Just feel a bit rubbish...

[madge7]

I comtemplated giving up childminding this afternoon.....

Many reasons, bad payers is one, had a little boy as a favour the other day (this boy is properly starting in april, contracts all done etc - thanks to shosha) so the other day was a favour as mum had a job interview. She owes me for 3 hours, she said dad would drop it thru the door that evening, 3 days later a text advising me her bank card has been stolen and she will give it to me when shes gets a new one......

The other lady who dumped me when I had two days off compassionate for my mum is still smarting a bit too

I feel inadequate as a childminder sometimes, I read how some people have structured days, do this club and that club this day we do that etc.... Am I supposed to be like that.

Our days are not planned, we kind of take each day as it happens, if its sunny etc, we do this that and the other, if its rainy we do alternative and stuff. I know they are all happy (well I think they are). They all go home smiling we have no crying when mums come/go etc and they are all worn out at the end of the day??

Its difficult as I am not a mum myself (although all being well we might have our adoption plans finalised this year)

We have a playroom and the lounge is full of toys, we got messy stuff, art craft etc we only have a structure in that we have snack/lunch/snack/tea etc, but nothing more? The garden is packed full of toys and weather permitting, out they go etc...

I dont use the telly hardly at all, and when i do its when i am preparing lunch mainly as they are then in one place, and telly being telly, all not moving!!

I dont know, I think I just feel a bit fed up today and whining probably, oh well.

I'm not a childminder and I don't use one... But if I did I would be very happy with the sound of your environment. I am quite disorganised so I find having a structure to my day really helps otherwise we wouldn't get anything done, but if you are more of a go with the flow type of person then that is fine too.

I think childminders get a really raw deal I was saying to dh the other day after reading your post about your stroppy lady that I don't envy your job. People not paying you that is just the pits. Can you not ask for money in advance? I have to pay ds's nursery termly in advance

Ah thanks, no the other day wasnt part of the contract, that starts in april etc, it was just a favour. If I have trubs getting a tenner out of her whats is going to be like when he is 3 days a week? That SHOULD be in advance (one month) as per contract, but from this it doesnt look hopeful does it.

I just re read my post, I make it sound like we stay in all the time, we dont, we are out and about most of the time, I live near the beach and we are down there alot, all weathers really, the playground is fab and the kids love running around like mad things!! Or else we do go to creche etc, soft play etc.

Ooooh just one of them days where you feel like pants i think!!!!

With regard to the bad payer - it's starting bad and could go on. Are you billing in advance for April? Give a deadline for payment of money owed, else contract is cancelled. May prompt the payment.

I plan some things in advance. It can help to have a weekly routine which you follow some of the time. I base it on what groups we are doing, such as Monday Music, Wednesday Toddlers, Friday Swimming. The actual days themselves are unplanned, as I like the children to take the lead in deciding what they do, though having an activity scheduled does help get them dressed in the morning at a reasonable hour.

I'm the same as nogoes, I'm not a childminder, but I think you sound fab. And sea air is so healthy I'd be very happy leaving my 2 with you

Madge don't you dare give up, we need good childminders like you. Yes we go out to clubs, but today we just stayed at home making huge mega bloks house that the baby knocked down!

Re your troubled payer, invoice them, and state that everyday payment is not paid £5.00 will be added to the amount owed, I have that as a standard on my contracts, only have to charge it once.

I absolutely refuse to take a child into care if the payment is more than 5 days late.
Had a mum say to me many years ago,
'but I cant go to work if you don't take him'
was a bit blunt but answered
'well you should have thought of that when you didn't pay me.'

