CM Club - Tips please for older children!

[Booh]

Hello all

I had the most odd meeting with a dad last night, I will meet the three chidren tonight!

They are older than what I normally have, I think 7+, what do I do with them?

In the mornings they will be here at 7.30am but we need to leave at 8.20 to do the school run, so they can just TV it, and have some toast!

But in the evenings, I have to supervise homework, but they don't get much, and what else!

Oh, the oldest is a boy, then two girls!

EAK!!! But it is SUCH good money I couldn't say no!

i have a 7 year old girl and she is fab! We do lots of arts and crafts and i find the girls love that, also go to park after school as that takes up at least 1 hour. They also like to go on the the childrens websites and play games ( if parents allow this)

Older children are great - they don't have tantrums or wet themselves!

Second websites - also board games, lego etc.

Do you have a 'quiet table' where they can do their homework, and when will they be doing it - before tea, as soon as they get in?

Thanks!

Homework has to be done as soon as we get in b4 tea - under dads instructions!

He has also said they can have telly / computer etc after tea!

I second the PC - create a user log in just for them and restrict access apart from the sites you want them to use. I had DH (IT techie) do this for me when I had a 6 yo mindee. Then I didn't need to worry

Also, card games, board games. Believe me, between homework, Tv/games and tea it will fly by

i pick between 8 and 10 children up from school all aged beween 5 and 11
also have them before school

in the mornings
by the time they have had breakfast and brushed teeth its normally time to rally them up get coats and shoes on and off we go
(dont watch tv in our house i'm mean)

after school
come in have snack, do reading, its normally bout 4ish then so the children play out, go on pc, play games (i change the room around as i only have older children after school all babies go at 3)or the girls like me to leave little jobs for them like pair up the socks, feed the fish etc

hi!

one of my charges is almost 7, we do homework (every night) then we either do an art activity, board game, or he plays on the laptop on the bbc.co.uk website to practice his maths and english.

the games are pretty cool, and hes learning bu having fun -my bosses think its great and use itat the wknd. I've bookmarked it for him so he can set up on his own and find the page. ive childlocked other sites etc ,its a great way to entertain them but not mash their brain with tv programs or computer games that are violent!

the other thing he sometimes likes to do is play chef, he gets to be gordon ramsey (but not swear!) and if im doing sometyhing like spag bol, and have prepared all the veg, i say chef, pass the onions,chef pass the sauce etc, and he loves it. When its tea time we all say thanks to chef!

I like schoolies best too for the reasons stated by wandering trolley!

My schoolies like..
cooking
art activities
craft activities
board games
cards/dominoes
having a good old chat with you
walk (was surprised at this, to no where imparticular, just to explore, they request this!)
playing out (supervised) on scooters, skateboards, go kart, etc
ball games
park
making dens to chill out in

I find them excellent company and easy money! I have boys and girls and they are a pleasure to look after!

I have always had older children as well as little ones. My own children were always much older, so I was confident of being able to look after older mindees.

They've always loved the usual art'n'craft stuff, but usually need less supervision. They also like games, construction sets, being outside (garden or park) and so on, but also love playing with the younger mindees, and that makes for a really nice (albeit large) family-type atmosphere!