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Karen1
06-02-2014, 04:00 PM
Right can you all clear this up.

My friend wanted to visit today, but I said no as I'm working. Her reply was that you work from home! With kids! I can bring my kids and all play.

Now I can see both sides to this, what do you all do, do you have friends over to chat with their kids?

Also, she mentioned about tv, I said that no tv on during working day. She said that was wrong.

What do you all think/do? What if parents turn up and see kids watching tv. Going to look like I've done nothing all day but chatted to friend and drank tea! Which I don't. Perhaps I should as feeling very run down here at the moment with it all.

AliceK
06-02-2014, 04:05 PM
I have childminder friends over and we chat whilst the minded children play together. Not sure about "normal" friends though. I guess it depends on whether they could respect that you ARE actually working and abide by your rules during that time. tbh it doesn't sound like your friend does respect that though?? As for TV, no I don't have it on either. Sometimes you have to tell yourself if I worked in an office / away from home your friends / family couldn't just pop in to see you. It's the same thing, you are working.

xxxx

funemnx
06-02-2014, 04:11 PM
In the past I have made my mum & dad a cuppa when they've popped over for half hour - equally a sister or two. My dear old mum past away 7 years ago now and I still have my dad drop in but less frequently than before. I find if friends who aren't CM visit then I am a bit stressed making sure they are entertained so I don't any more. T.V? In the winter, I sometimes put a DVD on after lunch for quiet time and the after schoolies almost always want something on but in the warmer months we never have it on...

kellib
06-02-2014, 04:14 PM
I have friends over who have children, the kids love playing together. It's good for them to socialise.

Sometimes my mum pops in on her lunch hour, the kids love her as she gets them all hyper then leaves lol! My grandad pops in sometimes too. All the kids now call him Grandad which I think he loves!

Tv goes on here after lunch for a wee bit while younger ones are having their nap, occasionally if I have only older ones we will snuggle up and watch a film together. Mostly the radio is on during the day, the kids love dancing and singing along.!

Karen1
06-02-2014, 04:19 PM
Thanks my rule has always been I'm working. I don't do chores or anything not cm related. I do have cms over, but that is different, go to groups, no tv.

Maybe I will relax it a little, but don't want it to impact on my work and the kids. Want to keep work and friends separate.. Already find this cm taking over. Y life and house lol

mrs owl
06-02-2014, 04:33 PM
Right can you all clear this up.

My friend wanted to visit today, but I said no as I'm working. Her reply was that you work from home! With kids! I can bring my kids and all play.

Now I can see both sides to this, what do you all do, do you have friends over to chat with their kids?

Also, she mentioned about tv, I said that no tv on during working day. She said that was wrong.

What do you all think/do? What if parents turn up and see kids watching tv. Going to look like I've done nothing all day but chatted to friend and drank tea! Which I don't. Perhaps I should as feeling very run down here at the moment with it all.

I often have friends over for a chat and a play with their children! They only stay an hour or so and it's a joy to see them! I think this job could be lonely and isolating if I didn't make time for socialising. I meet my childminding friends at several groups during the week which I also enjoy. We have a laugh and sometimes a moan about life and our job.

I don't tend to have my extended family over when I'm minding, my mum and dad have been over at times in the past and they loved seeing the children and would often meet the parents and chat to them, but they are too old now.

my daughter pops in quite a lot as my grandchildren attend the local primary school and the minded children love playing with my grandsons and they enjoy being with the children too.

I suppose if I worked in an office or somewhere away from the home this wouldn't be possible but the point is I don't! I am not a nursery this is a home environment and as long as the children are at the centre of your day that is what is important.

What's wrong with chatting with a friend now and then and having a cuppa? As long as the children are playing happily and safely.

TV? Don't ask :)

Sorry you're feeling run down :( I think we all feel like that sometimes

Ps and I don't sign my friends in and out in my visitors book either. That's for strangers! And OFSTED inspectors!

JCrakers
06-02-2014, 04:40 PM
I don't have any friends with young children, my own two are teenagers. But, back in the old days I would have friends round with their children. :thumbsup:

I have a friend who I've met recently, she's a childminder (that's how I met her) and we go to each others house for a cup of tea and a natter and the children play.

TV: I have half an hour some days if we have done a lot of walking. This morning the children walked 25mins to group and 30mins back so after lunch, after they had played dressing up role play we had the TV on and watched Ben and Holly.
Some days its not on at all in the day depending on who I have.

I definitely don't watch any TV myself until I finish work.

