Childminders and housework

[Longtalljosie]

OK, please don't flame me

I had a conversation with my Mum in the week about the relative merits of nursery and childminders - I always thought DD would go to nursery but am now thinking a CM would be best.

Anyway, my Mum stated as a kind of obvious fact that CMs get on with their own housework during the day.

I said I didn't think so - that obviously they'd do things like wash up from lunch and tidy as they went, but they wouldn't do other stuff (like, I don't know, clean the bath) any more than I would when I work from home.

My Mum thinks I'm being a bit naive. I'm not, am I?

I certainly don't do housework when I am minding, apart from load the dishwasher as we use stuff, and I don't know any in RL who do either

I think the increasing professionalisation of CMing (the introduction of EYFS, the expectation that each will have a level 3 qualification in the near future for example) means that the 'old' style of CMing is disappearing

I wish I had time to clean the bath when little ones are here!!
I might do bits and pieces if they're having a sleep, but to be honest it's pretty much impossible when you've got toddlers round the house needing attention all the time

A quick washing up, wiping the table and clearing up essential mess (like food thrown on the floor or spills) yes. Other housework ... no. I don't know about others but I can't multitask like that even with my own kids as they are up to no good when out of sight.

Aside from sticking some washing on the line, I only do housework related to the job like washing up, cleaning tables/work surfaces/loo, putting the hoover round, mopping if needed.

I'd be very shocked if a CM did their housework whilst they were working. Aside from the things PP's have stated like job related cleaning (wiping tables after meals, some light washing up etc)

My friend is a nanny so looks after children in their home. She has to do some of the housework there as part of her job, but only things directly related to the children. She does the children's ironing, changes the children's beds and things like that, she has to keep the kitchen clean after meals, but all her tasks are centred around care of the children.

Cool. As I thought then. But you know when someone says something as though "everyone knows that" and you start to doubt yourself? Thanks all x

I certainly dont have time, in fact most CM's I know have a cleaner once a week, just to catch up!

Mind you, did have the mindees scrubbing the patio the other day

(They had been chalking, and had great fun tipping water over it then using the scrubbing brushes )

I'm trying to train mine to do the ironing and scrub the kitchen floor.
Just having trouble deciding which area of EYFS it comes under.
Their chimney sweeping skills are coming alomg a treat though

I do bits of housework that toddlers can learn by helping with like sorting clean washing (pairing socks), hanging washing out, weeding the garden, baking, peeling potatoes (they love to wash them), shopping (lots of learning there), feeding the animals, and we all clear up after lunch then they play while I sweep the floor, pack the dishwasher and tidy the kitchen from lunch.

I try to make sure that I do things I would do with my own children and yes they have to entertain themselves sometimes but that is an important skill too and it is only for very short periods.

There are good and bad childminders as well as good and bad nurseries. Your best bet is to go with your gut feeling when you look around the setting and watch the childminder or nursery practitioner interact with your child and the ones already in their care.

There can be plenty of ignoring going on in nurseries too as the staff stand around and chat with each other as they 'watch' the children.

I am a CM and my bath would probably like to be cleaned one day . If I put a wash on before the children come in the morning, then they help me hang it, pairing socks, talking about peg and clothes colours, etc. Other than that, it's just loading the dishwasher with their stuff from lunch, sweeping play room floor, etc. (I never see the rest of the house)

I am sure my dcs would have loved their former childminder to get on with a bit of housework as they felt rather overwhelmed with all the worthwhile and educational activities she had lined up- but she was far too professional to do so.

Currently the childminding room (& toys) is being thoroughly cleaned by 2 teenagers

I am on my knees & considering bath & bed

Not sure when my house gets cleaned

Its surprising how many people think this! I had a mum round to visit the other day and I talked about the activities we did (usually library/children's centre/music classes etc in the morning and some combination of playing in garden/park and/or visiting post office or taking the children to let them choose some fruit/veg etc in the afternoon.

She said 'oh it must be nice to be paid to do your shopping and get your jobs done!'

I was so stunned I didn't know what to say, but in all honesty I do an Ocado shop once a week and if I take the children shopping it's for their benefit not mine! Unsurprisingly I didn't accept her child!

Having said all that I do sometimes put on a load of washing/hang it out while the children are sleeping, but if I do that then I'll be doing their paperwork in the evenings!

oooo I would have had to put her right on that one leeloo!!

i have a cleaner come once a week to clean the whole house cause i dont have time

i do my asda shop online on a sunday and it gets delivered at tea-time monday when my hubby and sons are home

the only jobs i do while i work are load dishwasher with childrens stuff and maybe put the washer/dryer on

i often have people stop me to say @oh youve been busy' refering to 3 small children i have and 'never mind they will soon grow up' and if i say they are not mine i get ' oh must be nice to borrow children and get paid while you do your own jobs!!!!!!!!!!!!!! if only

I do light housework, as most of the others have mentioned, and I see that as an advantage. We're teaching the children about real life.

Do people really want children growing up thinking the fairies do it all when they're in bed??

If my cm managed to scrub her bath while looking after my 20 month ds, I would look at her in awe and ask her to please tell me exactly how she managed it so I could try it out at home

He naps 2-3 hours per day - well, he'd nap for 5 hours if we let him but she wakes him up. I don't care if she's putting her feet up, doing housework or doing dvd aerobics during that time... why should I? She's amazing with ds and he absolutely adores her. She does fabulous things with him.

Children love to help peg out the washing - you can talk about colours, numbers, big/small. Older children have their own 'shopping list' once a week when they've decided what they want for lunch and we go to Asda, where they have to look for the ingredients. While there, we talk about fruit/vegetables and where they come from and I encourage them to interract with staff at the checkouts.

They help to sweep the floor after a messy lunch or play session and they fight over emptying the dishwasher and putting their plates/bowls/cups on their own special shelf!

There are so many learning experiences to be had from everyday life in a cm setting, that ccover so many stages of a childs learning and development, and I know the children in my setting gain valuable knowledge from the activities we do - infact they'll tidy up here (anything for a sticker ) but wouldnt think of it at home!!!

If

lol at moogster,

Tanith - how true..

and Id love a cleaner un fortunatley, hubbie doesnt see the need for one!! it all the house work, washing etc gets done with a magic wand!!

I make beds, clean the bathroom before mindees come in am. During the day we tidy as we go, so after an activity we have a tidy time and everyone helps to put toys away and get the next stuff out. Laundry is done on a weekend unless a mindee is sick then I pop their stuff in the washer. Have a dishwasher so stuff gets put in as soon as used after snacks and meals, henry hoover might come out if we have had a particually messy glittery day, mop if spills, as have wooden floors and it can be dangerous if left. DH does all shopping (I hate it) or gets delivered.

My mindees would love me to let them do cleaning, some of the after school kids like to spray the tables and wipe after tea, which is fine it's good for children to learn that mess doesn't magically evaporate. So I would say CM's are no different to nurseries in this regard as they will help tidy, stack their plates their too. And staff in nurseries will tend to allocate cleaning as well, nursery toilet blocks tend to be a nice job (not)