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View Full Version : Any advice - shift worker needing flexibility.....



jumpinjen
28-08-2012, 04:03 PM
Finally an enquiry, coming Friday -- woop woop! She wants 3-5 shifts a week, to cover earlies or lates, a 3 and 6 year old to take to and collect from nursery/school between 6.30am and 8.30 pm - any advice? The younger child is in morning nursery, so it's either be both children to drop off and then the younger to collect for the afternoon, or collect younger from nursery then older from school until 8.30 in the evening..... Jen x

sarah707
31-08-2012, 04:20 PM
Do you want to work that late jen? It's quite intrusive on your evenings...

I hope the interviews went well :clapping:

margaret
31-08-2012, 05:28 PM
I look after 2 children for a shift worker and would never do it again ,very intrusive on family life,very tiring on me and children ,children have behaviour issues because of tiredness.Children dropped of at 0630 ,tired,hungry ,need washed and dressed ,winter coming up cold etc.I was a nurse and remember how hard it was to get childcare as a parent which was why i took on the work ,fully understand why majority of childminders will not do late and early shifts ,but would definitley not recommend.If you go ahead i would trial for 2 mths only especially, if you have young children,money is good but trust me not worth your sanity.

jumpinjen
31-08-2012, 06:13 PM
Thanks for your concern guys - I have agreed to work with this family - I too am a nurse Margaret and understand the difficulties of finding care too! That is partly why I am taking her on and will see how it goes. I have previously worked evenings and didn't like it but it was me that had to trudge out at ten pm to take the LO home half an hour away and Mum didn't want her sleeping as she then wouldn't sleep at home until gone midnight and my girls went to bed at seven and it was a nightmare..... these days I am 'working' til 8.30 anyway and have part timers so there will be plenty of 'down time' for me during the week, I am not working 7-6 every day with this on top so some weeks I will work only three days, some weeks five, and never between 9 and 12 which is what i wanted as I home educate my children and wanted the mornings free for them. It fits with me to be honest, she has offered that she can change her shifts occasionally if there is a home ed trip I really want to take the girls on..... and she was being totally ripped off by another minder so I'm happy to be helping - I'm charging a fair fee that makes me more comfortable and her not paying more than she earns for her childcare. She was lovely and when I get a good feeling about people, and see they are on my wavelength about childcare then I am willing to give it a go!

Fingers crossed! Jen x

bunyip
31-08-2012, 06:41 PM
Good for you! :clapping: :so happy:

I used to work shifts, and I know how isolating it can feel when the rest of the world is geared up to working 9-5 and no-one wants to understand or help.

I only got into childcare cos we moved here to help out my DD who wanted to study midwifery, but no nursery or CM would provide the childcare she needed. Once I started to help with the grandchildren, I began to realise how some people need care to be truly flexible, not just have people using the word as a meaningless selling point.

Let's face it, where would we be without shift workers. And where would mums and CMs be without midwives? ;)

jumpinjen
31-08-2012, 06:47 PM
Good for you! :clapping: :so happy:

I used to work shifts, and I know how isolating it can feel when the rest of the world is geared up to working 9-5 and no-one wants to understand or help.

I only got into childcare cos we moved here to help out my DD who wanted to study midwifery, but no nursery or CM would provide the childcare she needed. Once I started to help with the grandchildren, I began to realise how some people need care to be truly flexible, not just have people using the word as a meaningless selling point.

Let's face it, where would we be without shift workers. And where would mums and CMs be without midwives? ;)

Thanks - the other minder was charging £6.50/hour for each child, and then making Mum pay the £9 for a taxi to collect from school as she didn't drive, and Mum had to provide food too - oh and she had to pay for the full time space for her under five and a full weeks wraparound for her older son - so her bill was nearly £350/week and more than she took home, she was between a rock and a hard place and those fees are extortionate for round here - the average is about £4/hour, especially without food and travel included! The school is a drive away so we have agreed a plan for snow and ice making the drive dangerous, and a few other bits and bobs - If I'm right then it's the same minder that has haemorrhaged a few children in the last six months - wonder why:rolleyes: