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MessybutHappy
16-03-2013, 09:30 PM
I've just spent ten minutes trying to un-pop-up one of those pop up tent things...and I've given up!!!

Stupidly it only got used because the trusty a-frame clothes airer snapped and I didn't take five minutes to fix it before tents were required!

silvermist
16-03-2013, 09:34 PM
My least favourite minding job is....changing a never ending supply of poopy nappies and wiping the constant stream of green snot which is ever present at the moment!! :laughing:

Zoomie
16-03-2013, 09:43 PM
Paperwork, paperwork and paperwork.

blue bear
16-03-2013, 10:25 PM
Dressing the dolls at the end of the day, knowing they will be naked within ten seconds of mindee arriving and having to help redress them through the day.

katieanna
16-03-2013, 10:31 PM
Same as above and also having to put up and take down 2 travel cots daily!!

jo.jo76
16-03-2013, 10:52 PM
Oh gosh, yes 2 travel cots here everyday except Thursday! And the snot!

RuthJ
16-03-2013, 10:58 PM
Snot wins here too at the moment. Hoping they've all recovered by monday!

*daisychain*
16-03-2013, 11:01 PM
Putting gloves on little people!! I have patience for everything else in the world EXCEPT PUTTING GLOVES ON ! Grr !

mrstom
16-03-2013, 11:08 PM
Green snot and travel cots.

<ponders to self whether 'green snot and travel cots' is a good name for a blog>

I put two cots up each day and they each have their own personalities - if you don't press them in just the right place they won't go up/down - cue lots of sweary language from me! Never mind the unique child, it's the unique travel cot!

Disclaimer: cots are put up before mindees arrive so bad language is not a problem.

SammySplodger
16-03-2013, 11:49 PM
Anything to do with Ofsted and paperwork.

I'm immune to poo, wee, snot, mud, spit, vomit etc.

I would happily sit in a bath of all of the above, rather than have Ofsted visit me.

snortlet
17-03-2013, 05:55 AM
Putting gloves on little people!! I have patience for everything else in the world EXCEPT PUTTING GLOVES ON ! Grr !

This is me too!

skatie
17-03-2013, 08:24 AM
Getting travel cot up and down from cupboard :heavy: and the buggy/carseat juggle are my pet hates.

KatieFS
17-03-2013, 08:45 AM
Yes yes yes to snot , poopy nappies, buggies travel cots and car seats.
Not exactely a job as such but it does grate me a bit that after a brief hour or two of wear my clothes are dirty with shoe prints, mucky fingers, snot etc etc. I seem to be constantly washing clothes! Aaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrreggggggggggghhh!!!

merry
17-03-2013, 08:59 AM
Lifting heavy car seats, heavy buggies, heavy highchairs, heavy children - not good for my already wrecked back!

:)

FussyElmo
17-03-2013, 09:03 AM
The hardest job is opening the door just to let them in :-D

Maza
17-03-2013, 09:06 AM
Paperwork that I know is only being done to tick boxes rather than be of any real help.

Cleaning up vomit or leaky nappies/toilet accidents on my carpet/furniture.

Sitting in on a nice day waiting for the toddler to wake up - parents were sooo proud of themselves for buying blackout blinds and training him to sleep in a darkened room and he cannot sleep anywhere else.

Potential parent visits.

Tazmin68
17-03-2013, 11:14 AM
I have a 10 month old who has really smelly dirty nappies on two days a week open window job and the other is bathing and combing out headlice out of another mindees hair which I have to do each week on other 2 days I just have chance to dry comb hair.

lynncjt
17-03-2013, 02:10 PM
Putting gloves on little people!! I have patience for everything else in the world EXCEPT PUTTING GLOVES ON ! Grr !

