CM CLUB Would you still go? Bit of a dilemma really!

[OFSTEDoutstanding]

Hi I have just signed 2 children from the toddler group I attend with ds on my 'day off'which is a Friday. One starts at end of July only one day a week and one starts in Sept 3 full days though I will still get Fridays off. The question I want to ask you is do any of you have a situation where you end up at toddler groups or similar on days when you don't have your mindees and they are there with parents? Do you still feel like you are working because they are in the room? Do they come to you if they hurt themselves not parents? Was wondering whether to continue going once they started with me or whether to give it a miss. Ds really loves going and don't want him to miss out
When I was a nanny I used to go on holiday with the parents and children once a year and even if I wasn't working the children would always come to me if they argued, hurt themselves, wanted toilet, wanted drink etc so was wondering if a cm experiences same thing with mindees on a non-mindee day.
Hope that makes sense was my birthday yesterday and have a huge hangover this morning !

I used to go to playgroup with my mindees mum and mindee (i looked after her daughter, she stopped coming, we became friends, now I cm both her kids). This parent is a good friend of mine tho, and we are both laid back and have a good laugh together.

I'd say it depends on the mum, she has met you at playgroup and liked you hasn't she so I don't think she would be assessing you while there! How it would work relationship wise you will just have to see, but I would still go.

Talk to mum about it, and explain in your house you are in charge of mindees (ie at pick up when they play up because you are both there), but outside your home you would always refer them to their mum for wants, needs and discipline.

Happy birthday for yesterday btw!

I got to toddler group and see my ad-hoc mindees there. They always come over but they usually go to their mums, or if they come to me the parents certainly wouldn't mind...

I would go, and just say hello to them and see what happened but chances are they will be too busy!

Happy Belated Bday!

Some of my parents have come to groups whilst I've actually been looking after their child! I usually make a joke about having to start behaving appropriately because they're watching me (but I never do!)

I also see some of my parents/children on the days I don't mind them - the children usually race over for snuggles, and have been known to ask me to take them to the loo/get a drink etc., but I tell them to bog off and ask their parent! Hugs are free though.

A lot of my work has come from people I've got to know at groups, or from people who "know someone" who sees me at groups. I am honest with parents - going to a toddler group is probably more for my benefit than the childs, and I certainly don't troll around "interacting" with the children for the whole time. (I do not go to toddler groups every day!)

You should certainly still go to the same groups you've always gone to, especially if it's where you have got your work from.

Thanks TP thats what I was thinking. So far nearly all my mindees have come based on different groups I am spotted at during the week so didn't want to stop going, after all its the best and cheapest form of advertising

When i broke my leg and my mindee came to visit me even though i was stuck on the sofa and hadnt seen me for a few weeks he hurt himself and he came to me rather than mum. She didnt mind, i think she actually liked seeing him come to me for comfort and know that he was very happy. I hugged him and he was fine. He did go to mum after.

Morning! Happy Birthday for yesterday. Why didn't you tell us, we could have had cake and candles in the staff room!
I've been to quite a few places where my mindees are with their parents. I always take a step back from 'parenting' them and tbh, its not a problem. Generally, I've found that they don't come to me anyway, lets face it, they'll always go to mum, if mum is there. I'd still go, if I was you.