Childminers: Does anyone else feel like they're being more of a parent to the mindies than their own parents???

[Diddle]

I do!!!

One of my mindies has arrived this morning, announcing that it is her moms birthday today, my first question was did you get her a card and pressie? she said no
i couldn't believe it. Her mom is a singel parent, although her dad is alive and well and she does see him, and her mom has a fiance who could have quite easiy taken her to get something. I wouldn't dream of not getting my mom a card ever, and the girl in question was quite upset thats he hadn't got her one.

It is mufti day today at school and the children are meant to take a jar for the summer fayre rather than the usual 50p for mufti day. Her mom sent her with £1 as she didn't have any jars in the house that she could send, even though they live round the corner from a supermarket and have known about it for ages.
The little one was very worried what her teacher would say and that she would be told off for not having a jar with her, as the teacher had told them they could onyl wear mufti if they took a jar. I have ended up buying a birthday card for her mom and stopping on the way to school to get a jar for her to take. poor child, she's only 6 and was gutted this morning.
Have i done the right thing? or should i just have left the situation as it was? I just felt so sorry for her.

Diddle,
You sound like a great childminder.
Its the little extra things that make the difference between doing the job not just for the money but for the love of children. It is what they call 'going the extra mile' in my line of work.

My friend is a childminder and from what she has said in the past you are not alone. The mother of one of her mindees never has holiday from work in the school holidays to spend time with her little girl. Last half-term she took the week off before half-term. Weird.

You sound like a top childminder! The little girl will always be grateful you were so kind.

thank you, you're such nice people

As one of those mothers who doesn't always remember everything, I would treasure you! I do think that it is fantastic when carers do help out that little bit extra. Hope that the mum appreciates it.

Would't necessarily include all of this stuff as making you more of a parent than the mother though. But better organised, and in tune what what is important to the child!