Stupid cm questiion about what it involves! Apart from the blinding obvious!!!!

[Sails]

Hypothetical question Could I become a cm and combine it with looking after my own children and continue with a similar routine of naps, housework,groups meeting friends and occasional days out and yes tv as I have now or would I have to ensure the day completely revolved around my charges no housework being done during cm hours and ensuring stimulating activities are always on offer etc etc. Genuine question btw

It is very complicated and depends upon what both you & your prospective parents want out of 'childminding'

Both types of childminder exist - however the first is likely to become more rare now that the EYFS has been introduced.

I suppose cm isn't for just yet then. Dh often has rotored days off during the week and I love the freedom I have at the moment of being able to take ourselves off for the day if we choose too. Also I like to be able to organise my day with housework, meeting friends with children etc.

Imo Cm ing is very different from looking after your own kids. So it should be, you are being paid for it.
I charge a similar price to the local nurserys so I offer loads of activities for my mindees.
You have all the 6 areas of development to cover so all of the day should be planned around stimulating and helping your mindees to have fun, grow and be educated.
You will need to fill out lots of paperwork, policies, proceedures, daily diaries and really demonstrate that you take the role seriously.
And no you cant spend the day cleaning while they watch television. thats what we do as mums, not cms....

I was planning to carry on going to some of the local groups when I become a childminder - musical babies; hop, skip and jump, oh and the children centres have childminder stay and play sessions - and have a few playdates. Would this be a no-no then? I'd guess not?!

Surely if you can demonstrate how what you're doing fits in with the EYFS then you'd be ok?!

your play date may take you over your numbers. i find i am too busy to have play dates and of course i am working during the day i discourage visitors popping in! too difficult when your mindees need attention. if you have friends over, who will you be concentrating on?

of course there is the odd cleaning up that you need to do when minding but it is usually because one of the children have made a mess of sorts!

to my, my childminding minding comes first and then housework etc second.

You can still go to toddlers and out to the park, or the zoo etc, but it is very difficult to do housework at the same time as ensuring the children are safe, stimulated, learning through play, etc (and if they are all busy, you will probably have some paperwork to write up - sitting in the play room). I do manage to get the occasional load of washing in the machine and the children get it muddy help me peg it up.

thats exactly it HSSM, turn your back at your peril. As Numberfour says I too dont allow visitors. You have to take it seriously and put mindees first. All my kids are at school though so thats easy for me.Of course you can take them out but it has to be all about their welfare and for their benefit.

To a certain extent it probably depends on whether you'd be minding in a "casual" way with maybe one preschool child during the day and one or two afterschool age children later, or if you would be trying to have your full numbers which is generally 6 under eight year olds, of which 3 can be under five and 1 under one (minus your own kids). You could probably manage to "absorb" one extra child into your daily routine and still manage to do the required paperwork etc, but do you think you'd manage that with 3 under fives?

I go to toddler groups and meet with other cm friends but the children are the main focus at all times. Yes it is nice to meet up and have a natter, compare notes, support each other with advice etc but the children's needs are the priority. I do pop to the shops if I desperately need something but will combine the outing with a trip to the park or library or spend time looking at all the different fruits and veg in the shop etc. My husband tends not to take holiday if I have mindees because he can't relax and I prefer him not to be around as he gets in the way and interupts our routines. As for housework, I get up half and hour early and get the essentials done in the morning before any minded children arrive. I may do the odd little job if I get chance, like hang the washing out while they play in the garden or empty the dishwasher while they eat lunch, that sort of thing but no proper cleaning or hoovering type stuff. Tv is something you have to discuss with parents as some will have strong views. I only have it on for a short while after lunch and my own children might put it on after school. You have to take the job seriously it's not just liek having a few kids over to play.
or spend some time