CM Club: Anyone run their CM business like this?

[crace]

Has anyone successfully run a business with one spot left as a drop in service or "nursery" spots (i.e. 8-12 or 1-5).

Only I have had one mum as for every Thursday from 8.45-12 and that is great particularly as I have no one starting until 1st Feb and they are p/t only M-F.

Is it possible to organise the rest of the am/pms as the nursery or drop in spots? I think in my village most mums are SAHM and if I can market myself as free time for them I might get a bunch to rotate on the times left..

Do you think that could work? And does anyone else do that?

It will work but only until you get full - I used it as a stop gap measure advertised as "ad-hoc minding"

I would do it but for only 1 of my spaces.
Ideally I only want 2 under 5's each day, so then I get a spare space for ad hoc childcare.

I know minders who have deliberately decided to only fill two spaces and keep the third free so that they don't get themselves stressed. They would do occasional minding if asked. However, as soon as someone comes along offering a pile of money for that full-time place, it's amazing how soon that space has been used!!

I had some part-time children years ago (parents worked), and had another mum who would book whichever mornings/afternoons I had free to have some "me" time.

I think you could make it work if you wanted to make it work. Would you actually turn people away if they wanted to book a permanent place with you though (to return to work)?

Ugh, definitely not! My fear is that I book a spot for this 1 morning and not be able to fill in the rest. I only have 2 under 5's and 1 over 5 space.

1 under 5 is 7am-1pm Mon - Fri taken
1 under 5 will be 1 morning per week from 8.45-12 leaving Mon, Tues, Weds, Thurs pm and Fri free

then 1 over 5 spot free

When will I ever figure this out!?

I think the market here is mostly SAHM moms so if I can get enough word of mouth as ad-hoc I will be doing ok and then with the over 5er. The mum I am taking on for the 1 morning is involved in EVERY playgroup, PTA etc etc in the village so chances are it's worth taking her on just for that reason!

In my village many sahm mums have helpful grandparents so have no need of my service as ad-hoc care. The only occasional care I've had has been in school holidays or when a fellow cm has been on holiday. I thought, being close to a hairdresser & a beauty salon I would be able to offer a fun time for their kids while they pamper themselves but no-ones taken me up on that yet. Guess the pampering itself is expensive enough on its own.