CM CLUB - Planning another baby - questions............

[thinkingofbabynumber2]

I'm in hiding as scared of people I know in RL seeing this.

We're going to be trying for baby number 2 soon and I'm wondering about mindees/ages etc. Ds will be 5 at least by the time I'd have the baby so this baby would replace ds as far as under 5's go therefore no difference.

I'm fully aware than in the next year, mindees could totally change but I have to work something out so have based it on who I have now.

Sooooooo, 3 days a week I'd have (this is based on the youngest they'd be):

mindee 1 - nearly 3
mindee 2 - 18 months
Ds - 5
new baby
mindee 3 - 4 and half (she'd be classed as over 5 as already doing 10 sessions - I have variation for her at moment)

And 2 days a week it would be:

mindee 1 - 15 months
Ds - 5
new baby
mindee 2 - 4 and half (as above)

All these ages work fine so am not worried about needing variation for any of these BUT one parent may decide to go elsewhere as I'd be looking after an extra child and they didn't want a childminder with many - may change their mind but if they don't and they want me to stop having them (or basically any change in mindees)............what if I take on a new mindee who fits in my numbers but not once had baby? I.e. if I was then to ask for variation, would OFSTED say I knew I'd be having baby therefore shouldn't have taken them? Or am I thinking too much???

Financially this is important for me to get as right as possible because my pay is very much needed to survive.

Also, I know this has been asked before but for those who've had baby whilst childminding, how long did you take off? If it was just a couple of weeks, how did you manage with hormones, being tired etc??

TIA

(some of you may have guessed who this is, i just don't want certain people knowing! )

plus if anyone can remind me of what maternity benefits we get as self employed?

Cheers

bump for evening lot

Ooh thanks for adding this message I have it on watch as also trying for number 2! Don't have any advice though sorry but thought it might help to bump

Thanks and good luck

Can't answer any of your questions ... but my c/m is expecting no 2 in 3 weeks - i am VERY excited!!

She's having 9 weeks off ( 2 weeks before, 7 weeks after), but is 'dropping' all her after school only mindees, to make things easier on herself... (although doesn't look like you have any of those?) But hen, with No1, she only had 4 weeks off (although she was nannying then...)

lol (waves) I know who you are

As you know, I took two weeks. It was hard, and I was tired, but then dd was born August so there was a few factors - I'd worked very hard prior to birth (50+ hour weeks) but had from due date off which was 3 working days before birth.
When I returned to work, it was school time so only had the kids before and after school. I gave notice on before school as I was struggling, but then took on an ad hoc under 5 so ended up working during some days anyways. Don't think I'd have coped full time during the day, however.

Having said that, dd is now 9 months and I'm looking for a full timer as she's very easy now. After 6 months it became easier, but you forget that don't you! Full time prior to 6 months old I'd have struggled with.

You get roughly £110 a week for 6 months, possibly 9 months now, I know there's new legislation.

FP - thanks for that. That's what I want, for families to see it as a good thing, new baby in the group and all that Not going to try until August but good to think about all this stuff

Luna - [waves back] - how did ya guess??? I suppose I really need to think hard about what work I'll do when I start back and how soon I'll start back. Thanks for the info about maternity pay, that's useful to know

Best get to school, thanks

Another question, if you are getting Maternity Allowance, are you allowed to work and receive it? Or do you have to make a choice, either don't work and get MA or don't get MA and go back to work?

Reason for asking is that the MA is very low but would help not have to go straight back into full on work. I like the idea of maybe keeping certain mindees and the others I don't have until after a longer period OR get new mindees if they leave.

I know I should just go ahead with trying for number 2 and it will just all work out how it should HOWEVER I'm far too boring and like to know things up front - me and dh have always had big financial problems and although money is tight, since we moved house things have been a lot better and I can't bear the thought of going back to how we were for all those years I don't want to leave it much longer, dh is now nearer 50 so we need to hurry up!!!

Why isn't having a baby simple?!

I think, well, am pretty sure, that MA is only payable if you're not working (I'm SE too) - sorry!

FP - thats what i thought!!

How do you know i'm in the SE? Yu must know who I am then

Hi
I'm expecting no 2 in less than 10 wks (yikes!) and yes, MA is only payable when not working. baby due around 12th Aug and I'm hoping to come back in Sept to do before & after school only, my DS is 3 and is starting nursery in the mornings and I don't plan on minding others during the day initially.
Saying that my school run is so near I can see into the yard from my window and hear the bell go LOL! I'm very lucky there!
Good luck with TTC.
Take care
Frankiex

thinkingofbaby - I think she meant SE - self employed?

it makes sense you only get it if not working, just need to have a major think about the financial side as i don't think i'd want to go straight into full time working

at the SE bit

Meant to say good luck with it all FB