In every single profession there is a tiny minority who spoil their reputation, and childminding is just the same. When I was pregnant with dd2 I decided that nursery was too expensive for 2 children and decided to that a childminder was the best option.
For 6 months I lurked on the childminding threads! Boy what an eye opener, don?t get me wrong MOST of the threads were professional and a merit to the profession but some of them.
Thud
I remember a few such as ?Shall I report the mum to SS as she wants me to feed solids to her child at 5 months 28 days!? ?I?ve had 3 kids and have been childminding for 10 years so I know more than first time mother? ok I?m exaggerating ,but after 6 months of reading the threads decided a childminder was not for me.
Anyone still reading? Anyway about 6 weeks ago I was let down in childcare arrangements and ended up with a childminder for 2 days a week.
I normally finish work at 5pm but occasionally, I have to stay late. So rather than be late picking my dcs up and annoying the hell out the CM (see told you I read the threads thoroughly). I booked the times 10am-6pm. I explained the most days I would end up picking them early but she said that was fine.
Anyway the 2nd week I was at CM?s house at 10am, knocking on the door, in the rain, no fecking answer! 10 mins later she comings running round the corner ?Oh sorry, but I have to drop mindee off at playgroup and sometimes they?re late letting us in? Inside I?m seething, I have a meeting at 10.30am and am now going to be late.
Next day same things happens, in fact she is late every time by 10-15 mins. Now why didn?t she say at the initial meeting that she could not make 10am but could make 10.15? So when I have to go to work on time, I have to drop the dcs at 9.30am! Which I do not pay for! I have only needed to do this twice, as I now rearrange my work so as to start 15 mins later!!!
Ok ok so that is annoying enough, but the kids seem happy there, I?m willing to give it a go.
2nd week at CM?s, dd2 comes home singing ?Lunar Jim? or some such nonsense. WTF is Lunar Jim? Apparently they watch TV at CM, stupid, stupid me, didn?t think to ask at the initial meeting if she plonked them in front t of TV and how often. That p**sed me off, but hey my fault for not checking, and DCs still seem happy enough.
A few weeks in and dd2 comes home from CM but an exceptionally sodden nappy, I mean so wet that she couldn?t walk. First of all I was very upset, then I thought she?s probably sat in a puddle or something I will mention to CM next time I see her. We went on leave fro a couple of weeks, and when I got back I mentioned about dd2?s nanppy. She was so angry, when I came to pick them up, she had written a 2 page letter about how you would never leave a baby with such a wet nappy. Emm well my love, you did, I saw it, are you calling me a liar. Ddin?t say any of this! Very strange, all I expected was her to say ?Well that?s strange I would never let a baby have such a wet nappy, I wonder how that happened? I?ll keep an eye on that?
As you can imagine the professional relationship between us is not great, and last week CM said that gossip in the village had said I was moving away, and that she needed to know because obviously she was very popular and had a long waiting list. I couldn?t believe it?I?m NOT moving away and gossip is just that?gossip.
Anyway, last week the cowardly fecker sent me a letter to say ?Due to unavailable circumstances, she was terminating the contract?
I just feel so angry, like I?m going to pop!!! I know it?s the best thing for us to do, we could not continue a professional relationship when we didn?t trust each other. Plus out of the 16 weeks she has been paid for she has actually only looked after my dc for about 10 of them, due to my dds sickness and last minute holidays. Which I always paid her in full for!!!
Why am I so fecking angry?.