Thanks.
Just makes me soooo mad
I used alot of your stuff shosha, and in my "guide" advised that late payment is £5.00 per day etc, but as this is not part of the contract I suppose she thinks it doesnt matter, and it is only a tenner, but honestly!!!
He is starting on April 16th and in the guide it states I will not start unless the contract, permission forms and payment has been received to the month end which I have invoiced them for....
I think this time I am actually doing it completely right, but I have been bloody well caught out again, honestly though it is only a tenner and I am getting so wound up about it, but its a few other niggly bits isnt it too........right I am off to drink ANYTHING that is in the house

i am a CM (have been for 12 years) who is seriously thinking of giving it up. Your day sounds fine to me. I have been with a CM's who plan her day too much. She cant/wont alter it for anything. When we had snow we cancelled everything(anything) planned and made snowmen, snowangels etc Drank warm drinks and had an exhausting but fun day. She on the other hand stayed in and followed her plan and moaned that the children werent interested in the "letters" today! I wonder why.

As for bad payers I but on the bottom of the invoice that payment received after the due day will incur further costs of £25. No further warming will be given. Failure to pay will result in legal advise being taken.
Having said that I've only had to add this once and payment was made on time after that.

Hi madge didn't want to read and run as I would hate such a caring childminder to give it up!

Your days sound fab, I prefer to go with the flow too, go with the weather etc. Sounds like the kids get lots of variety and fun and that's what I would want for my ds. I am also a fresh air fiend and think if children can wrap up adequately they should be outdoors as it's better for their immune system than all sharing warm air indoors.

As for payments sounds like you will have to lay down the law with this mum, send her an official invoice with amount owed on it to give her a kick up the bum!

I have bad days too but on the good days were I have the sun on me or the wind in my hair with a brood of smiley mindees it feels like I have the best job in the world. Not many jobs where you can build a den with your dining table and hear lots of giggling from under it is there!?

you are making the children safe and happy, you are fab!
we used to go to lots of groups but then kids were getting too old for them, or no one else would go and we might as well have stayed at mine werewe had more toys than them anyway!..now we more or less play it by ear, i do like a bit of structure, but if you are go with the flowish, then you are doing it all good as the children are happy..dont be disheartend, we all learn the hard way.x
(oh BTW its strawberrysnowflakes, ive been TOLD to change my name)

Don't give up if these are your only reasons. I really don't think you need to plan things, going with the flow is also great. I do a bit of both. Every morning is the nursery run so that's obviously something I have to do. I go to toddler groups twice a week (other days there are groups i don't have kids) but this is more because I need that adult conversation otherwise I'd go mad. BUT, the rest of it is pretty much go with the flow and I may miss groups if the weather is nice as we decide to go to the park or something else instead! Naps, snacks, meals are pretty much the same time each day but activities are just whatever we fancy. There's no way my nearly 4 yr old ds and same aged mindee who's just left were going to do an activity just because I wanted to. They just loved getting back from nursery and mucking about in their own little dream world. I wouldn't dream of stopping them having great fun just because I feel I need to do a planned activity - that's crazy!

If I was looking for a CM myself, I would want someone caring, relaxed and who my child enjoyed being with. I couldn't actually give a monkeys about activities. They have all that structure when they go to school and I like to do activities they WANT to do, not what's on a bit of paper I've prepared!!!

Please drink loads and think of all the bits you enjoy about childminding!!!

I don't know your adoption story but wish you all the best with that - how exciting!

Oi, pinkchick, 'you talkin bout me?'

Poor you Madge, but frankly you sound good to me. I am pretty unorganised with planned activities. I find it too rigid - and so "un-Me". I do make playdates when I can, and if we get to groups then great, but most times my baby mindee is sleeping then!

Don't be hard on yourself, I feel a loving/caring environment with support to learn and grow is what is important. Structured learning comes all too soon for them, so flexibility and fun to explore at under 4/5 I think is best.

And I think most parents would agree, the best things about c/ms is that their LO become part of the family and is the next best thing to being home. I think of this baby as another little one of mine, she just goes home at the end of the day! And her parents wouldn't have it any other way.

You are doing fab!

I think what you do sounds great. One of my worries about some CM's I saw before deciding on nursery was that they seemed very structured - ie monday we do painting, tuesday we learn letters.

DS hates sitting still and enjoys free play and doing hsi own thing much more - I think at pre school they need to be allowed to sort themselves out. lots o toys, trips outside and go with the flow!