How long to interview CM for?

[sparkleshine]

Ok so ive just started looking around at CM for my DS for beginning of August (late i know)

Anyway, i went to see one last week and we got chatting etc and ended up being there for 2 1/2 hrs.
When ive told people they were kind of suprised and said an hour is enough.

But how do you leave? What do i say?
To be honest, it was only because we had baby club that i had my excuse to go.

I dont think i was intruding, and she didnt seem to mind.... but i really have no idea on what an appropriate time is to chat/interview a CM.

Also, is it just strictly talking about CM and the actual reason why you are there, or do you talk like friends getting to know each other?
The CM i went to see, we kinda went into a bit more detail than maybe is more than enough

Please can someone advise. Thanks

Do what ever you and the childminder are comfy with

It's a very personal relationship imo - so go with the flow - if you are happy (& don't want to leave)

As Katymac says, you just go with the flow. I've been for nanny interviews like you describe... it becomes more of a get to know each other, get to know the children.

Sounds like you don't really need to see anyone else... if you were there 2.5hours then you got along well.

As with the others-go with the flow-
Ive had Interveiws as short as 20mins, and they decided they wanted me as their CM

People spend more time choosing a new car than choosing their childminder!

I am happy for families to spend as long as they like and will always block out a morning or afternoon, they can get a feel for you and your setting but also sometimes they decide instantly and that is fine too!

Was childminder talking to you for 2.5 hours or playing games/ organising kids/ doing snacks etc as well? The first CM I used fell apart as she wasn't keen on my DD, but spent ages chatting to me. Pick up and drop off would take 30mins! But the CM me and DD loved just included DD into the day's activities and we also stayed for ages as DD was having a whale of a time.

Should be a different thread, I suppose, but how long does drop off/pick up normally take at a cm? We chat a bit about DS day and other stuff and sometimes it can be about 20 minutes. Was long when he first started but has gotten shorter. Do some people just do quick 2 minute in/out? Should I be doing this? I sort of just went with the flow because I wanted ds to see that cm and I were comfortable with each other and talking about his day...etc.

Interviews I've had take between 1 and 2.5 hours and are best when theres some getting to know each other and playing with the children involved (IMO). Mine normally end up like chatty playdates.

Pick ups take between 5 and 30 mins depending on the parent, what else they need to do after and how much there is to discuss. My preference is normally quick-ish but longer once a week. Kind of depends on how well you get on with the parent thought.

I'm a CM and I have interviewed parents from anything from half an hour to 1.5 hours.

I think you have to work out if you have a bond with eachother as it's just as important as the bond between CM and child.
If you get on, time can pass really quickly and before you know it and hour and a half has passed!

In my case the long chats at drop off and pick up wheren't about my DD at all. Nosey questions about me and DH, gossip about the other mindees parents (!) and hours and hours all about her. Our relationship fell apart rather dramaticlly, and her DD and mine will be starting the same school next year so will be interested to see what happend at the school gate.

I've had as short as 10 mins! (but she'd already decided based on my website that she wanted to use me and that meeting was just to make sure she still felt ok. I was worried after they left as felt I didn't get to know them and wasn't sure how it would be, but then I decided not to worry too much as we had a 4 week settling in period in which they could leave without notice if didn't work out. Well, that was fine (luckily) but I still wish I'd insisted we had longer or met again. USUALLY though I'd say anything from half an hour to 2/3 hours, depending on the parent. I tend to go with the flow of the parent but I also make sure I get all the relevant information into the conversation as it's so important they understand my policies etc. I did once have to ask someone (nicely) if we could end the meeting as it had been over a couple of hours and I was almost late making dinner. I felt awful cutting it short but she understood, time had just flown by

As for pickups, some are like 1/2 mins and others up to half hour. I won't allow any longer than half hour as that take me til 6.30pm and I still need to tidy/clean ready for the next day plus get my own 2 kids in bed.

HTH

I find that drop-offs tend to be just 2-3 minutes as invariably the parents are on their way to work. In the evenings, it tends to be a bit longer but all drop off and pick up time is within the child's contracted hours, i.e. if the child is contracted until 5.45pm but the parent likes a 15 minute chat about the day's events they will need to arrive at 5.30pm.

This may sound harsh but in the early days of minding, I would find (as Looneytune commented), parents would stay for an unnecessarily long time and I needed to be getting on with things. I stipulate in my contracts that late drop off does not constitute late pick up and that parents must allow time for drop-off and handover within the contracted times