Rejected by child minders

[Anne33]

Hi all

I just wondered whether I am very unlucky or whether I am being rejected by a group of child minders in a local community.

My child has been looked after by a friend (unregistered) several days/week but she can no longer look after her, owing to her own family demands.

I have been to see several minders now, all seem happy with meeting me and the child, and starting a contract the next week for 1 day week. Then 2-3 days before I receive a phone message/note saying sorry - can't do, another regular parent wants more hours.

Is this a normal occurence as I'm getting paranoid to be honest? Each time I arrange to see a minder it takes about a week, so I have been a month now with 4 minders letting me down.

I'm not religious at all (athiest) and I wondered if I have dropped some faux pas here, or whether its because of the low hours, or because my child is very lively......or am I paranoid? If there is an issue, I'd much rather have honesty is all. Is the "I have another parent who wants more hours" a common but nice way to let someone down if you dont want to take the child on?

Anne33, I appreciate that yours is a legitimate question, but the childminders on here have taken a bit of a bashing tonight for some reason. (completely unfairly in my opinion)

If you don't get any replies tonight, try again tomorrow when the full moon has gone and things have calmed down a bit .

Thanks littlefish, first time onto the site so haven't read the histories, I'm just sad and frustrated that I keep meeting childminders that seem fantastic..and then wham..Im back to grovelling to friends to help me out for yet another week.

I feel the number of hours thing may be genuine. In current financial uncertainty, childcare providers are likely to want what gains them the most income.

Welcome to Mumsnet.
This evening is unusual, could be the full moon, could be too much wine. Who knows.
Stick with it, Mumsnet is a great place, just takes a bit of getting used to.

Thanks Nannynick, sadly I can only afford the one day so Im a bit stuck, and glad its probably my paranoia. Maybe I'm being used as a lever to get other parents to commit more hours or lose a place.

Think I may have to look into nurseries but would much rather have had a CM as I think kids get more quality time. Sorry theyve had a bashing tonight, they do a great job. I'd be frazzled with 3 or 4 little uns all day. Much harder than sitting at a desk.

Geographically where are you

One of us might be close by

(mind you we occasionally go on MN during the day - so we might not be your best choice)

Hi Anne

I wonder if you spoke to your local Children's Information Service (usually part of the county council)and see if they could give you a list of contact details for recently registered CMs, who may be keen to get started even with a low amount of hours?

Just a thought, HTH

Welocome to MN, and good luck

I would try not to take it personally - if it was a problem with you or your child then I would have thought that the childminder would tell you ASAP that they were booked - not leaving it til last minute. This si also probably unlikely because, as a childminder, you expect to get the odd very lively child - makes things more fun imo anyway!

If these childminders have got, lets say one place left for an under five and you use one of those days for your child then it is understandable that they have to let you go if a fulltimer comes along before you sign contracts. A little unethical as it kinda leaves you in the lurch and insecure but a fact of life unfortunately.

I hope you have better luck soon.

Ah so its like being gazumped by a parent with more money to spend on care. sheesh. Some did say to me that my place would be kept for a week so the ethics is definitely in question, though I obviously undertsand the money aspect

Thanks Boys, that seems like a good plan, I will look into that, and I'm in the Bolton area Katy.

But. seeing as all CMs do is play on the internet all day, I'd be much better taking my child to nursery of course.

I really pity 5candles school children, a strict disciplinarian? When my little un was a baby, it was bliss as I could spend some of my maternity playing on the internet while she slept for hours. How anyone expects anyone to watch a child sleeping for hours is beyond me, as cute and angelic as they are. I'll shut up here as it will only create a duplicate thread of full moon warblings.

Now you see - you have got the hang of MN already

I'm not in Bolton - but I'll have a word tomorrow

Do contact CIS

Glad the childminders came up trumps for you Anne33 - mind you, they always do