny so slightly different but working 8-6 I tend to do free play first thing while I prepare to go out, also reading etc. Then out to groups between 9.30-11.30/12. Home for lunch and a play before naps 1-3. We do our activity in the afternoon so 3.30ish painting, sensory play, country walk etc. Free play 4-5 while I make dinner and clear up. Stories and playing together after tea 5.15/6 ish

Kathryng do you make much of a profit by hiring a cleaner and dog walker? It sounds like a great idea!

I'm a cm, children arrive just before 8, quick play, then out to school run. We normally go straight to a group or to wherever we are going for the morning. Then when we get home, depending on time, play or a craft activity. Lunch, then naps/quiet time. This is when I do prep for our tea, any housework that needs doing and paperwork. It's far from a lunch break. Then it's pretty much school run time again, home either playing or an activity (normally repeated from the morning, the toddler and preschooler don't mind doing things twice). The last child goes at 5.15, so at about 4.55 we start tidying up. If they are quick, they get 10 mins tv before they are collected.

I can get quite a lot done in the 60-90 mins after lunch. Depends how focused I am, but if I feel tired some jobs have to wait until later. I just have to prioritise what needs doing.

Do you all completely baby proof your house?

I have stairgates & cupboard locks on my cleaning products, sharps & medicines in the kitchen otherwise nothing that I don't already have for my own dc (blind cord things, windows locks upstairs as we have big opening windows) . I shut the upstairs bathroom & our bedroom so childminding children know not to go in there.

My days is much like others: breakfast& arrivals at 8, school run, home to gather snacks/drinks & nappy change before heading out for the morning (toddler group, leisure centre activities, cm group soft play plus parks, woods, farms in the summer) or sometimes me & another cm get together in each other's homes for a structured activity we can use for an observation like baking or craft session. Home by midday for free play whilst I make lunch, naps, usually have stories on the sofa after naps then either something simple like play dough or colouring or more specific free play (I'll get out a train track or little people set etc). School run, home for snack or park in the summer and more of the same ie crafts - cutting & sticking for little ones, Hama beads or jewellery making for older ones, free play, games, sometimes a bit of TV, dancing (they all love this ) , older ones do homework.

Some leave at 5pm, tea with my dc at 5:30 and last ones go at 6pm. I have a quick clear up then see to my dc homework, bath etc before collapsing on the sofa. I do minimal housework as I go along ie quick Hoover & put a wash on in the morning, hang out washing & cook evening meal whilst lo's sleep but most of it is done on my day off or at the weekend. Paperwork I just ignore 99% of the time & have a massive catch-up in the holidays or if I know Ofsted are due

Knives, plastic bags and matches etc out of reach. Medicine cabinet locked. No stair gates. Secure back garden. Not much more baby proofing.

Hi yes I make a good profit I am the main wage earner. I open at 7 and work til 6 and charge a bit extra for the unsocial hours. I don't offer meals (found that expensive and so wasteful) kids bring pack ups or meals to be reheated.

Couldn't do it without my cleaner as would spend all weekend and evenings cleaning!

Likewise dog walker. Dog needs walking and I can't do it while I am working.

Someone told me at the start 24 years ago to act as though I go out to work as far as things like chores are concerned so I don't do house related jobs while I work other than to tidy up after kids. So no supermarket shop/ironing or cleaning etc everything is done outside of hours. It works for me.

I have gate at bottom of stairs and into kitchen. No socket covers or cupboard locks etc. Risk assess your home and be sensible it's still your home.