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View Full Version : Anyone else feel as if they are constantly on the go?



nipper
15-05-2012, 09:21 PM
...outside of the childminding that is?
It's just after 10pm and I am sat at the kitchen table trying to catch up on a task for Cypop 5, when most 'normal' people are sat relaxing infront of the TV or whatever. I have a pile of ironing to plough through and various other houseworky type jobs to do (not tonight though:panic:) I settled the kids into bed after walking the dog, a quick dust of the lounge as it seems like weeks since I did it and I'm fed up of looking at the dust getting thicker and this was at about 8.30pm...that's not normal is it?

Should I be a bit naughty and dust one downstairs room per day while my mindees are here, am I allowed to get them to join in or is it frowned upon?
My lovely DH mde me a cup of tea, spilt most of it on my newly mopped floor and on the table trying to pass it to me...ah bless:angry:

At the moment the only relaxing time I seem to get is on a Saturday night when we sit infront of the TV or get a DVD. Most mornings I'm up just after 6 to take the dog for a walk while DH gets ready for work (leaves at 7am), then it's me and our two kids (5 and 8) until mindees arrive. From about 7.45 it is just non-stop, apart from sleep time after lunch and then I work until just before 6.
I'm only having four weeks holiday a year, which is pretty knackering in the long run. Don't get me wrong, I'm enjoying childminding very much, I've just got this nagging feeling about the more mundane aspects of running a household like HOUSEWORK.
Would love to hear everyone elses tips or advice...please no suggestions about getting a cleaner though, I'd have to do the housework before they came!:laughing:

angeldelight
15-05-2012, 09:26 PM
I feel the same

No tips or advice though sorry ha ha

I feel like a robot lately :laughing:

I can never seem to wind down even in bed my mind works over time, busy time for us at the moment with a house move but I am always like this anyway

I went to bed at 1am this morning and was up at 6am

Oh I wish I could wave a magic wand and all the housework and everything else was done for me...... if only :laughing:

Angel xx

wendy222
15-05-2012, 09:26 PM
i no wot u mean lv after working all week till 6-7 then stepson comes with grand kids its hard work so i went and bought a caravan down cleethorpes about an hour and 10 mins away so me and hubby and 15 year can go down every other weekend its a blessing lol hubby makes me leave my phone and laptop at home lol xxxxx

nipper
15-05-2012, 09:30 PM
I went to bed at 1am this morning and was up at 6am


There is something nice about getting on with paperwork when the house is in silence but I'm afraid I couldn't function on 5hrs sleep.

angeldelight
15-05-2012, 09:31 PM
There is something nice about getting on with paperwork when the house is in silence but I'm afraid I couldn't function on 5hrs sleep.

That explains why I am like a robot ha ha

Angel xx

Bridey
15-05-2012, 09:37 PM
I know you said not to mention it but ... I love my cleaner more than I love wine or chocolate! She has saved my sanity :D

nipper
15-05-2012, 09:46 PM
I'm smiling now :thumbsup:

zippy
15-05-2012, 10:23 PM
My mindees help me with light housework, dusting sorting clean washing etc, and infact a minder I know was actually marked down because she said she never does housework when mindees are there, inspector said they wereissinh out on loads of learning oppotunities

butterfly
16-05-2012, 06:14 AM
I know exactly how you feel. I work from 7-5/6 every night, I then sort my own children tea, bath, bed before sitting down to sort paperwork or clean the house before the next day. I try to get my dh to help a little eg hoover and mop for my during the evening. I do dust the lounge whilst the kids are sleeping and try to do atleast one paperwork job .

It's a huge balancing act and I'm exhausted by the end of the week. I generally go to bed at 8pm at least 3 nights a week. I find it impossible to have a social life during the term as one night out wrecks me for the rest of the term!

LittleLegsCM
16-05-2012, 06:48 AM
Sounds like a normal day to me lol!

I get up between 5/5.30am, walk the dog, check over everything downstairs ready for kids to turn up at 7am.
Last mindee finishes at 6, my own 19month old will then fight bedtime til around 8/8.30 (sometimes later!) so by the time I've got our stuff ready for the next morning and get downstairs to clear up and start paperwork etc it is silly o'clock!

My 'to do' list gets bigger everyday and even when I knock something off, it's a guarantee they'll be at least 2 thins to add back on it! Lol.

I am (very slowly) coming to the realisation that this is how it will probably be for a long while and will most probably get madder! Lol x

Kimmy050983
16-05-2012, 06:54 AM
In a nursery staff would be cleaning up inbetween too so why shouldn't we be able to? I do light housework like dusting, emptying the dishwasher, brushing, folding laundry all with kids help! they love having their own little brush etc, and put the dishwasher on. I would not be able to clean a whole house after 6pm !

