CM Club: Why we love childminding - positive thread

[KaySamuels]

I have had a really nice week despite the weather, and thought we could all record what we love about being childminders.

This week I have enjoyed

• being my own boss - and setting my own days (even more so when it's sunny)
• a new baby mindee smiling at me when he sees me
• appreciative parents (I relish these as they are a rare breed), who pay on time, and contribute to my expenses
• older mindee asking to come to mine when he could have stayed home
• watching all my mindees sat around the table last night laughing their heads off together
• being here each day with ds to see him grow, he is my little super star, and so good with me minding

You get all the gossip:- "My dad loves bogies, he keeps them in his pocket" (says mindee age 3 today!)

You work with people who love you:- "why do you keep following me?" I asked a mindee as I was toing & froing to kitchen while he was supposed to be sitting at table.
"because we love you" was the reply.

You get paid for having fun & playing games.

You get to meet lots of different people from all walks of life. Some you'll like, some you'll think strange & there might be one or two you never want to meet again. But its your choice which ones you work with!

You can set your own timetable & plans and change them whenever it suits you.

You work with people who laugh at the daftest things. A smile & a chuckle is never far away.

You get to see so many firsts-first step, first word, first time crawling or sitting (even though we never admit to it!)

You get paid to go outside on a sunny day.

You get paid to have fun.

When everyone else is sweating in an office and summer is actually here you can go to the beach!

I get to spend all day with my ds who like KS says is absolutely brilliant with me minding and loves all the children coming round to 'play'

you can work in your slippers if you want
and the staff room is so much better than in a rl workplace

Not having to 'plan' a picnic' if it looks lovely weather lay out a rug and eat lunch

Being told by a 11yr old they love coming to your home

DD2 giving cuddles every morning to the mindies as they arrive then asking what shall we play with (so grown up)

Having holidays when I want them

Working shifts (today has fallen for a day of whilst my own having inset day

Arts, crafts, toddlers, puddle jumping, endless hugs all the time

x

I do love cmind cos I get to spend time with my own 5 yr old too, I went to work last yr and missed him alot, am glad I stayed registered.

I also like it as I am my own boss, can give myself a day off (I only have mindees from tuesday to friday) on the Monday if I have done my housework at the weekend.

I can take the children to the park if the weather is good, to the playcentre, beach in the hols and do lots with them in the garden.

The downside is the paperwork that OFSTEd force upon us. Theres not enough hours in the day to do activities never mind the rubbish they give us to do.