I so agree! Especially when the gloves are quite small and there is no extra room to maneuver!!!

phoenix2010
17-03-2013, 02:28 PM
I have one mindee , just turned 2 , comes every morning and almost without fail does 2 pooey nappies

they smell soo bad and are really runny , it leaks everywhere and goes up the back and down the legs , so mostly its a mammouth job and a change of clothes , then the windows fly open

why are some kids nappies soo foul

he is an absolute cutie though and always has a smile on his face :D

KatieFS
17-03-2013, 05:21 PM
Oh another one... Settling in a new child. I find it so stressful as you just don't know how they will be. And then the moment you find out that there are a few details the parents didn't mention.. 'Oh yes, she does draw on walls sometimes....'
Aaaaahhhhhhh

LauraS
17-03-2013, 08:00 PM
I hate doing the before hours stuff, the preparation. It doesn't matter how many times I tell family to put shoes away, keep flexes out of the way, knives at the back of the worktop, replace loo rolls, pick up their random junk and odd socks, empty wrappers, etc, it never happens. That first half an hour of the day whist I run around like a thing possessed tidying and shouting at everyone whilst seething with frustration really sets me up for the day :o:laughing:

One day, I have threatened, I will take all the random inconsiderate junk and mess and dump it on DHs desk for him to enjoy when he gets into work.

cathtee
17-03-2013, 08:08 PM
sticky hand marks and snot and slobber on my patio door:(

samb
17-03-2013, 08:11 PM
Oh LauraS that is so me too! There just seems to be so much to do before that first mindee turns up... 2 travel cots up, individual towels out in bathroom, correct nappies and wipes for the day in my daily wicker basket, putting up double buggy, then tidying all the random things that have been left in random places, making sure wires are out of the way, toilet is clean, sink is clean,shoes are away and coats are hanging up and then there's the washing and clothing myself and my 2 kids! And then the worst moment when parent of child who is due in an hour later than the first texts to say they won't be in today as they were sick yesterday and you didn't have to use the doublebuggy or get the second travel cot up etc. Agh!

Rosy Days
17-03-2013, 08:31 PM
Hi, I really dislike lunchtimes .... fussy eaters, refusing to sit at the table (my ds), mess, spillages, food on the floor, growing pile of pots in the sink, I just can't wait for it to be over sometimes :) x

hectors house
17-03-2013, 08:34 PM
Handing them a newsletter with my holiday dates on
picking up banana from the floor (I don't mind messy play - but can't stand squashed banana)
Emptying a poo from the potty - then having to clean and disinfect potty - whilst being "over joyed and enthusiastic" at the fact that it was in the potty for a change.
So next point should be changing clothes after poo accident in so called potty trained mindees

primula
17-03-2013, 10:07 PM
Constantly picking up stuff off the floor!! AND cleaning up spills,crumbs,squashed playdough!!

jackie 7
17-03-2013, 10:12 PM
Snot on my sofa. I hsve 1 who loves to use my sofa when he thinks I am not watching. Yes the day I changed 9 pooy nappies I nearly gave up the will to live. Must have been a Thursdays Def my worst day.

Bananabrain
17-03-2013, 10:40 PM
Hi, I really dislike lunchtimes .... fussy eaters, refusing to sit at the table (my ds), mess, spillages, food on the floor, growing pile of pots in the sink, I just can't wait for it to be over sometimes :) x

Yup, me too. When I started I had this rosy idea that I was going to spend my days cooking lovely home-made, nutritious shepherd's pies which would be gobbled up by the lovely appreciative kiddies.
The reality is that lunchtimes [used to do tea too] make me want to cry:laughing:

Mouse
17-03-2013, 10:53 PM
I hate spoon feeding babies & toddlers. I always hated it with my own children.

I just find it so boring sitting there shovelling food in.

On the plus side, all the children in my care have great spoon skills because I encourage them to do it for themselves from an early age :laughing:

SDC34cr
17-03-2013, 11:56 PM
Hoovering every morning and night!!!!

mammumof4
17-03-2013, 11:59 PM
You have all made me giggle tonight, and I will have a little giggle to myself in the morning when I'm fighting to put the double pram up, running round tidying the random bits my lovely family have left all over the house at the weekend, picking all the toys up and sorting them all into labeled boxes just so they can be emptied out on Tuesday morning, keeping a smile on my face when a parent text something like " oh I'm sorry but x didn't eat his breakfast can you give him something before the school run" 5 mins before leaving the house!! Battling with the rain cover in the pouring rain while 2 toddlers are adamant it's not going on! And countless other things that I'm too tired to think about!
Oh and the worst of worst things about being a childminder is MONDAY morning!!! Lol
Night night everyone xxx

