Wot no Staffroom yet? It's because we are all out enjoying the sunshine

[BoysAreLikeDogs]

Or have just got back in, and the mindees have conked out because of the heat.

Have a lovely day

I'm having a slow day, as I don't work Mondays.

Will do the recycling this afternoon and visit a childminder friend to try to get her new laptop to work as she wants it to work.

Also need to start packing for my holiday (going to Centre Parks Longleat on Friday). Have to think about what I want to take.

Just lost another child

Very hot

Hi everyone.

I have today off too and am also going away on Friday, we are off camping and ds is very excited about it.

Just me and ds, we have been out in the sun too at SIL's.

KM sorry to hear you have lost another mindee.

I didn't get my variation, but don't need it now as new mindee not staying. So baby mindee hopefully back next monday, hate not knowing where I stand with money but trying not to get too anxious about it.

Hello.
I am on holiday (at home) for the next 2 weeks.

Katy - Sorry you have lost another 1, 2 children have also finished with me after I had told everyone that phoned I had no vacancies left

Hi all,

I'm hot and bothered! We've been out all day enjoying the sunshine but it does get a bit hot after a while! We are back home now and dd and mindee watching Aristocats to relax and not get any hotter!

Sorry about losing mindee KM. And sorry you didn't get your variation KS, even though you say you don't need it now.

mumlove at 2 weeks off, I had last week in august booked off, but cancelled it when baby mindee's mum gave me notice as I was panicking about paying bills (another mindee was scheduled to leave too due to age), now baby mindee is returning and mum is put out I am not off that week even though her and dad have not officially booked it off.

AIBU? to dig my heels in and not back down on it (still work that week)? I have now told other families I am working, and if it wasn't for this family/notice situation I would have slept at night for the last month.

I have explained why I cancelled it BTW, and didn't mention it before hand as didn't want them to think I was making them feel guilty for giving me notice.

I would stick to your guns unless of course you think they might change their mind again and give notice if you need to keep mindee.

Sounds like a right old mess for you I hope it all works out

TBH I am past caring SB, it is such a rollercoaster within a fortnight I had long standing 11yr old leave,
baby mindee's notice,
cancelled week off,
started new PT mindee,
turned down two phone calls I couldn't accomadate after months of no calls,
baby mindee's notice revoked,
applied for variation, and worried about having to let a mindee go if turned down,
new mindee leaving (tax credits balls up),
thought baby was back this monday but no, maybe next monday

Oh and ds and all his autism stuff going on, and NVQ deadlines and assessments!

I am really trying not to get stressed out! Wish me luck eh?!

I think you deserve a break after all that!

When I started this job I was totally naive as to the in and outs and problems it can cause with regard to mindees, money etc. It took me ages to finally get enough mindees to keep going and even now I still don't know from one day to the next what will happen. The stress of it all can be too much eh.

And I've been really slack and not even started my NVQ yet as everything else has been taking up so much of my time. I wondering if I will ever get round to doing it

Try not to get stressed out! Easier said than done I know! When DS goes to bed, have a stiff drink! Sounds like you could use one

I have been cm'ing over 3yrs, books can be fill one minute and I can be struggling the next, when you start out you think you will fill your books and that will be that - like you say - naive.

DP on lates this week so plan on sticking to ds's bedtime and chilling out of an evening.

I have an extension on my nvq work , although there are lots of us with them due to assessor (been told by her replacement). It is hard to find time isn't it! Will be worth it when it's done though!

i've come to realise that c/m is a very unreliable job! i've been registered for 2.5yrs now and have really struggled to fill my spaces {and i only ever aim to have 2 mindees at a time} the fact that last time i checked there were 58 c/m in a 5mile radius really doesn't help, but more keep on registering.
if i don't get this latest baby enquiry i will give up, keep up my registration to do adhoc work and wait till ds is at school and find a employed job.

Wow vi that's a lot of childminders!

Out of interest how did you find that out? {curious}

I am not able to WOH at the mo, or for the next few years, but as soon as it is viable I shall be, I need to have a stable income!

Thanks for your sympathy guys

It is scary because you think the reason you have fewer children is because:
a)you are no good
b)someone is talking about you
c)you are no good

Sometimes I hate childminding

I wish I knew why

Oh my god, I have just had a look (on the Ofsted website at inspection supports by postcode) and there are 174 childminders within 5 miles of me! Although that probably isn't as bad as it sounds as that probably incorporates the next town which is quite a lot bigger than where I am! But still, that's pretty damn scary!

there are 480 childminders in my 5 mile radius and new ones springing up everywhere for those who want to find out www.ofsted.gov.uk go to inspection reports section and search by postcode

It is hard KatyMac, try not to let it get you down you are a brill CM.

Was child FT or PT? Do you have much competition? This wasn't something I had thought of in depth until Vi's post.

30 within a 5mile radius

But I wonder how many people within that same radius - we are all in small villages eg my village is about 360 houses but there are about 8 villages within 5 miles of my postcode

what amazes me is this - i go to the local c/m groups {2 per week} and there are usually about 20 of us if that - who are the others and were do they go?

katymac - it's hard when you losde them isn't it? didn't the parent tell you why?

my last one is leaving because of money problems.
previous one was a year but temporary - i'd love it if she came back.
first to leave was because of wrong school.

the good thing is none of them left because we fell out or because i'm a crap c/m.
thank goodness.

it says 33 within 5 miles of me although I know at least ten of those have been posted on, and on the actual Camp (we are 3 miles out of the nearest town) there are only 2 of us, which maybe explains why we never have spaces.

My spaces that become available in October are already filled, (not till January, but parents are paying from October).

I wish I could send some to you Katy.

Just pop them in a box & post them

Aargh wish I hadn't looked - 249 within a five mile radius!! Eek!

And that's just cms.

My mindees leaving recently have been due to finances/ family break up/ child too old / parent redundancy.
Even if you know why it's still hard, will send good vibes for more mindees for you katymac.

19 within a one mile radius - where are they all hiding??

how many of you are on networks etc what do you offer in my area so many cm's but not all of good standard hence why you don't meet many cm's even based on how many in your area

at the postie bringing you little mindees all neatly wrapped in brown paper with little luggage labels.