Husband/wife childminder team, can it work?

[cupcakeandcoffee]

Hiya,

I am a childminder and my husband is considering joining me following his recent redundancy.

He is great with kids and is interested in joining me, & not just because he is finding it hard to get another job in his industry. We rarely argue and enjoy being together!

I am wondering if anyone out there has experience in this, advice on the pitfalls etc?

Have the husbands enjoyed it and feel fulfilled?
Do you miss alone time?
Does it put a strain on the marriage?
Can it support us financially?
How do parents react to the additional male childminder?

Any comments and advice please!!!

I'm not a childminder, but my DDs childminder works with her husband. They are a lovely couple who both obviously love kids. Can't comment on their marriage/finances, but I have absolutley no problem with a male childminder.....he has relevant certificates etc and is crb checked (and my DD thinks he's great!)

Don't see why not

The only example I know is on one of the NCMA film - www.ncmafilm.org.uk/

Not much use but it's a start!

My only concern is that the two of you will have nothing to talk about in the evenings unless you have outside interests.

I used a husband and wife childminding team. It put a huge strain on their marriage. They are now divorced. Who's to say this wouldn't have happened anyway though? In specific answers to your questions:

Have the husbands enjoyed it and feel fulfilled?

Yes he did, that wasn't a problem.

Do you miss alone time?

Yes, I think this was a problem.

Does it put a strain on the marriage?

Yes, because of the above, and financial pressure I think.

Can it support us financially?

That side of it didn't work out for them.

How do parents react to the additional male childminder?

It was usually seen as an asset, with only a handful of people not being able to get their heads around it.

My DH started working for with me in Jan, after 2 redundancies. It took 6 months to get him registered, but it might be quicker if yours started as your assistant. To begin with, he hated being tied and not having free time (ie lunch break). I think he also missed his work colleagues and was always browsing the job pages and sending off his CV.

Recently I notice he has removed himself from mailing websites and has built up a real rapport with his key children. My concern was that if he gave up it would ruin my reputation when he had to give his children notice.

He is earning considerably less that he was before (as I did when I started minding), but we have just compared money to the time he now has with me and his DD, which is invaluable.

I get my alone time, by doing the early shift with the first children to arrive, because I do find that I still need some time alone (including alone with the children).

Parents reactions? - They love it, their children love it. What more can I say. I have also had more queries for childcare for boys than ever before - which might be a coincidence, but might not.

He did come into the business with some ideas of his own and I had to bite my tongue sometimes, because I have been minding for 10 years and I am quite stubborn and set in my ways.

I work with my DH to answer your q's

DH seems to like it, we have good days and bad ones like anyother job, but on the whole I think he prefers scampering about in fields and sand than sitting in an office all day.

Yes I miss alone time

Marriage strain - no not really - DH just said he wanted to kill me before we worked together anyway so no change their then It is wierd not being able to talk about your individual working days, as youv'e had the same one IYSWIM. You will find you are far too busy to have any kind of tiffs.

It supports us financially, but we do have a large number of mindees - some days we can have 17 through the door - although DH started working with me when I filled up and couldn't find anyone I was happy with (I'm a fussy bugga) obv you are in a different situation in that your DH is available atm.

We've never experienced any negatives from parents, most see the advantages, although I do feel sorry for DH as it is a very female orientated field, most of the comments come from people on training coures TBH.

Hi

My husband and I registered at the same time as childminders and have been working together since September. It has been pretty fantastic, we have had to make some rules, no talk in the bedroom of the business or finances... and I do have to bite my tongue as I am pretty much a control freak, but we have a new lease to our marriage.

The parents love that we are a husband a wife team the kids love my husband loads more than me and he tends to bring a lovely balance. We try to give each other space by doing either the morning or afternoon shift, and our children get to spend lots more valuable time with both of us. It is sometimes hard work but it is worth it.

I use a husband and wife team and I love it. It's so busy, and I love that my children see chicldcare as not just womens work. No idea about their marriage/finances though!

Husband and I have just had our registration inspection. We are both really excited about it starting now. We have been getting stuff ready for the business for a couple of months. Hubby had to give up work(he hated it anyway) to do the training and to sort out the house making it child friendly. He's been off work for 2 months now so we have been togther in that time. hardly any alone time. It has been nice for us though.I think we will still get on once we start working. yes we will have things to talk about because he might see a child differant than i do.

All the best with whatever you decide.