Gemma Smithson
18-03-2013, 07:27 AM
Ofsted, paperwork, snit and tidying up knowing within minutes it'll look like I've not bothered!!

doris127
18-03-2013, 08:21 AM
The fact that storing car seats, high chairs etc take up so much space in the house! And babies that sneeze porridge at you first thing in the morning!! No matter how much I check before I leave the house I always seem to have porridge welded to me somewhere.

Maza
18-03-2013, 10:19 AM
Oh LauraS that is so me too! There just seems to be so much to do before that first mindee turns up... 2 travel cots up, individual towels out in bathroom, correct nappies and wipes for the day in my daily wicker basket, putting up double buggy, then tidying all the random things that have been left in random places, making sure wires are out of the way, toilet is clean, sink is clean,shoes are away and coats are hanging up and then there's the washing and clothing myself and my 2 kids! And then the worst moment when parent of child who is due in an hour later than the first texts to say they won't be in today as they were sick yesterday and you didn't have to use the doublebuggy or get the second travel cot up etc. Agh!


Not that I am ever glad that a mindee is ill, but I do so love an unexpected day off. :blush:

maryp0ppins
18-03-2013, 10:19 AM
Would it be in appropriate if I said everything?

Lol erm

Paper work, snot, pooh, messy house till 6pm!!

kel1983
18-03-2013, 12:14 PM
The constant colds going round at the moment which I don't see to be immune to. Though I shouldn't complain as the 2 lo's we have today are both fast asleep and have been for over an hour.

Buttonsjan
18-03-2013, 12:47 PM
Lol, I leave my pop up tent up til my 12 yr old come home. She has the magic touch.
Although once we were to be found on the beach, you tubing how to get it in its bag!

doris127
18-03-2013, 02:37 PM
My pop up tent is no more after we fell out and I lost my temper with it!!

Becci26
18-03-2013, 02:48 PM
Dealing with arguing siblings! I find it becomes pretty tiresome after a while, especially as they are older (10) and should know better!

Have always had quite a strong stomach when it comes to poo etc - not now I'm pregnant though, really makes me gag at times, thought it would pass when I hit 12 weeks but I'm 20 weeks now and still no sign of letting up :-/

little chickee
18-03-2013, 03:18 PM
The endless amount of time in a week that i have to man handle car seats in and out of the car.
Car seats go in on a Monday morning but any time i need to go somewhere in the evening with my own kids they have to come out.
Then in the next day, then out, then in..............................!!!!

I counted up once that in a typical week i put them in and take them out up to 20 times a week!
I find it actually quite soul destroying :(

And having to store 4 carseats in the house cos i wont leave them in the garage in case they get chewed by mice.
Ditto having to store buggies in the house.

lizduncan72
18-03-2013, 03:36 PM
The endless amount of time in a week that i have to man handle car seats in and out of the car.
Car seats go in on a Monday morning but any time i need to go somewhere in the evening with my own kids they have to come out.
Then in the next day, then out, then in..............................!!!!

I counted up once that in a typical week i put them in and take them out up to 20 times a week!
I find it actually quite soul destroying :(

And having to store 4 carseats in the house cos i wont leave them in the garage in case they get chewed by mice.
Ditto having to store buggies in the house.

Me too!! Need to get a mini bus I think so that car seats can all stay in and I'll still have enough space for my family to fit in as well :)

bunyip
19-03-2013, 09:41 AM
One the one hand, I love walking for leisure and discovery with children when we have lots of time and nowhere in particular to go.

The flip side is, I sometimes find it so frustrating to walk when we need to be somewhere on time. Especially cos I find it really tiring to walk so sloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooowly. :(

Bunyip's First Law of Motion states:

"A child will always move at a speed inversely proportionate to that speed of travel which is required to arrive on time."
So if you're running early, they race ahead, arrive at school ages before the bell goes, and you have to stand around listening to all the banal playground chat from the yummy mummy set. Conversely, if you're late, cold, wet and in a rush, the lo will drag along like Shakepeare's boy - snail-like.

