Talk to me about the positives and negatives of being a childminder.

[Kit2015]

Hello,
It's something I've been considering for awhile. I have a DD who's 2 and would like another baby in a few years. I currently work part time, in a job I love but is increasingly becoming more challenging with company changes.

I trained in childcare about ten years ago, so would need a refresher.

So what are the positives and negatives of being a child minder?

• your children have to share everything
• you can never escape from work
• paperwork
• Ofsted
• not a massive wage earner

• you don't have to commute
• you can play all day
• you can be there for your children
• hardest, but most rewarding job I've ever done

Thanks, it's all very daunting exciting at the moment.
My job atm makes it hard to take school holidays off so being here all the time would be a major bonus but not sure how DD would take to sharing me more.

You work at home

Your children are with you

It's fun

You don't have a demanding boss

You can earn a lot

It's fun

Downsides:

Not everyone is cut out for it

You need a lot of patience

You don't get paid if you're ill, on holiday or don't have any clients

My children haven’t had to get used to it as such, more that I’ve always done it so for them it’s normal. Everyone thinks I’m so lucky to stay at home with my dc, but the reality isn’t really like that. You can’t easily take 3 small children to school assembly or parents lunch dates. Sports day is a nightmare. I missed star of the week assembly because baby was crying so much we had to go out. I do get to take and collect them from school which is a positive, but the walk home with 6 children means it’s not my dd holding my hand and telling me about her day.
My three are older now and have enjoyed throughout not having to go to nursery or holiday club becasue we need the childcare which is a positive. They can have a lie in and if they don’t want to get up when there’s no school, they don’t have too. We have saved massively not having a childcare bill but this was kind of offset in the early years becasue my numbers were so restricted.

I do enjoy my job though and my children have viewed it not so much as my job, but as a way for them to have play mates at all times. When they were young they used to wonder why the minded children weren’t coming in the holidays/weekends. I certainly do far more activities with them than I would if I were working out of the home.

I love being self employed, there are downsides like no holiday pay, but we budget accordingly so it’s ok for us. I’m not sure if we would manage if childminding were our main income as it can be quite up and down financially (one child finished in August for school, next one didn’t start until December), but if you can afford to save a bit in the peaks, there will be spare money in the troughs.
My home is always full of toys etc and can be untidy during the week, but I get to have my lunch (and not a packed lunch, whatever I want at the time as I can make it fresh) sitting on my own sofa and can generally get the tea on while the babies have their afternoon nap which is a bonus for our family. No commute times, which when I read on here of people commuting for over an hour, I have to see as a positive.

Hello all, I'm currently working full time in a prison. I have a 19 month old and we currently leave the house @6am Mon to Fri for the commute to work. I have been seriously considering leaving my job and becoming a full time child minder. I am the main financial provider. Can you earn 1500 per month childminding. I would also like another baby so would not start child minding until 4/5 months after baby number 2. I live right behind a school so have been looking into breakfast and afters school as well as having 2 full time mindees. Is this do able. Please any advice would be great

You should start your own thread. Once you have 2 small children of your own, you would only be able to have 1 more under 5. This would limit your earning potential. It also depends where you are.