Am I wrong to pick and choose?

[Ripeberry]

From September I will have a then 4yr old leaving my care to start school and he will be dropped off and picked up by mum as she will be on maternity leave.
I will have one space for an under 3yr old and I prefer working with babies and young toddlers anyway. I've had a few enquiries for taking on 3.5yr olds and taking them to pre-schools but they are all in other villages meaning that I won't be able to even go to our normal week day groups as I would be running around all the time dropping off and picking up.
Do you pick and choose your mindees before you've even met them? ;)

[AliceK]

In the past I have. I decide whether the ages and drop-off etc will fit with what I do and whether i want to do it or not. However as 2 of my EY's children are leaving soon (mums are having babies) I cannot afford to just now so I cannot be so choosy at the moment.

xxx

[rickysmiths]

From September I will have a then 4yr old leaving my care to start school and he will be dropped off and picked up by mum as she will be on maternity leave.
I will have one space for an under 3yr old and I prefer working with babies and young toddlers anyway. I've had a few enquiries for taking on 3.5yr olds and taking them to pre-schools but they are all in other villages meaning that I won't be able to even go to our normal week day groups as I would be running around all the time dropping off and picking up.
Do you pick and choose your mindees before you've even met them? ;)

Absolutely! It is your business and you take on who you want. There is nothing to say you have to meet everyone who rings you either. It is your choice.

[eddie]

I choose not to do school runs or any nursery pick ups as I don't like having to keep putting the little ones in and out of the car, much prefer to have decent amounts of play time without interruptions.

I also prefer the under 3 group and have denied vacancies to people who want certain hours or days. Now I am almost TTO I am even more fussy!

[Mummits]

If you have the luxury of being able to choose mindees whose requirements suit you, then certainly you should. They will behefit from you being less rushed and generally better able to focus on their needs.

[melco]

I am the same now as I when I first started I made the mistake of having someone say they wanted me so I turned people away and then they said that their mother in law was going to have them so I then had nothing. So now I think like a business, if I have more than 1 person contact me and I can only take on 1 I will see both of them so then I can also choose what is best for me.

[LauraS]

Surely this is one of the benefits of self employment? I don't blame you for not wanting to run back and forth to pre-schools.

[ziggy]

I only take on children who go to playgroup in my village. I wouldnt take on work i didnt want unless i had no choice financially.

as mentioned, it's your business so you can pick and choose:)

[francinejayne]

absolutely! my working day is 8 until 430 and I really don't want to give that up. DS starts school in Sept and I've got a new baby starting in Oct term time only 8 until 430!! :clapping:

I know I'm lucky and one day I will have to accept longer hours, but until I'm desperate for work I shall continue to pick and choose!

[BucksCM]

No, you are not wrong to pick and choose:thumbsup:
As previously said, it's your business, and by choosing, you are doing what's best for you and your family and your work load.
I remember years ago I had a family go on maternity leave, someone asked if I had a space and I said no. She looked at me and said "yes you do, X is on leave so I know you do!" I just told her that yes, technically I do, but I'm going to use the time to be with my own son while I can. She was quite put out that i didn't take her child!

[Bluebell]

it would be worse if you did meet them and then decided not to take them on! At least if you are deciding not to take them on at enquiry point its because of practicality and how it affects your setting and other children rather than personal feelings.
I wish I was better at putting people off to be honest as I try to be as flexible and welcoming to everyone and I think this will be to my own detriment some day.

[Carol M]

I do. I also trust my gut feeling now as to if a family will fit in well, some you talk to or email back and forth, you can just tell and not just the practical side of things !
Carol xx

[The Juggler]

absolutely I do. I tell all parents that I will work max 2 days in the school hols as I try to be t-time only.

I won't take on any finish later than 6, won't do pm at my local nursery as all other children I have do the morning session, I won't do any more after schoolers (new ones), I prefer not to take on any new 3 year olds though might reconsider

....does that make me look fussy??:laughing:

[littletreasures]

I'm fussy! :laughing:

I can be "full" when I get a phone call and I have even been known to take on extra hours for existing children if someone has come to visit me and I didn't think it would work out.

I think you have to be picky and choosy to make sure the children fit in with the existing children you care for.

[mummyMia]

I much prefer babies and toddlers and when I get calls for older children I just apologise and say that I don't have any spaces available at the moment. I never tell them that I don't take on older children as I am worried about it being discrimination.

I also once had a mum call about a place for a three year old who was having serious potty training problems with lots and lots of accident. She wanted to move him from nursery to a childminder who would be more supportive. The thought of all those accidents in my house just filled me with dread :eek: and I manged to avoid taking him on. I still feel a bit guilty about it but I think it for the best.

[Bridey]

I much prefer babies and toddlers and when I get calls for older children I just apologise and say that I don't have any spaces available at the moment. I never tell them that I don't take on older children as I am worried about it being discrimination.


I only take older children. Its not discrimination ... I don't want and don't need to work a 10 hour day and I also cannot give a young child the attention and care they need with up to 10 older children in the house at a time.

If you take on older children you are legally obliged to make sure you can ensure the safety and give adequate care to any younger children who are present.

[Maza]

Of course! They pick and choose which childminder they want and it works both ways. Didn't mean that to sound horrible. It has to fit in with your needs/routine etc. I choose not to do pick ups either because I don't want to be waking little ones up from their naps.

[Chimps Childminding]

I also don't take on schoolies!! I have 3 (not all on the same days) which have been with me since babies, but due to having to use the car for school runs and being limited to the number of seats/space for pushchair I have available I will not take on any more schoolies!

TBH I would prefer just to have pre-schoolies but like I say the 3 I have have been with me for years - its difficult to say you don't want them anymore once they go to school :blush:

[Ripeberry]

Thanks for all your replies. I think she might have found a minder in her own village now. But it is difficult not to feel guilty. I was up at 4am one night just worrying about it :eek:

[miffy]

Thanks for all your replies. I think she might have found a minder in her own village now. But it is difficult not to feel guilty. I was up at 4am one night just worrying about it :eek:

Oh bless you! Glad it's sorted so you can stop worrying!

Miffy xx

[little chickee]

If i decide that i dont want to take on a particular child i do not feel in the least bit guilty about it.

I don't do before or after school - my own boys all get bused to school, picked up from the house so it doesnt suit me to do school runs. I just tell people i don't have spaces for b and a school.

I have in the past taken on contracts that i didnt really want to because i found it hard to say no, I always ended up regreting it which isnt fair to me, my family or the mindee so now i pick and chose and am much happier.