Would you take on another mindee if......

[OFSTEDoutstanding]

You currently had a space available for an after schoolie, Monday-Friday and all your current mindees went to the same school or were lo's so all got on really well? I have had a phone call for an after schoolie 5 days a week to be collected from a different school about 4 miles away from my current school collect, which is do-able as they have different collect times, however my mindees at the mo are 15months, 19 months, 26 months, 9,10 and 11 years. This new mindee would be 5 years old, I suppose what I am really asking is in your honest opinion are younger afterschoolies harder than older ones, at the mo my afterschoolies come in, chill out with the TV while I make snack and then do homework, which I help with before they go home. Some days I feel really guilty that I don't do more activities with them but they don't want it and when I offer they say no thanks, however in the holidays we do an awful lot of craft and days out etc. What do you do after school with your after schoolies? Do they come out of school wanting to be entertained and making/ doing until home time or have they had enough by the time they get to you?

No way would I do it

Two schools is hard

Would you have to take all the babies to do the pick up?

Yes but have to at the mo and am able to leave them in the car while I go to school gate, have written permission from parents and a deal with the school that I can park in staff car park so don't have to unload.
What do you do with your afterschoolies? I do an activity run into my local town on a Tuesday to drop one off at gym but other than that every day after school is 'free play' do you think this is ok?

I don't really do anything with them really

I absolutely believe that they need to chill after school, mine (6 and 8) crash in front of the tv and that's fine by me!

I have a pre-schooler who'd nearly 4 so not after schooler as such but she does goes to pre-school ALL DAY. I had a rule about tv until she came and tbh, she NEEDS to veg for a bit otherwise she'd not last til the end of the day!!! My ds goes to school all day from Jan and I'm happy for him to just crash and watch tv for a while or whatever her wants. After all, he'll have been doing a full on day all day and I KNOW he'll not be the slightest bit in anything planned. School holidays will be different though.

whatever he wants

I totally agree with you all they do need to be able to chill out once school is over especially the younger ones. Holidays are of course completely different we go out somewhere almost every day and when we are at home we have craft activities or cooking to do. I don't have a no TV rule in my house as we go out and about so much and turn it off for all our activities that we do at home that I haven't needed a rule as they are so busy they don't even realise that they are not watching it!!!

I am not a cm, but my son is 5 1/2, and in year one. I have arrangement with another of the mums that we alternate, one day a week I take them both home, entertain and feed them until around 7 pm, and the other week it is her turn. (we both work, and this is helping in terms of after school care arrangements). I am also doing a lot of playdates here at home, for my son and his classmates after school

After a day in school, where they have been sitting still a lot, they are VERY keen to burn energy, they want the playground, they want to kick ball, they run around the house and dress up in costumes. No way will they sit down and do home work. Occasionally, they sit down and draw....

The schools may have different collection times but do the children actually come out on time? I collect from one school which is supposed to end at 3:15 - I've had to wait til 3:40 for some children! So although it may seem "doable" theres a good chance of being late from time to time.

The plus side is by collecting from different schools you may be expanding your customer base, by getting to know parents in the playground etc.

Thats very true ayla, I think I am ging to have to call her and say I can't do it as there is only 15 mins between collects so it is a risk that I would be late alot. Such a shame I have been waiting for that space to fill for ages and I really need the money

i had to let one mindee go for exactly this reason.i though tit was possible but it wasnt as by the time youfactor in them coming out ..on time? then rushing over to other school ..finding a parking space and rushing in and collecting ..not forgetting sometimes teacher might need a quick word..it really doesnt work out.