I am training to be a CM but only want to work 4 days a week - will I put myself out of the market?

[eenybeeny]

Title says it all really. Most of the families who have gone on my waiting list want part time work. But one family wants Mon- Fri full time (very long hours) I really want to look after their LO but I just dont want to work full time. I want to do Mon-Thurs - as long as its just those days I dont have a problem with long hours. I just want one day a week where it is just me and DS. So if I didnt work Friday's then I would have Friday with DS then weekend with DS and DH.

Do most CM's work full time? Will I lose business if I try to stick to this? Should I just do it? Its just that I will lose all my alone time with DS and I am not really happy about that.

I am the only (working) registered minder (to be!) in my village so that is in my favour.

I don't work Fridays, since I began CMing.

Most of the CMs around here work 4 days a week for precisely your reason, although not all are shut on Fridays - one doesn't work Wednesdays and another has Thursdays off.

If you really cannot accommodate the family that wants Fridays then it would be professional to let them know now so that they can start searching for someone who can, IYSWIM. They may be able to discuss childcare with their employers and re-jig their working week if they have plenty of time to organise.

HTH

I don't think it will be a problem

The CM I use for my DS doesn't have any children 5 days a week,

Lots of mummy's have part-time jobs or mix their childcare with help from family

I work part-time and my DS only goes to his CM one day a week and spends two days with his Granny

thanks. I think you are right I need to just stick to what I want. I am going to be extremely accomodating with the families re: hours etc I just dont want to let this one day go.

eeeny, I did an emergency placement years ago, 2 children for 5 days a week for 6 weeks and it nearly killed me. Stick to your plan, and good luck.

I am doing full time, but we really need the money. It is your Buissness, your decision, your opening hours. You might well loose out on one or 2 families, but something else should come along and at least you will be happy.

I have taken the plunge and told them I cant do Fridays! So am now waiting to see if that is acceptable to them or not! Thanks for giving me the confidence to stick to what I want!

Work full time, but all my Mums are soldiers so it would be har not to, all my under 5's are in 5 days aweek, but I dont have children at home, so it is easier for me.

well my DS is 2 this Friday. Its been just me and him during the day his whole life. I am happy to care for other children and lose a little of our one on one time but I would just love one Mama and Alex day a week where we can cuddle and do all the things we normally do. That is part of the reason I want to work from home.

I don't know any CMs who work full time. I often suggest to parents who want full time to use 2 different CMS as then should one fall ill they have a back up.

I have been a Registered Childminder for the past 2 1/2 years. I have always only worked part time. I have worked for 3 days from 9.30 - 3 for one family, then 8.30 - 5.30 for 2 days for another family and at the moment I am working 8.30 - 1 for 4 days a week (twins).
I dont want to work full time and I have never found this a problem, in fact, all the families I have worked for said they found it hard to find a childminder who didnt mind part time hours.
So for me, only working PT has worked in my favour.
Hope this helps.

even Cm who want to work full time can very often find themself with forced pt hours! Despite popular belief the majority of CM work is made up by bitty parttimers with various hours rather than mon-fri 8.30-5.30.

I work long hours inc evenings and weekends but often get the whole day off till teatime for instance so it's not bad as I get time with my own then.