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View Full Version : Do I stay or do I go??



Miss freckles
12-06-2014, 12:49 PM
I'm in two minds wether or not to give up childminding, I know ultimately only I can make that decision however any advice to anyone who's felt like this or been in this position would be great.

I've been childminding a year and a half, was almost full straight away my do says I'm in a great position as not that many cm's in my area she says I'm doing great and should get a good if not outstanding on my inspection.

My background has always been childcare from nurseries, schools and pre schools, I'm a qualified nursery nurse with 15 yrs experience. I choose to leave my last job as there was a change of management and huge changes not for the better, and someone very close to me passed away and I got pulled in to question what made me have a week off work!! I'd had enough and decided to go down the childminding route.

While I love working with 18 mths and up as they get involved and we can do various activities and I love being creative, having fun, I've just recently took on a tiny baby as one of my two yr olds moved so even though he was so small I thought it would be fine well he's not settled at all and screams all the time the other children are getting left out and in all honesty spending ages feeding bottles, weaning, nappy changing is not something that I enjoy at all.

This week I've noticed a job come up for a local school as a TA in reception class that would be great for me, however I'm too scared to apply, what if the grass isn't greener. It would mean a drop in wages by £200 a mth but as you know cm is not a steady income so getting another job does mean a steady income, what if I did get the job and hated it. I hate the fact that I have put so much time, effort and money into starting up my own business to just throw it all away, or is it the baby that's making my job so hard.

Sorry I know it's a long post but if any of you have ever been in a situation like this I would love some advice please, I'm so confused right now :panic:

tess1981
12-06-2014, 01:15 PM
I'm in the same boat... was looking around the house today and I'm sick of travel cots prams toys high chairs out door toys the ugly fence the constant fighting wall paper ripped child locks fire guard policies procedures house always getting messed... could go on for a week . My ds is 15 and dd 12... I don't need all this stuff. Sometimes I would love to tidy my kitchen at night go to work In the morning come home to a tidy kitchen that I have not had to clean 34 times deal utter everything... and helping me make up my mind is a screaming tired 2 yo

Kiddleywinks
12-06-2014, 01:38 PM
Only you can make the decision that's right for you.

What I would say though, is that you can remain registered with ofsted for up to 3 years
So if you did apply and get a TA's job, and 6 /12 / or 18 months down the line you decided it wasn't really working out, you would be able to start minding straight away - well, once you've got new parents lol.
You do have to pay your annual registration fee, your insurance, keep on top of your first aid and safeguarding, as these are all conditions of registration, but at least it gives you a bit of time to see if the grass really is greener on the other side.

If you resigned your registration straight away, then 6 months later decide to come back, you have to start the whole process all over again, and many LA's no longer do free training, so having to pay for training, DBS, first aid, medical check etc can be expensive.

Good luck in making your decision x

Mouse
12-06-2014, 01:51 PM
As I see it, there's no harm in applying, even being interviewed & offered the job. That's the point at which you'd have to make the real decision.

DO you think you would prefer childminding more if you only took on children over the age of, say 18 months? There's no reason why you couldn't do that. Or what about offering purely funded places for 2,3 & 4 year olds, 6 hours a day, term time only? That's my ultimate aim. I would like to offer 2 x 3 hour sessions a day, 9am-12 and 12.30-3.30pm, the same as the local school nursery. I only have children age 2+ at the moment & really enjoy being able to get more stuck in to activities etc. I always thought I preferred babies, but have changed my mind!

Waveawand
12-06-2014, 01:53 PM
Hi, the only problem if I am understanding you correctly is trying to juggle a small child ie under one with the older children. Its extremely difficult and I am not surprised at how much time the child is taking up; or that you are doubting yourself. Firstly you are a fab experienced early years provider. The mistake if any is that you are trying to provide for both age groups and obviously the youngest one is taking your time and energy. This is perfectly normal. But maybe take on an assistant to help you with your work load or maybe it is possible to lose the newbie or one of the older ones ?

I have found that I do one very young child ie under one with older after schoolies - for the reason you have described. Don't give up. I would apply anyway for the T.A. role and see how you go - it will be a worthwhile experience for you and then you will have no regrets if you don't get it.
Hope this has helped.
best wishes
x

muffins
12-06-2014, 02:20 PM
I'm in a position similar to yours. I love caring for children, I really enjoy doing activities both at home and going on lots of outings. I currently have 4 1yr old's, 1 bding my own and the other 3 all on different days except for on 1 day which I have 2. I also have 5 other pre schoolers and 2 schoolies. Some children aren't here all day but hrs cross over mid day during which I have an assistant.

1 of my 1yr olds is particularly demanding, they are quite happy/settled here as the behaviour they display is the same as at home, this in itself isn't a problem. They don't sleep well at night or nap at all during the day at home so all they want to do here is sleep ALL day to catch up, they won't sleep anywhere except in the travel cot and get extremely upset if they can't because we are out or are woken too early because of the sch run. The extreme sleeping means we can't go out for longer than an hr in the morning or at all in the afternoon, if I try to stretch it out in the morning everyone suffers the consequences and it's not fun! I have discussed the situation with parents (who are lovely) many times but things at home remain the same. All of the other 1yr old's sleep in the afternoon and are quite happy to have a quick nap in the buggy or car, as have most children I've cared for.

I have come to dread the days this particular child attends and it's not only making me unhappy but meaning I can't offer the others the opportunities I would like. I have decided the best thing would be to give this child notice, I have not made this decision lightly as despite the situation I have bonded with the child, I also get on well with the parents which makes it harder. I have never given notice to a child for any reason before.

Its sounds as if that like me you enjoy your job, don't let one child put you off!

littlebears1009
12-06-2014, 03:33 PM
I also wanted to provide care for 18 months plus originally but as ive only been registered less than a year and work is slow I have just taken on a 6 month old baby. I have a 3 yo and 6yo of my own so i know how you mean, the baby does take up a lot of my time but thankfully he is quite good! Maybe its thr baby making u feel this way.

Miss freckles
12-06-2014, 04:43 PM
I'm def going to apply for the TA role there is no harm in that I don't think I may not even get as far as an interview.

I think the baby is a big problem I currently have a 2 yr old potty training he's doing excellent at home apparently but here he has to be in pull ups all the time I really want to start getting him into pants but a 2 yr old having 4-5 accidents a day, a screaming baby who constantly needs feeding and when he's not he's just miserable plus another soon to be 2 yr old who just gets on with it but is missing out on so much I could be doing with him, but I don't feel like I can give notice to the baby

For one he's only been here two weeks, and I kind of know the mum and she works with one of my other mindees mums and I know a lot of people that work there so if I give notice I feel it would look really bad plus if I give notice I'll be down to £600 a mth which I need to be earning higher then that really. But the baby is def making me quite unhappy in my role.

I'm so stuck but I'm going to apply for the job see what happens and just take it from there, if the baby doesn't improve I will just have to think about giving notice, thanks for all your advice.

Ripeberry
12-06-2014, 08:34 PM
Give notice to the baby and see how things are. It seems that you are lucky in your area and should be able to fill the space quickly. I've been CM for years and it's like a ghost town in my area. I mainly childmind for one family so I might as well be their nanny. Once all their kids get to school age (3 years time) I will give them all notice. I'm too 'nice' to drop them in it at the moment as they have always paid on time and the parents/kids are good to work with.
I'm trying not to take on new business for the time being until I know what's happening in September with all the changes.
Once you've been self employed it can be hard to work for someone else again and not have the freedom to do your own thing.
Hope you work something out soon :)