Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

Why do people become childminders?

71 replies

sheepgirl · 07/09/2007 19:41

I just wondered what motivation people have to becoming a CM. You can tell the ones who really love children and the ones who are in it for the money. But I always think working with children is really hard work so surely can not be a good enough incentive?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

S88AHG · 07/09/2007 21:17

time to move then

lololola · 07/09/2007 21:24

s88ahg, the c/m earning that sort of money do look after up to 6 children, and have to deduct food and other expenses of that fiqure, so its not "easy money" id say the majority earn half that, £500 a week is around the norm. yeah, come and move to wimbledon i could c/m your kids!

Original poster

sheepgirl · 07/09/2007 21:30

I think it is a good idea to rename CMs. As I was really 50/50 about sending my son to a CM due to the image it conjured up for me....a sweet older woman who is warm and cuddly but won't really offer any form of stimulation. This was all dispelled when I visited a CM today and couldn't believe how on the ball she was!!

OP posts:

S88AHG · 07/09/2007 21:31

I take it thats under 3s and over? wish I could make that sort of money, but then I probably still spend it just the same, I only make about half that looking after 6 children some under 3 some over!

Katymac · 07/09/2007 21:31

lololola - so just like every other childminder really

The hourly rate must be good..........

chankins · 07/09/2007 21:34

I became a childminder cos I love kids, think they are really funny and fascinating, and yes I wanted to stay at home with my own and earn money - I've been doing it 2 yrs and think I'll do it forever. course its hard work, but never ever dull, boring, predicatable or uninspiring. I don't think that many do it just for the money cos you have to put in a hell of a lot of hours to make good money! I'm great friends with my last two mums (i'm on mat leave at mo but want to start up again in jan), we still meet up regularly, text tc, and I'm proud to say they couldn't have been happier with how I cared for their kids, and have told me so many times. As a cm you are watched by others as you are part of the community, thru cm groups, toddler groups, school pick ups etc - I know so many people in my area now, have made so many friends etc all thru minding as it makes you part of the community. I could spout on forever I really do love it !

S88AHG · 07/09/2007 21:34

Its good that CMs can command that rate of pay as it is well deserved, I am not saying they dont deserve it, and I bet there are CMs that get paid less than me too!!!

MaureenMLove · 07/09/2007 21:36

Basically I became a childminder because I love little people! I'd always wanted to work with children, but not as a school teacher, so when the opportunity arose (I had a baby and got made redundant) it seemed like the perfect thing to do. I earn enough, I could earn a lot more if I took my full quota of children, but I like just having a couple of pre-schoolers to look after. Its much easier to get around without having to worry about triple buggies or people carriers!
When I 'trained' to become a cm, it was very easy, but these days there is so much more to do. Unless someone really wants to look after other peoples children in their home, this isn't the job for them. Its not easy money.
I'm going to be giving up and getting a real job (joke, cm girls!) within the next year. DD doesn't need me around so much anymore, she's 12 and the fun is starting to go out of it for me. I love my littlies and all my families are fab, but since OFSTED took control, they have started to put so much more emphasis on rules & regs and paper work, that it seems the children come second in this business.

lololola · 07/09/2007 21:43

hi katymac, the hourly rate in my area is around £4 per hour. however, some charge £7/8 ph but they would be more qualified than i am. one c/m i know used to be a midwife, one was a nurse etc etc, so maybe parents feel the high rate is justified. also in this area the mums are on v.good salary so money not always an issue. i only charge £3.50 to £4.00 an hour, as i have no formal qualifications. s88ahg. 3 under 5 and 3 after school max 6 which is ofsted maximum.

S88AHG · 07/09/2007 21:49

I think what parents can earn is the biggest factor in any childcare, and CMing is the lowest paid usually hate to think what a f/t nursery place is near you.

Katymac · 07/09/2007 21:49

I have 9 under 5's - but try to avoid after schoolies (apart from DD)

3andnomore · 07/09/2007 21:52

well, when I cm'ed many years ago (about 10 to b precise) the going rate was £1.70...and dispte inlflation it really wasn't great money...even then,so possibly about £4 an hour now...
I htought cm's had now to charge minimum wage..or do they have to earn minimum wage per hour...divided through children....just interested...

3andnomore · 07/09/2007 21:54

9 under 5's...even in those not so organised days of registered cm's that was not allowed...I think it was something like 5 or 6 children maximum, and it depended on agegroups...think there was under 2 you were only allowed 2-3 and then you were only allowed 1 more child over that agegroup, etc...

Katymac · 07/09/2007 21:55

Don't worry - if you read down the thread you'll see I work in group childminding not by myself

lololola · 07/09/2007 21:55

katymac, 9 under 5, i salute you!

3andnomore · 07/09/2007 21:56

so it's more a mini nursery setting in a home environment?...Like Daddy day care

Katymac · 07/09/2007 21:58

but we are all childminders & work to childminding standards not daycare ones

3andnomore · 07/09/2007 21:59

sorry, didn't mean it sarly, it was just the idea that sprung to mind then...not that I think you would be as disorganised as daddy daycare was in the movie....

3andnomore · 07/09/2007 21:59

oh, so in britain there are different standards to cm and day care providers...which is nursery, isn't it...?

S88AHG · 07/09/2007 22:00

Totally off the subject but I love daddy daycare!!! so do all my mindees!!!! we dont watch it all the time btw

3andnomore · 07/09/2007 22:00

btw that was not sarly but sarky

3andnomore · 07/09/2007 22:01

love the movie too...I also love teh 2 cheaper by the dozen ones, the parenthood one and teh mine yours and ours one...not that I could ever imagine being around that many Kids at one time ever....lol

Katymac · 07/09/2007 22:03

Nurseries have things like never one adult always 2, plastic pinnies for changing nappies, more paperwork, stricter regulation, less physical contact

lololola · 07/09/2007 22:05

i think the idea of a " daddy day care" type setting would be great, you know let the kids roll around in jelly all day then just take them out in the garden and hose them all down. answer the door in the morning dressed as a giant carrot.

LittleBella · 07/09/2007 22:06

I wouldn't want to send my child to a childcare practitioner or whatever it's called.

The attraction for me about childminders is that it is a homely, non-institutional, non-professional environment. That's what I like about it. If I want a childcare practitioner I'll get some nutter like Supernanny in.

Obviously I don't want a cm to be unprofessional, but I want the environment to be.

I like the term childminder.

Flip

1 2 3