LittleLegsCM
16-05-2012, 06:58 AM
Oh and in regards to cleaning my mindees love 'helping out'

Having a Labrador that literally must change her full coat daily (all year round!) I normally Hoover at least twice a day and because of the early start 1 of those times is normally mid morning- I struggle to actually do it as they all love doing it instead lol. Same with polishing or cleaning windows etc, I give them a new & clean cloth and they go round 'cleaning' anything they find!

It's quite cute watching them all work together and as someone else said, they do learn quite a bit from doing different jobs x

rickysmiths
16-05-2012, 07:14 AM
Isn't this 'normal' for a childminder :rolleyes:

I know what you mean I work from 7 to 6 most days. I have been doing the level 3 Diploma this year. My two are older but we still seem to run around after them taking them to scouts and activities etc etc!!

I must say i have taken 5 weeks holiday a year for a few years now. That is the min any of your parents will have because it is the min for those on min wage. The extra five days makes a huge difference especially if you use them with a BH so this next one 3 days holiday and you have a week off. I tend to have 2 or 3 long weekends and at least one attached to a BH so I have little breaks through the year to recharge my batteries rather than lurching between main hols as I suspect you are doing having two weeks in the summer and two weeks at Christmas. :thumbsup:

I never feel guilty taking holiday and I tell my parents in Jan when I want to be off so they have plenty of time to sort themselves out. They mostly take time off when I'm off and nearly always have more holiday than me. My current parents have 6 weeks each.

I do housework when the mindees are here. A load of washing and put it on the line. I clean windows if they are playing happily inside and out, dust, hoover, sweep the floor. The only two things I don't do are mop the floor or iron, though I will do this when they are all asleep :thumbsup:

I prepare dinner, we go shopping. I took one toddler to Costco on Monday morning. He loves it I am a trade member and so can go in early and we get coffee and croissants and cakes. He loves his croissant!

mama2three
16-05-2012, 07:15 AM
I feel the same much of the time , and completely agree about the cleaner - Id have to clean up before they arrived too!!
Mindees are 7 til 6.15 , then clear up , sort boys , make dinner for dh coming in from work around 8 . I dont get any housework or paperwork done tbh..by 9 or whenever we have eaten its the last thing I want to start and do. Coupled with the fact that DH wants my attention / company too. I feel guilty if I dont do it..and guilty if I do! No Win!

Demonjill
16-05-2012, 07:23 AM
I do light housework when mindees are here - im forever wiping the table of crumbs, cleaning work tops and sweeping kitchen floor to keep it clean while they are here anyway and thats housework.:rolleyes:
I put washing on, hang out washing, dust furniture and sort clean clothes while mindees here if they are playing happily and i can see/hear them.
Generally dont like them to help me as they make more mess:laughing: and dont really want them touching dirty or clean clothes!:rolleyes:

JCrakers
16-05-2012, 08:37 AM
I'm always on the go and find it very hard to sit down. Even at the weekend when hubbie is sat watching footy Im hoovering, mowing the grass, cleaning out the car....he quite often says 'good god woman, cant you just sit down and relax' :laughing:

I think this is why I'm coping with minding because its so full on sometimes. I do make time to sit down though throughout the day when the children are playing together. I do paperwork while they are playing and don't let it impede into my evening. I finish work at 6pm and everything to do with work goes away.

In the day I put washing on and then it goes outside or nowadays with all the rain I put it on the airer, empty and fill the dishwasher, clean the kitchen etc, I occasionally hoover if I haven't brushed up and I clean the toilets throughout the week as they are used a lot.
I would like a cleaner but haven't got round to it yet but I'm hoping to find someone.
Thursday after work I give the house a good clean..hoover,toilets,floors,dust and then I do a bit on Saturday morning while dd is horseriding and dh and ds are out on bikes. House to myself = cleaning (YAWN)

FussyElmo
16-05-2012, 08:59 AM
My motto used to be if its not done by 8pm then it doesnt get done and lately that has got to be more like 7pm.

However I do make every member of the household pitch in and then it take half an hour :thumbsup:

ziggy
16-05-2012, 09:14 AM
I live alone and very rarely have energy to cook proper dinner in the evening let alone do housework etc etc

Sorry but gotta say it........... my cleaner is worth her weight in gold. She only does downstairs and the bathroom but it makes my life so much easier. Ispend couple of hours thursday evening tidying so she can then come in friday morning and clean, then at least i have more time to myself for weekend

I find not getting a lunch break while minding the hardest bit. Would be lovely to sit down with a sandwich and my book for an hour a day LOL. Even when little ones are sleeping i'm tidying or preparing activities

nipper
16-05-2012, 09:42 AM
House to myself = cleaning (YAWN)
Absolutely:thumbsup:

Tealady
16-05-2012, 12:53 PM
I find a layer of dust an excellent media for Mark Making ;)