Bunyip's Second Law of Motion:

"A childminder will never position themselves in an ideal location relative to a child which is in motion."
Walk in front of the child to set the pace and they will either fall behind out of sight/earshot, or have an accident whilst your back is turned. Walk behind a child and they will set an ever-slower pace until you finally realise you've actually stopped moving altogether.

Bunyip's Third Law of Motion:

"A child will never move at a constant speed, but always at an inconvenient one."
This explains why a child will drag slowly along for 1/2 an hour, complaining they're tired, their legs hurt, etc. until within sight of their destination, at which point they will morph into Usain Bolt and sprint off at the speed "K" (where K = that speed which is > twice what a middle-aged CM can manage.) This particularly applies if the final 100m involves a busy road, large crowd or car park.
:(

lubeam
19-03-2013, 09:47 AM
One the one hand, I love walking for leisure and discovery with children when we have lots of time and nowhere in particular to go.

The flip side is, I sometimes find it so frustrating to walk when we need to be somewhere on time. Especially cos I find it really tiring to walk so sloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooowly. :(

Bunyip's First Law of Motion states:
"A child will always move at a speed inversely proportionate to that speed of travel which is required to arrive on time."
So if you're running early, they race ahead, arrive at school ages before the bell goes, and you have to stand around listening to all the banal playground chat from the yummy mummy set. Conversely, if you're late, cold, wet and in a rush, the lo will drag along like Shakepeare's boy - snail-like.

Bunyip's Second Law of Motion:
"A childminder will never position themselves in an ideal location relative to a child which is in motion."
Walk in front of the child to set the pace and they will either fall behind out of sight/earshot, or have an accident whilst your back is turned. Walk behind a child and they will set an ever-slower pace until you finally realise you've actually stopped moving altogether.

Bunyip's Third Law of Motion:
"A child will never move at a constant speed, but always at an inconvenient one."
This explains why a child will drag slowly along for 1/2 an hour, complaining they're tired, their legs hurt, etc. until within sight of their destination, at which point they will morph into Usain Bolt and sprint off at the speed "K" (where K = that speed which is > twice what a middle-aged CM can manage.) This particularly applies if the final 100m involves a busy road, large crowd or car park.
:(

Wish I could like on my phone bunyip, that's made me actually lol :)

kellyskidz!
19-03-2013, 09:49 AM
One the one hand, I love walking for leisure and discovery with children when we have lots of time and nowhere in particular to go.

The flip side is, I sometimes find it so frustrating to walk when we need to be somewhere on time. Especially cos I find it really tiring to walk so sloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooowly. :(

Bunyip's First Law of Motion states:

"A child will always move at a speed inversely proportionate to that speed of travel which is required to arrive on time."
So if you're running early, they race ahead, arrive at school ages before the bell goes, and you have to stand around listening to all the banal playground chat from the yummy mummy set. Conversely, if you're late, cold, wet and in a rush, the lo will drag along like Shakepeare's boy - snail-like.

Bunyip's Second Law of Motion:

"A childminder will never position themselves in an ideal location relative to a child which is in motion."
Walk in front of the child to set the pace and they will either fall behind out of sight/earshot, or have an accident whilst your back is turned. Walk behind a child and they will set an ever-slower pace until you finally realise you've actually stopped moving altogether.

Bunyip's Third Law of Motion:

"A child will never move at a constant speed, but always at an inconvenient one."
This explains why a child will drag slowly along for 1/2 an hour, complaining they're tired, their legs hurt, etc. until within sight of their destination, at which point they will morph into Usain Bolt and sprint off at the speed "K" (where K = that speed which is > twice what a middle-aged CM can manage.) This particularly applies if the final 100m involves a busy road, large crowd or car park.
:(

Amazingly accurate, especially today!!

kellyskidz!
19-03-2013, 09:53 AM
Checking the back of nappies for poo and it being right at the top of the nappy... Hello poo under fingernails. Anyone who has done this must feel my pain.
Worst.part.of.job. We need paying more!!

smurfette
19-03-2013, 10:14 AM
Checking the back of nappies for poo and it being right at the top of the nappy... Hello poo under fingernails. Anyone who has done this must feel my pain.
Worst.part.of.job. We need paying more!!

