Getting Nervous - Preparing for 1st day as CM

[WeddingBelleJan10]

Any tips or advice from those already doing the job?!

Excited but a little nervous as one of the parents has decided to come for the first week with the children to settle in and feel a bit under pressure.

I will be looking after 2 sisters 6 months and 3 1/2 and their cousin a little boy.

Thanks All!

Bumping for you as I'm not a CM.

Hope the parent isn't going to be spending all week with you, 8 hours+ each day!

NO WAY!!! Please tell me they are not coming for an entire week all day? If so, please think about this as I DO agree with parents coming for a small amount of time for settling in but I would never in a million years allow them to be here all week. Reason being quite simply that I find children need to learn who is in charge where etc. and for example, at pick up time they'll often kick off (not want to go home etc) and it's almost like they want to see who will deal with it and I think they secretly know it might make their parents feel awkward lol. It's quite important that the children learn to understand this is your house and you will be in charge. Having mum there the whole time would confuse some children.

I have a friend (a MN friend actually, we met on here ) who had a very clingy child and I now look after them to help with this. Mum came for a week for just a couple of hours at a time and then started with me. It was a bit different though as we all knew each other so this child thought of it more as coming to play, it just helped the child get used to the surroundings, other children etc. before being left on their own. So yes, a couple of hours each day could be really helpful but if it's a full day, I really think you might want to think about this?

That aside, I wish you all the best of luck with your new business My advice is to start as you mean to go on! Oh, and TRY not to be a big softy and let people walk all over you as many of us on here have. And try and keep on top of your paperwork as you go along, especially accounts stuff. I'm about to do my annual panic of starting my whole years worth of accounts from scratch!! You'd think after 4 and half years I'd have learnt eh!!

You'll be fine And if you have any problems, just come on here and we'll help you!

LT x

p.s. if you are having them all week with the mum there, I hope they are paying for the whole week like normal? I personally offer up to 3 sessions (2 hrs each) free and if they want more hours on top that's great. I also encourage parents to spend SOME time whilst they settle in, I just wouldn't allow them to stay the whole day. For me it's also a case of being unfair on the other children but I suppose that won't be a problem for you.

Good luck

Thanks for the advice!!

I have been so excited about starting - I have been wanting to work with Children for such a long time but now I have decided life is too short to stick with the safe option.

It has taken 2 & 1/2 years in total to get here due to numerous screw ups - the council missed me off the training course so I was waiting for months - then there was the CRB everyone on the course got there's back within 3 weeks mine took 18 weeks due to an admin error - so by the time I got everything in place it was almost christmas (last year which meant further delays - I was so desperate to leave my job but financially couldnt do so until I had a set income. Thankfully I came across a lovely woman on here unhappy with her current CM and it just so happened that her sisters child was at the same CM and wanted to all be together. I was extatic full timers x2 but Mum was due to go on Maternity leave so agreed to stay in my current job until she was ready - as we signed contracts in Feb I felt was unfair to charge deposit because its such a long time and I was able to remain in my office job.

I sat down with them a few months ago to finalise details and was told that one Mum was considering moving away (recent decision) so I could until september before they move and will need to find replacements.

They really are a lovely family and am so pleased to have 3 lovely children but now am doubly nervous as they moved away over Christmas but as they Mum will be comuting with the girls until September so I cant really turn her away?

I feel a bit sad about it all because I was so desperately looking forward to it but now just feel nervous and I have got in the back of my mind that I have got a matter of months before I have to find some more LO and not yet started . Sorry for long winded explaination.