Trains station!

[Bushpig]

I feel like my home will be a crazy trains station this afternoon.. is is at the best of times, but timing this avy will be interesting!!!

I saw parents last night who need care for 2 days... they asked when I'd need an answer by and I said I didn't want to apply pressure, but I was seeing someone else today and she is needing the same days and 1 extra, and that I would take first come, first serve... they then phoned me when they'd got home (obviously had a good natter about me in the car!:eek: ) and the mum would like to spend this avy with me so she can see how her child is with the others. No prob, she is welcome... but she needs to leave by 4pm when the next prospective parent arrives with her little one... and then my sil from Kent is coming at 5pm to spend the night (last minute arrangement.. what do I do with her whilst I am interviewing/being interviewed by prospective parent? The kids don't know her at all either)... so I need to find time to cook tea for the kids and the pork chops for her and hubby and me, plau hostess to sil, take care of new parents questions, oh, and look after teh childminded kids too :eek:

I just told hubby... 'Please get home asap tonight!'

[Pudding Girl]

Get your sisinlaw making dinner, that'll keep her out of the way :)

[cloud9]

I feel like my home will be a crazy trains station this afternoon.. is is at the best of times, but timing this avy will be interesting!!!

I saw parents last night who need care for 2 days... they asked when I'd need an answer by and I said I didn't want to apply pressure, but I was seeing someone else today and she is needing the same days and 1 extra, and that I would take first come, first serve... they then phoned me when they'd got home (obviously had a good natter about me in the car!:eek: ) and the mum would like to spend this avy with me so she can see how her child is with the others. No prob, she is welcome... but she needs to leave by 4pm when the next prospective parent arrives with her little one... and then my sil from Kent is coming at 5pm to spend the night (last minute arrangement.. what do I do with her whilst I am interviewing/being interviewed by prospective parent? The kids don't know her at all either)... so I need to find time to cook tea for the kids and the pork chops for her and hubby and me, plau hostess to sil, take care of new parents questions, oh, and look after teh childminded kids too :eek:

I just told hubby... 'Please get home asap tonight!'

I may be wrong but unless this parent is Enhanced CRB checked she cant actually stay to see how her little'un gets on with the others because of safeguarding the other mindees

[Minstrel]

I thought you could but just not leave them in the room together on own, otherwise you wouldnt be allowed any guests in your house??

[sarah707]

Parent and sil are both ok in the house so long as they are not left alone with minded children and do not provide intimate care... which makes taking a child to the loo interesting if you have a visitor present :rolleyes:

I agree with George - get sil cooking dinner...

Then I'd tell parent she's welcome but only for an hour because you have found it confuses children if parents are there too long and they think they will stay next time; plus children do not behave their usual way way when parents are present and you need to do your obs with child on her own...

Have a fun day! :D

[jaz]

Hope it goes well

J
x

[LOOPYLISA]

Good luck x:eek:

[angeldelight]

Hope your day went ok

Angel xx

[charleyfarley]

How did it all go?

Well I hope

Carol xx

[littletreasures]

Hope you got on ok.

[miffy]

Your day sounded exhausting - hope everything went well

Miffy xx

[Bushpig]

Things were rather hectic, and everyone was fine with everything (the comings and goings... kids were extra excited too with all the activity), thanks!

Had three sets of parents fetch their kids... two sets of prospective parents come and go (asking the usual loads of questions), my sil and hubby all arrive in the space of 2 hours... :eek: Then the gas man arrives (with the name Mohammed Ali I might add!), amidst all this!!! :eek:

I was straight with sil and asked whether she minded being in the playroom tinkering on the internet whilst I gave parents the tour and then chatted with them in the lounge. She was fine with this! :)

Hubby came home and they both went for a long walk in the common, by the time they got back, the last parent had left and I had tidied up and put the pork chops on :littleangel:

My dilemma is both sets of parents now want the vacancies but I can only take one... :( I wish I could help all, but naturally cannot. Now have to make a choice... although I feel the first should have priority as I saw her the day before.. BUT she only wants 2 days, the second parent wants 3 days.. so financially the 2nd is the better option for me, but in fairness.. the 1st should be... :confused:

Any ideas on how to make this choice? I have told them I'll let them know by Fri afternoon, both know that there is another child wanting the same place.

[Pudding Girl]

Did you state it was a first come first served ting or not? If so then yes you should go with first, if not , go with the other for more money.

[Bushpig]

I told parents that when I initially met them, prior to them deciding at all, so yes, they are aware of it.

[littletreasures]

Which child did you prefer? Are they the same age or is one younger ie. which one would be more viable agewise?

Good luck with your choice.

[Polly2]

How great to have a choice!!

I would go on how well the children fitted in personally.

[Bushpig]

First child will be 11 months when she starts... not ideal as will have a very new 1 year old when she starts.. and she wants 2 days only. Is a very sweet little girl though, full of smiles.. could easily fit in.

Second child will be 16 months when she starts, wants 3 days... more ideal age-wise. She is an adopted child and this comes with an extra responsibility... because some behaviour she might have could be attributed to her background, not her age etc. So she told me that she'd like me to do loads of reading up on adopted kids etc... irony is I already have been as hubby and I have been thinking of adopting ourselves, as we recently found out we cannot have our own kids due to hubby's bad case of mumps as a child :(

This in itself has been a big hurdle emotionally for us to get our heads around (not having our own kiddy), we are dying to be parents... and we are both keen to give a child who has come into this world at a huge disadvantage, a loving and secure home and upbringing. So... my heart goes out to the adopted child more, even though I can see she might be a little bit of a handful tbh.

I just want to do the right thing though... the money actually doesn't even come into it for me... it's more important to me that I am the right minder for the child at this time in their little lives. I get on with both folks well.

[Polly2]

Sounds to me like you are leaning towards child 2

You are right though the most important thing is to do whats best for you and the kiddies.

May be have a little think for a couple of days.

[Bushpig]

Sounds to me like you are leaning towards child 2

You are right though the most important thing is to do whats best for you and the kiddies.

May be have a little think for a couple of days.

Thanks :) Yes, I have told both of them I'll let them know Friday afternoon, latest.

[kindredspirits]

well i'd go for the adopted child - because i think you obviously can see and understand how much support and stability this LO needs from your own experiance.
good luck making the choice.

anna x

[Bushpig]

Well... in the end I went for fairness... and took the person I saw first, even though they want 2 days and the other 3. I get on SO well with the other mum though, we nattered for ages on the phone... she said she understood completely, and would have been gutted had she seen me first and I had chosen someone over her... so that was good.

I have actually made a plan to meet up with the mum I let down at the local park next week. She's keen to stay in touch and is on my waiting list now. I have told her I will offer her any emergency care she might need in the future, and told her where to go to look for another childminder.

She is also going to chat further with me re adoption process :D

This would have been easier if the one parent had been a cyclops, or had fangs or reeked of onions and leeks :eek: ... it sucks having to choose when you like both :(