cm Do you ever get used to the feeling of your house being invaded?

[popperdoodles]

Been cm for over 3/4 months now and am on the whole enjoying it. Just about to start NVQ 3 and even getting used to all the paper work. However I still dislike the feeling of my home being invaded. I love the children I care for and the families are really nice yet I still have the feeling my home is not my home anymore. This week I had a potential new mum come to visit and I hated the way she was looking at my house and my children and wanted to say "naff off, this is my HOME" So is this something you get used to or does my feeling like this mean I'm in the wrong job? thanks

Hi Popperdoodles.. i think you will get mixed replies on this one, i think it comes down to what your home means to you and if you are used to having people over.

I know exactly what you mean though, Some would look at every part of you home if you let them, but i guess its understandable that they want to see the rooms your using if there little ones are using the rooms.

From a safety point of view and a practical side i guess and thats what you have to remember.

You will get used to it

We are not "open house" type people and always knew that having people in the house was going to be new to us. I've always been a very home loving person and am struggling with how my home now feels like my workplace. I thought I would get used to it and fingers crossed I will in time. I did consider all of this before cm but in reality am feeling slightly different to how I thought I would.

I did find it slightly irksome when parents when prospective clients would come in and scrutinize my home or parents would waltz in to my back rooms as if thaey had a right but on the other hand they do want to make sure they are happy with the environment their kids are being cared for in. I found when I was on holiday but stayed at home, it was like a bus mans holiday - I needed to get away.

I try & keep some of my home to myself - but as NannyNick will tell you it all kind of runs together

I agree about going away to have holidays - staying at home is not any sort of holiday

I go through phases like this too, i stuggle to keep tidy with two ransacking todders of my own about, and then worry that the place is a tip! get annoyed with all the posters we have to display too.

I've managed to arrange the toys and furniture so that in the evenings it is all tidied away and i can have my space back and my bedroom is just mine.

I've been doing this nearly 4yrs and I'm used to it now, I can rarely afford to have holidays away but do try to take my full holiday every year or as near to as I can manage so I get breaks and time to catch up on paperwork/ upkeep of the house/ deep cleaning etc

The thing that gets to me most is the level of cleanliness I feel I need to have it higher than my usual standards and that can get wearing and I'm hoping to have a cleaner at some point.

Sometimes I wish for my home to just be our home, I would love to put our tree up today but I'm going to leave it a bit longer because I know the 18mth old mindee I have will just pull it down constantly and I'll end up wanting to take it down and also means I'll have to move the toys around and maybe take some upstairs to make room for it so I'm going to do it closer to christmas.

Good to hear my feeling are quite usual. I am hoping I will get more used to it too in time.

yy, I tidy up asap after the children have gone, I have cupboards that ean that stuff is not only away but out of sight IYSWIM

My dh often comments on the fact that the mindees seem to regard our home as theirs too - they happily waltz in and help themselves to settees, toys or whatever. I see that as very positive.

Our house is pretty cluttered for most of the time, so I certainly don't worry about what the parents think any more. It is a standing joke that everyone knows if I have a prospective parent visiting because I dust and have a bit of a tidy up.

The only thing I don't like it the odd occasion when a parent has gone to my fridge to put milk/food in - I really don't like that, but not sure why!