Tell me it will be worth it to carry on

[louise]

Hi, Having a shall i shant i day. Well i have been for awhile.

I only have 1 mindee he is full time and my only wage. Mum told me yesterday she is expecting. It is only early days but she said that he might not come back as they maybe better off if she doesnt return to work. She has got to look into it. Its not to much of a suprise as she asked ages ago if i could take on another if she had one. I know a lot of this all depends on what she decides. Best outcome i get some time off worst i need to find new mindees or job.

I'm not getting to grips with EYFS, i know its going to take everyone awhile to get use to it, plus i would love my house to be a home not nursery.

My son starts school full time in jan and i always said i will mindee till he is at school or if we have another child. We have been thinking about another child so i dont really want to give up minding as i think its a great job with a little one. If i found another job i would prefer something in a school so i can still be with my son during holidays ect.

Mindees are hard to come by in my area i've already lost 2 this year that were due to start.

I know its a lot of it might happen and i wont know for a long time as mum has only just found out but i'm getting in a tizz about what to do since she told me. She doesnt live local and is still planning on sending her son to my local preschool. which means she will be getting a train 2 days a week so he can attend.

Now im wondering is this going to be the time for me to find another job or wait and see what happens with minding?

Thank you
Louise

[sarah707]

You sound in a quandry Louise... I'm sorry but only you can really answer yourself...

Why not look and see what's out there first. Do some advertising but also look at the job market.

Good luck making your decision xx

[Andrea08]

the same things happened to me,
i had no children on my books , no wages and no husband it was hard and because i had working tax credits as self employed and didnt know what to do!
just as i was about to pack in and go on income support i got an interview and things have picked up every year since,

all i would say is hold on, give it more time and advertise loads,
poster in your house windows, partnership working with your local schools, and do you have a Network or early years team?

good luck i hope you let us know how you get on ,,, chin up ok xxxx
andrea

[bubbly]

Louise,

I'm in a similar situation. I'll be down to 1 full-time mindee as from Weds next week. My only income. My partner and I can't cover the household bills and mortgage for much longer (we were both made redundant from our previous well-paid jobs last Nov). I've found the EYFS to be an added pressure and at times feel totally lost. My son goes into hospital for more major bowel surgery next Thurs and I'm currently trying to sell my house, before being declared bankrupt, but getting nowhere fast as the housing market is totally dead. I've advertised my childminding places everywhere but without success.

I could literally sit down and cry but then I come on here and you guys are absolutely wonderful at picking me up when I'm down.

Lousie, I totally understand where you're at because I'm there too. I'm trying to focus on the good things in life and take each day as it comes. I know I shall be a quivering wreck when my son has surgery Thurs next week but at least it'll be one less mountain left to climb.

Best wishes to you and don't feel alone xxx

P.S. oh, and my tax credits have just been stopped until April 2009 due to a computer error on their part :(

[mum22]

I think in this job it can be quite scary the uncertainty of future income especially if you have limited places as I do or if there does seem to be a lul in people wanting childminders, all of this and the new eyfs does all make you doubt, but you just never know what is around the corner.
Like Sarah said I guess only you can make the decision if you want to carry on. I wish you luck with whatever comes next.

[louise]

Thank you everyone.
I think i want to carry on as its the best job for being with my son plus i would still want to work with children in some way. So either way i will more then likely have to do EYFS. I think its scary cos of the whole EYFS bitsI found put i was better at organising when i was doing the course as i took bits in at a time as i was taught it rather then read it and understand what they want when you get the time. Maybe i should book myself on all the courses i can?? Only prob is i dont drive to get to them and have to rely on evil mil. Who had the cheek to say when picking me up from one that my bil girlfriend has to do all this paperwork ect as ahe works in a nursery. Only for me to reply so do i, yet i dont have other people working with me.I was going to learn to drive when i got another mindee so we didn't have to rely on the bus all the time.

I have recentley had my numbers increased so hopefully when i get my face around school ill get some business i need 50 hours a week. But then our mortgage goes up next july so we need to find extra money somehow. In away childminding could be the best way to get this if i get the mindees. The mum might go back part time her son is down for 3 days a week at preschool. even if she done that with two children i would still be covered money wise.

Bubbly, You are having a tough time at the mo. My mums tax credits were stopped but now they owe her £600 from back pay when her hubbie left her. They are putting up a fight giving it back. yet they are only too happy to stop/ reduce everyone else just like that. We only get a little bit but that keeps our head just above water so to loose it would be hard.
I hope you sell soon my hubbie parents split 2 years ago the house still hasn't sold!If they do it will be a stupid price.
I send all my love for your son and family. Let us all know how the surgery goes. I also think this forum it great. I would of been lost without you all.
You have a lot on your plate at the moment just think the tough times are there to make us grow.

Loux

[Cazz]

Sorry to hear that you things are not so good at the moment. I'm getting in a bit of a state about all this EYFS and paperwork stuff myself and I haven't even started minding yet!

I'm sure everything will sort itself out - at the end of the day you have to go with what's best for you and your family as they are more important than ANY job.

Just a quick question that I thought of arising from this thread - if you are self-employed as a childminder, does it affect your child tax credits? I.E. are you still eligible depending on what you earn? At the moment I'm relying on them as I'm no longer getting a salary and will need them to tie me over until I start earning (hopefully!) by childminding. Also, when do you register as self-employed - can you wait until you are actually childminding or do you have to do it prior to starting?

Carole x

[bubbly]

^ Cazz, I think you have to register as self-employed within the first 3 months of starting.

[angeldelight]

Sorry to hear you are not sure what to do Louise

Lets hope the mom stays with you and does go back to work after the baby

Maybe you should just wait a bit then decide

Good luck

Angel xx