Anyone care for 3 under 2?

[louise]

Hi, I should go on gut instinct and say no. I just had an email about caring for a 3 month old full time in dec. I know very early to find someone.

Currently i have a 11 month old mon, thrus and fri. In sept i will have another one the same age thurs and fri term time only and her sister 5. I also have a son who is 5. I'm thinking it will be to manic on the thurs and fri.

I turned down a baby last week as i felt i couldn't give as much attention to them all as they needed.

I don't want to hand notice on any of them. Which would make sense as this baby would be full time. The ones starting in sept have been over a few times and her eldest who knew my son at preschool got upset at leaving and i know my son has missed my old mindee who was near his age and has loved the older girl comeing over.

I think i have answered my own question but just wondered how others have coped. I could always say i only have mon-wed at mo but may have full closer to the time. Thing is i need the money but i need it now. Oh fun and im going on and on.

Thanks Lou

[huggableshelly]

I've only ever had one under 3 at any one time with 2 4 year olds which were part time nursery. i found that managable as only had the 3 of them for 3 hours each day before 2 left at 3pm.
I cant imagine having 3 under 3's and would most likely only ever have two under 3's at any one time as I know what I am capable of.

It does look like you already know what you plan to do, go with your gut instinct dont take on too much as it will wear you down leaving the children with a stressed out cm to care for them.

Other option as it is a long way off ... explain to the new dec parents that you ahve never had 3 under 3's in your home before and would like to take on the challenge to see how it goes during settling in sessions but if you feel it is too much then you will not beable to offer the place. Who knows maybe you will manage very well with the 3 little ones and suprise yourself!

[haribo]

it would be hard work but do-able and would only be two days of madness . i find you soon get used to extra workloads as time goes on. having said that only you know what the others are like a lot depends on the kids. also if you doing school runs will have to consider will you need a triple buggy :panic: :panic: good luck with deciding !

[hectors house]

I often have 3 under 3 - baby was 6 months when she started, next lo was 18 months, next lo was 2 and a half - that was manageable and has got easier as now all 6 months older.

Have just taken on another toddler so on one day a week I have the baby nearly 12 months, toddler 15 months and a nearly 3 year old - that is harder as the 2 babies don't walk and don't stay put - so when trying to get them all ready to go out in car they crawl off, have to leave one in porch with nearly 3 year old while I dash outside to put one in car on drive then come back in for others - need to practice doing a fire evacuation with the 3 of them but know I can't carry both babies as one weighs a ton.

So I would think carefully - maybe ask for a trial hour or two before you commit yourself.

[louise]

Thank you. I might just email her and say i dont have a full time space at the mo but i might have nearer the time as a lot can change in that time. As the two girls will be older then i may feel abit more able. Thing is the mum may decide on not doing full time when the baby is here.
It would only be the term time i would be manic. Need to think abit before i decide. Hubbie would say yes cos of the money those two days ill be working 7am -5.30 so a long day to.

[mum2two]

We've just filled out last spaces, and with a variation, we will have 4 under 2 sometimes. With a 2 yr old & 2 3yr old too for a very short period of time... :eek:

xx

[Mrs.L.C]

It depends on you and whether you think you can cope. 2 year olds can be very testing and some babies are hard work/wanting constant attention.

I have a 9 mth old, 2 year old and 3 year old.I v had these 3 for 5 months now all together so all were under 3 and we managed ok but I could not of done it full time. 2 of them come every day and I have the older 1 twice a week. I also have all of these with several after schoolers ageing from 5-10 and the younger ones love being with the older children so after 3 can be easier than some mornings as the older children think they are entertainers

I have been childminding just over 5 years and I couldnt have done this 3 years ago but its something I have built up and I go right up to the maximum amount of children I can have now (which is 9 incl the over 8's)

[Nix]

Me!

I think it will depend a lot on the children. I have two girls who will be 2 in July and a boy who was 2 in March, along with a boy who will be 4 in June. We've been together for over eighteen months and it's only 2 days but life would be a lot easier without one of the girls!

Not sure if this helps!

Nix,x

ps I have a variation to have 4 under 5!:D

[Alibali]

I had 3 under 18 months, all full time! It was fine as they all were in the same routine. Admittedly it is easier now they are all 3 :) But I coped fine at the time

[nannymcflea]

I've had 3 under 2, now 2 are 2 years old and nearly 3 years, but it was fine, they all get along amazingly well and even my Network Advisor says how chilled they are together. It does help if they all get along but yours are going to quite young I don't see this as a problem. My only issue would be travelling, would you be stuck in too often or with a couple being part time would you be able to juggle outings? This is what I tended and to some extent still do, so everyone gets their fair share but on some days with just 2 it's easier.

It's your call but you just get into a routine and it becomes normal and you wonder why you worried.

[louise]

Thank you. I think what scares me is that as the other one hasn't started yet i dont know how it will go. I've replied saying i don't have a full time vacancy at the mo but may have nearer the time and gave her info on me and see what she says. As the baby isn't born yet she could change her mind so much. Its fair enough saying ill go back full time when baby is 3 months old wen ur 24 weeks gone but when baby is here it maybe a differnet story

[Hebs]

i will be having 2 lo's aged 18 and 20 months every fri when one of my mindees goes full time, luckily they are both so laid back that i wouldn't hesitate in taking on another :thumbsup:

[berkschick]

Me too!

Since I have registered, I have always had 3 if not 4 under 3 everyday. (I too have a variation!)

My daughter will be 3 in August and she is my eldest under 5 mindee. She has walked everywhere from the age of 2 (her choice, I have a triple buggy too!)

I think I will find it hard to have the older ones now!

We have got into a good routine of toddlers, lunch, bed which helps!

[cs01]

You might find the 3 month sleeps alot and they are very portable in their car seats so can take them to toddler groups etc without having to take them out of their seat. Always a risk though that they get colic or are very wingey babies, thats when it would be too difficult. Hard to make a decision when you have no idea what the baby is like.