Jenna
06-02-2014, 05:00 PM
I don't often have friends around to the house only due to our location, however I do meet up with them and there little ones whether it be at soft play, going for a walk, picnic, park and such like. I find childminding can be very isolated so I look forward to some time with other adults. I do ok it with parents but there always fine I think they like there children to get used to others. As for the tv we normally have it on for a little bit before lunch normally peppa pig calms them all down before sitting at the table. Then again for a little while at the end of the day but that all depends on the children I have and what time I'm finishing if it's a 6.00 finish we might have a DVD as everyone is normally tired by the and fed up of activities.

loocyloo
06-02-2014, 05:02 PM
My children are older and so some of my friends have children who are at school and they do pop over occasionally for a cup of tea. But they know I am working and the children come first and they are quite happy to play with and read to the children. I like having another adult around!

Sometimes we even go to my friends houses ... mainly to visit their assorted animals!

Some friends I've made at toddlers have LO so we all play together.

Family is sometimes here and it's part of being a home from home.

I don't watch tv for me, but sometimes we watch a bit or a dvd. Currently watching scoobydoo in French! !! ( don't ask! It's better than the norwegian! )

critch
06-02-2014, 07:01 PM
General rule is my parents or dh mum 1 day a week dropping my eldest off after school, my friends meet up with me at a soft play or similar but only occasionally they all know that I'm working, one friend is also a parent and she pops in at pick up for a coffee once in a blue moon, I pop there Friday afternoon for an hour with 1 lo which was prior agreed with parent otherwise I wouldn't have took lo on!
Tv on after nap sometimes but only for 5 mins as then it's pickup !

bunyip
06-02-2014, 08:20 PM
Back to first principles:-

Who's the childminder?
Whose business is it?
Whose reputation is it?
Whose house is it?
Whose TV is it?
Whose stuff is it?
Whose choice is it?



Go figure.

(I think you already knew that.) :thumbsup:

Maza
06-02-2014, 08:24 PM
Some days we don't have any tv, but some days we do, and it varies as to how much. Last week I had a little one who was ill and so he watched quite a bit of tv.

tulip0803
06-02-2014, 09:00 PM
I try not to have visitors as I am working but my Mum sometimes pops in. I live where it is difficult for people to just pop in but where I used to live a couple of friends would visit one was a childminder the other had a child the same age as the ones I was looking after. SHe was very good and never outstayed her welcome and helped to tidy up.

Another friend found she became a kind of drop in coffee morning for her friends who would all arrange to turn up with their children to play without telling my friend and then all leave her with a big mess and wound up children:panic:. She had to regain control of her house and upset a few people when she said they couldn't come round.

Kiddleywinks
06-02-2014, 11:37 PM
I also avoid having friends/family over during working hours - I work on the basis they wouldn't 'pop over' to see me where I was working before.
I do however, have other CM's over with their mindees because they understand the conditions, and won't take up the whole day, don't let their mindees trash the place leaving me to clear up, don't expect me to look after the children they bring with them :thumbsup:
I also agree with Bunyip (I frequently do :laughing:) It's your business, your rules.

TV: Some days we do have it on for a short time during the day, normally so I can make lunch or dinner in relative peace :blush:, some days we're too busy doing other things (this week we've had it on once, ironically today, for about 20 mins)
In the school holidays we may have a DVD if the weather has prevented us getting outside - but we do the whole cinema experience - make tickets, make popcorn 'to sell', close the curtains, hit the lights.
After schoolers that are here after 5.30pm may also get the TV as a wind down before going home, but that's because everything's been put away ready for my evening time.
It's about moderation, all day every day, no, but every now and again, I don't see the harm, and my parents all know with the bag full of 'stuff' their children take home every day, that we don't spend all our time in front of the gogglebox.

mrs owl
07-02-2014, 10:15 AM
I try not to have visitors as I am working but my Mum sometimes pops in. I live where it is difficult for people to just pop in but where I used to live a couple of friends would visit one was a childminder the other had a child the same age as the ones I was looking after. SHe was very good and never outstayed her welcome and helped to tidy up.

Another friend found she became a kind of drop in coffee morning for her friends who would all arrange to turn up with their children to play without telling my friend and then all leave her with a big mess and wound up children:panic:. She had to regain control of her house and upset a few people when she said they couldn't come round.

Actually last year I had this problem of some of my friends using me as a drop in coffee morning venue with their kids...they would stay all morning...and though it was lovely to see them it did get a bit much...now I go to the childminders group instead on Thursday mornings now :)