Is it normal for people to not realise that being a CM is a job?

[mogs0]

Ok, so title might be a little mis-leading because my thread has been prompted by the reactions of 2 children but still.......

A couple of weeks ago ds was asking me to do something so I said we'd have to wait until the weekend because I was working up until then and he looked shocked and asked what my job is because he didn't think I had one!

Then, today, mindee's sister (12yrs) asked me something (I forget the exact convo) and I said I was working for the rest of the week and she said "Oh, what's your job?" ermmmm, I look after your brother!!!

Is this normal behaviour?!!

Yes fraid so, I had a mindee for three years before he realised I got paid for looking after him, he saw mum paying Invoice and asked why she was giving me money, poor little dear looked very sad about the whole thing. I must admit I hate it when parents send their DC's with money to give me, it makes me feel .

Happens as a nanny too When we were talking about mummy & daddy's work mine asked me what my job was.

oh yes normal from kids from adults

Lol, whenever I complain about anything to do with being a CM to my mum she says 'well it beats working for a living' or 'well it beats going out to work' - you can kind of see the latter (although I actually spend most days out and about with the little ones) but still .

TBH if it is coming from children then you should take it as a compliment. You must be offering a homely and safe environment. If an adult says it then it is just downright rude.

You're just doing what her mum does when her mum is NOT at work, of course she doesn't see it as a job.

That doesn't mean it isn't a job. We don't all adopt our job titles based on what a 12 year old thinks, do we?

My dc where shocked when they discovered that I had to pay their CM to look after them when I explained they couldn't go for extra days because I couldn't afford it they still love her to bits 3 years after leaving!

agree with colditz. A chil d is not going to think of it as a job.

I nannied for 10 years with one family and when it came time to leave they wondered where I was going! Also asked every time they did family trees where do I fit in their family and when I had ds they told everyone they were getting a new brother! Took 7 years before they realised that I had a job and it was looking after them. The middle one (13) still gets confused now!

i would take it as a compliment from a child.

This made me laugh because my kids and I discuss all the time that the nanny's job is looking after them. I tell them she works hard looking after them and they better behave themselves and say thank you and not have a screaming fit when she tells them to turn off the telly because it's time to go to school.

I think children only consider jobs to be things where you go to work.

Yes its normal for kids, - they think working means leaving the house to go to work. I have a few whose mothers do have jobs at home, but the children don't think thats work either and can't understand why they don't stay home with their mums.

Its not uncommon for adults to make similar comments IME When I meet people and they ask what I do, I get looks of pity when I answer I'm a Registered Childminder! One neighbour, when I showed her round as a prospective customer, said "gosh its just like a real business". And don't let me start on mil - she doesn't understand why I haven't got a "proper job".

yes my mindees got upset when i said i had to work ans so couldn't go on holidays with them, they didn't want me to go to work and leave them lol!!

lol I had a Mum the other day saying how tired she was and how it was difficult to fit in all her housework and stuff while working part time. I agreed and she looked a bit shocked when I gently pointed put that I worked full time ...bizarre.

I've recently had 5-yo DD1 asking my why I pay her CM - I think she thinks it's like going round to a friend's house to play. However, make no mistake, I know my CM has a full-time job, and that it's one I certainly couldn't do!

We had a debate in the car during half term about this. The children all started on 'my Mummy is at work, my Daddy is at work, etc'. My DD aged 10 said 'My Mummy is at work too' - cue shocked looks from other children. The school children seemed to understand that I was at work ... the little ones seemed to think they'd all gone mad.

Adults ask ALL the time - when are you going back to work? Even I talk about going back to work sometimes!

I actually think it is quite nice that DC, mindees in particular, don't realise that it is a job (i.e. they think you look after them just because you love them) - but annoying in adults.

FWIW, you are not alone. Because DH and I often work from home there are plenty of people who assume we are not working and are therefore free to do whatever it is they want us to do for them .

Although I have an office to go to and I often work in the outdoors sometimes I do my admin stuff or session prep from home because it's easier and I get more done but both DH and kids will say aren't you working today then. I don't have a standard working week as I could go away on a ressidential or work several evenings in a week but if I ring mum up mid morning she'll say 'OHH your not working? Why not? She doesn't get that I don't have to be on duty 24/7 for work and that my hours change due to demand.

Slightly different to what OP was on about but the perception from people is that you GO to work

If it's any consolation, I get that kind of shtick too (from adults) and I'm not even a CM. I work free-lance from home as an architect, and am often asked by former colleagues when I'm returning to work! It makes me . I AM WORKING RIGHT NOW YOU MORONS

quite normal

as my dc get older they seem to understand that my job/work is looking after them

though often adults dont [anger]

many seem to forget that if I didnt do my profession that THEY wouldnt be able to go and do theirs!!!

Dp and I are also self employed - when I'd been self employed a few weeks mil asked 'and how are you liking being a lady of leisure'

I'd never worked harder in my life!!

Very cute about the children thinking you just look after them for the love of it, thats a compliment I think.

I have spent 5 years trying to explain to my MIL that I work and cannot just "pop" over with the kids, I thought I was getting somewhere untill recently, when I was complaining about my DH's long hours, she said "ah well at least you can get the housework done while you are at home" ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh