Has being a childminder ruined your home?

[LolaTheShowgirl]

I really would like to become a childminder...it seems a natural career continue from being a nanny, however, I live with parents (both CRB checked) and of course it's their home and I wouldn't want the children to ruin it. Would it be really worth it or should I just wait til I have my own home (which is looking like never at the moment)

I wouldn't want to do it in someone elses home really, unless you have their full permission and they wont be annoyed if something does get ruined, broken.

Things do wear out quickly but I wouldn't say my home is ruined.

I recently had to re-paint my kitchen/ diner because I have a mindee who likes to throw food up the walls.

I have tried to make sure everything is as child friendly as possible by buying things that can be wiped clean and keeping rules like no drinks or food in the lounge, take shoes and coats off when we go inside, and have times of the day when we all help tidy up otherwise you get left feeling totally shattered at the end of a 10-12hrs day only to find you have to spend 1 or 2 hrs cleaning so you can be ready to start again the next day so i clean as we go along and deep clean at weekends.

I planned years ago to become a childminder so over the years I have been steadily building up the stuff in the house that is child friendly like buying enough storage, buying furniture that doesnt take over the room so the children have room to play, cushions with different textures to make the children more likely to feel comfortable here and be able to relax if they want to etc etc.

not ruined as such just more maintances
walls need painting often
carpets are a no no
saftey gates need to be put up
garden toys are needed
toys/storage in the house

i have a leather sofa which the children have ripped a little with shoes etc
last sofa was a fabic one but one child (potty trainning) weed on it so much it was beyond cleaning

you do get 10% wear and tear fron your earnings

Definitely a high maintenance job and definitely wouldn't want to do it in someone elses house. We decorated the hallway in March and already needs doing again it is covered in marks from where the ride ons have hit the wall and greasy hand marks, the new carpet is dirty even though we don't wear shoes in the house. The kitchen needs doing as well as there is stains from thrown food! My house has totally been taken over with toys and child friendly equipment you can't get under the stairs any more and the garden is full of outdoor toys. Having said that at the mo ds is 2 so would probably be a bit like that even without the other children so I don't mind a bit, however once he gets older I can see it will get on my nerves. Have therefore vowed I will only do this job while I enjoy it and once the enjoyment has gone I will stop. You can't cm without enjoying what you do kids are to good at seeing through you!!

CM hasn't ruined my home at all. The only part of my home that has changed really is the carpet, but nothing that a carpet cleaner wont get out! My mindees take their shoes off when they come through the door and sit at the table to eat and their drinks stay on the table, not carried around the house. Drawing/arts & crafts is done at the table.

It has completly ruined my living room (the main room I use), the carpet has been wrecked and the wallpaper has been picked at and ripped in a variety of different places. The table which we use to have meals on and to do craft work has been marked and scratched despite using mats etc. I have to have a fire guard up all the time which I hate as the hearth would give a nasty cut if fallen on too, Don't get me wrong, I love my job but just wish I could hve a nice tidy house occasionally.

It hasn't ruined my house either, but what does annoy me is the amount of boxes of toys and the prams I have all over the place! That might be something that is more inconvenient to your parents. You'll also need to have various signs, posters and certificates displayed, which they may not be completely happy about either.