Ugh! Yep been there done that think we would have learnt by now eh?!

skatie
19-03-2013, 11:03 AM
One the one hand, I love walking for leisure and discovery with children when we have lots of time and nowhere in particular to go.

The flip side is, I sometimes find it so frustrating to walk when we need to be somewhere on time. Especially cos I find it really tiring to walk so sloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooowly. :(

Bunyip's First Law of Motion states:
"A child will always move at a speed inversely proportionate to that speed of travel which is required to arrive on time."
So if you're running early, they race ahead, arrive at school ages before the bell goes, and you have to stand around listening to all the banal playground chat from the yummy mummy set. Conversely, if you're late, cold, wet and in a rush, the lo will drag along like Shakepeare's boy - snail-like.

Bunyip's Second Law of Motion:
"A childminder will never position themselves in an ideal location relative to a child which is in motion."
Walk in front of the child to set the pace and they will either fall behind out of sight/earshot, or have an accident whilst your back is turned. Walk behind a child and they will set an ever-slower pace until you finally realise you've actually stopped moving altogether.

Bunyip's Third Law of Motion:
"A child will never move at a constant speed, but always at an inconvenient one."
This explains why a child will drag slowly along for 1/2 an hour, complaining they're tired, their legs hurt, etc. until within sight of their destination, at which point they will morph into Usain Bolt and sprint off at the speed "K" (where K = that speed which is > twice what a middle-aged CM can manage.) This particularly applies if the final 100m involves a busy road, large crowd or car park.
:(

:laughing: you've hit the nail on the head. It's like trying to herd cats. My favourite is the scatter technique in which they all run off in different directions leaving cm wondering who to abandon in order to rally the troops once again.... Am tempted to get one of those nursery crocodile clips for them all including the 7 year old!

mrs robbie williams
19-03-2013, 12:55 PM
Not having a handyman at my beck and call like I did when working in a office, now have to wait dh and he's not the quickest at DIY !!

manjay
19-03-2013, 01:27 PM
It has to be car seats for me! They are the bane of my life:(. Not only do I have to take 6 in and out everyday for my own children but I also collect different children each day after the school run. So although I might have the correct seats for the school run I then don't have the correct ones for all the littlies! Nightmare!

kellib
19-03-2013, 02:57 PM
The constant tidying, sweeping floors etc so boring!!

And making food for LO's for it then to get wasted, drives me mad!

KatieFS
21-03-2013, 12:23 AM
Jackie I had that today too!!! Snot on my sofa!!!!

mrs robbie williams
21-03-2013, 07:15 AM
mindee 19m decided to tip a bowl of baked beans on his head !!!!! he thought it was hilarious - needless to say i didnt :laughing:

GI JOE
22-03-2013, 03:03 PM
got to be getting everyone ready for the morning school drop off.... aaarrrrggghhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!

smurfette
22-03-2013, 04:28 PM
My kids are off school for next two weeks and you can guarantee my first arrival who is due at 8 won't turn up Til 830,,,
Drives me mad cos I wouldn't have to be up as no school run!!!

littleguy1
22-03-2013, 04:54 PM
My least favourite minding job is....changing a never ending supply of poopy nappies and wiping the constant stream of green snot which is ever present at the moment!! :laughing:

I'm with you on that one its driving me nuts!!! All of mine have been ill on and off since before Christmas!!

kats
24-03-2013, 06:52 AM
Same as phoenix, babies with very runny nappies who's parents swear blind they are fine at home and nappies are fine but the minute they arrive with me it starts!!! also parents putting every illness down to teething!!!:mad:

shortstuff
24-03-2013, 08:16 AM
I dont like having to tell parents that their angels have been an absolute nightmare :-(