CM's - what do you do with your mindees in the day?

[Broodymomma]

My ds has been going to a CM since he was 11 months old, I was just wondering if I could get an idea of what other CM's do with their mindees of a similar age in the day - he is 2.4 now. Thanks

Toddler groups, library, parks, zoos, nature walks, mucking around in the garden, etc. Does that help? (and sometimes just staying home and playing)

Mine all asleep so can answer. all the above and soft play in wet weather. I do a daily diary for my parents pehaps you cm could do one for you.

Thanks for that. She does do a daily sheet but tbh it says the same every day. With the exception of a tuesday when they go to playgroup it always says - went to asda, played with buggy and so on. They never seem to do much and i am starting to feel he just fits in round her daily life. I dont mean that to sound rude but its every day. She has a child the same age so the 2 of them just potter around in the house and more and more often when i collect him he is sat infront of tv. It was fine when he was a baby but starting tp feel he perhaps needs nursery now or a more proactive cm. Am I being really picky??

No wanting whats best for your child isn't being picky. Going to Asda so much is a bit now and again not so bad but regularly like once / twice a week or more bit iffy imo.

Ask your CM if you can have a look at your child's EYFS folder, this has been a legal requirement since last Sept so nearly a years worth of info for you to look at this should show you that your CM is meeting her legal requirements and is caring for the needs of your child individually in line with govmnt policy.

The file should be accesible at all times you could always ask for a look through when you pick up your LO.

goodness me you are certainly not being picky. I have 3 children every day(trust me they are all asleep now) I plan activities every day taking into account the weather and working around nap times and meal times.

For example our theme for the week has been the hungry catapillar.. we have read the story, painted and made models of catapillars, looked for butterflies and counted them in the park and garden, and I will be making catapillar buiscits with them when they wake up.. my mindees are begging for bed by the time they leave and we NEVER have the tele on...sounds like she isnt stimulating either her own child or yours enough.. if I had to go to Asda every day I would kill myself....Is she registered

BM - I'm not a CM, but I have used my CM since DS was 6 mo, he's 2.9 now and still goes to her.

I don't think that you are being picky and you don't sound rude at all. I would be concerned too. My CM (who I think is fantastic) has always entertained my DS, although I accept that this fits around the daily school run / pop to the shops occassionally etc. She used to keep a diary for me when he was tiny and it would say things like:

'DS lay on the floor and played with the building blocks. Enjoyed looking at soft books etc..We watched babytv for an hour.'

It would also give me nap times and tell me exactly what he ate.

A diary request might be the way forward.

thats right 369 and the school run and the shopping trip should be stimulating, fun and educational as you can make it, but to do the same things every day is noton imo.

Thanks everyone. He goes 3 days for 5 hours and without a word of a lie they stay in the house and the kids just potter around. We ask every day what they are going to be doing when we drop him off and she just says "oh i dont know" - i am getting the impression she is not enjoying the job and has kinda given up trying to pretend they do anything other than what they do. In the entire time he has been with her he has had 5 outings and thats been through the playgroup. Usually a trip to tesco or asda or bank/schoolrun (no prob with this) and then playing in the house or she will take them to her pals house. I just wanted to check dh and I were not expecting too much. I just feel I paid her £70 for only 5 hours last week and all he done was sat infront on the tv or played with her daughter.

She is registered with ofsted yes and is a nice person who i do like i just dont feel she is giving my child what i feel he now needs. When I hear what you all do you sound wonderful - i always wanted my child to be in a home from home environment but I think its time we reevaluated things.

I'm a childminder and I mind 2 16 month old children, we have a great time and have done since they were 9 months, we go out every morning after the school run, either to a childrens centre and do various activities, painting etc,a farm park, national trust sites for a toddle, parks, walks in the woods, we visit anywhere really. We often stay out for a picnic or home for lunch and free play where they can play in the garden or do anything they want,we never watch tv. They usually have a sleep in the buggy sometimes while we go for a walk. Then its school run and back to play with sand or water or dolls etc. I do a daily diary and tell the parents what weve been doing. I also do a learning journey with all the observations and 'wow' moments that happen. I ask for input from the parents on new activities that the children have enjoyed at home as I try to follow their interests so they always enjoy their time with me. I never go shopping I have home delivery, we sometimes will go to the local shop for fruit for a snack.
You should be asking what your child is doing and how she is meeting the childs needs.
After the school run is the time I charge about catching up on preparing dinner etc as the older children amuse the little ones for half hour. I never do housework or anything like that during the day, I class myself as working so do jobs in the evening like anybody else who works.

just a quicky, but dont let her put you off cm's..that IS NOT a home from home environment!..she MUST give them more to do/more fun/excersize...i pop to shops regulary..but for fruit, milk, treats etc..poss about 3-4 times a week, but its a fun thing, the children choose, pay for and the parents all are hapy about this..my mindee is here now 'pottering about' BUT, we have just finished making party food for our last day of school party and we're both taking 5 before we set it all up..she sounds like she doesnt think about it as a job or she doeswnt wnt to do it anymore...ask around for other cm's im sure you will be pleasantly surprised

Thanks everyone - i did not think i was wrong. Appreciate all the advice.

i mind a 19 month old -
i take her to playgroup 9.30-11.30,
then pop into a few shops while in town before picking up ds from pre-school @ 12
home to play while i make lunch
lunch
little play
nap {2 hours}
out for walkies with dog
then she's picked up

it's so easy to fill your day when they still have a sleep and you have school runs, i can't wait till this week where there is no school and we have more time at home to play!

i try not to have tv on when i'm minding and tend to save it as a treat or to wind down at end of day.

sounds to me like she should be doing more going to asda isn't such a good activity!

with my older kids i ask what they'd like to do - sometimes give them a few options of things that i want to do but we always rain or shine go for a walk in the afternoon all the children i've minded have enjoyed that - the more mud and puddles the happier they are!