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View Full Version : Impending doom feeling - twins again on Sat



Lady Haha
30-04-2009, 10:25 PM
Hi, I am looking after four year old twin boys every other Saturday. I used to care for them two years ago but gave notice as they were such a handful and I wanted my Saturdays back. The mum rang me a couple of months ago, saying they are four now, much easier, no nappies etc and I agreed I could do every other Sat for her.

:( :( :( :(

Well, they have been three times so far (it's 8am til 6pm) and I am filled with dread for this Sat as they are due again. They are still as much hard work as they were two years ago! I have already decided that it's not going to work out and I will be giving notice (again!), but in the meantime, any help would be appreciated!

They have an attention span of about five minutes max. I have toys set out for them, but within minutes they want something else out. And on it goes, like that til 10am when I take my son to ballet (not a word!). His lesson is only half an hour and we sit in the canteen and I take colouring sheets and pens, but within five mins they are off again! We get home for 11am and then its back to toys on and off shelves again. Then dinner. After dinner I take them to softplay, one is fine, the other gets bored after half an hour and wants to come back here. They go through the dressing up clothes like theres no tomorrow and I end up with a huge pile on the floor! Then we do a craft of some kind, which lasts about five minutes!!! And so on....by the time they leave I am shattered!

Any ideas on what I can do to keep these boys interested in something for more than five minutes?

I have between five and seven after schoolies every night after school, so I'm used to chaos, but these boys are in a different leaque altogether!!!

Help!!!

Monkey1
01-05-2009, 04:53 AM
Have they ever been assesed for medical problems?, it sounds like there might be something underlying. It's not worth giving up your weekend if the prospect of them is stressing you out, you don't need the hastle!

huggableshelly
01-05-2009, 05:37 AM
wow rather you than me ... I would suggest they are assessed too ... school will hopefully pick issues up too.

Mouse
01-05-2009, 08:40 AM
I would suggest giving them less choice. Perhaps you have so much stuff that they have access to that they just flit from toy to toy.

I'd try giving them one box of toys & telling them that's what they can play with. If they ask for something else, be firm & say 'no, this is what we are playing with now'. I know Ofsted is all for letting children have free choice, but it doesn't always work. Don't let them get out box after box. At the end of the day, it's your home & you are entitled to set the rules. At 4 years old they should be old enough to understand that there are rules. If they go through the dressing up box in a flash, it's fine, BUT tell them they have to put each outfit away before they get the next one out.

I think the key is to be firm with them & don't let them rule your day & ruin your weekend. Decide what your rules will be, tell them how it's going to work from now on & stick to what you say.

Good luck!

Lady Haha
01-05-2009, 09:52 AM
Thanks for the advice! Not watching the clock counting the hours down til tomorrow honest!!!

I am going to give her notice tomorrow. Would it be really mean to give her when she arrives with them, so that I only have to do one more Sat after tomorrow:idea: ?

I will take your advice Mouse, and try to get them to play with one box of toys only and change the box hourly or something. The dressing up is a bit more awkward as I have the clothes on hangers in a small wardrobe and I don't think they would be able to hang them back up. It's not normally a problem as the afterschoolies wil only ever get one or two outfits out once or twice a week and I don't mind putting them back after.

The other problem with them is the constant sibling rivalry!!! If one has something the other screams and sulks if he can't have it!!! I make them take turns with things, but it's such hard work!!!!

ah, made up my mind, just talking about it here, I need to give notice asap, they are driving me mad and I stupidly gave her a really low rate for them too!!! I normally charge 30.00 for a full day on Sat, but I said I would only charge her 55.00 giving her a small discount, forgetting that the daily rate is already a big discount on my hourly rate!!!

Thanks again!:thumbsup:

jibberjitz
01-05-2009, 07:18 PM
Hope its not too bad for you tomorrow!

ORKSIE
01-05-2009, 07:26 PM
If you dont "need" to have them then dont! whats the point in getting stressed out.
Do what is best for YOU and your family:)

youarewhatyoueat
01-05-2009, 07:26 PM
£10 an hour EACH comes to mind Lol:laughing:

I'm working tomorrow as well don't normally but got a 4 year old boy and his 12 year old sister from 8am till 8.30pm as mum got to go to london I'm charging £6 an hour each but said that would include an outing and food. I'm going to be knackered, husband home to help with our own kids thank goodness

ORKSIE
01-05-2009, 07:28 PM
£10 an hour EACH comes to mind Lol:laughing:

:rolleyes: Thats a good idea:)

Hebs
01-05-2009, 07:33 PM
when I take my son to ballet (not a word!).

awww fab, i want my son to do Irish dancing but will he??? will he :censored: , which is a shame as there are 2 teenage boys and a 7 year old boy in the class and it's amazing to watch as you only expect girls to do it :clapping: :clapping: so well done to him :thumbsup:

dunno about the twins, but you have to do whats right for you xx

Lady Haha
01-05-2009, 07:41 PM
haha! In my defence I had nothing to do with my son's interest in ballet! That came from him watching too many Barbie films (he's unique, shall we say!) All I did was find him a class when he said he wanted to learn!

I have written up the termination letter and already I feel like huge weight has been lifted! I don't 'need' them, I just thought the extra money would be nice and it was only every other week and I honestly thought that they would be alot easier now! I think I preferred the dirty nappies and double buggy now!

I have said in the letter that although I thought I was able to offer every other week, it's not working out for me after all as I need to be spending that time with my son and catching up on paperwork. She won't be surprised as that was the reason I gave last time I gave her notice!!! I have given her the four weeks which means I will have them again twice more after tomorrow. Just gonna go mad and spend what she pays me taking them out all day every time!!!

sue
01-05-2009, 07:44 PM
I would suggest giving them less choice. Perhaps you have so much stuff that they have access to that they just flit from toy to toy.

I'd try giving them one box of toys & telling them that's what they can play with. If they ask for something else, be firm & say 'no, this is what we are playing with now'. I know Ofsted is all for letting children have free choice, but it doesn't always work. Don't let them get out box after box. At the end of the day, it's your home & you are entitled to set the rules. At 4 years old they should be old enough to understand that there are rules. If they go through the dressing up box in a flash, it's fine, BUT tell them they have to put each outfit away before they get the next one out.

I think the key is to be firm with them & don't let them rule your day & ruin your weekend. Decide what your rules will be, tell them how it's going to work from now on & stick to what you say.

Good luck!


. Good luck

ORKSIE
01-05-2009, 07:44 PM
You must do what is right for you and your family!:thumbsup:

Lady Haha
02-05-2009, 07:44 PM
ah, well! Another Saturday over with! I gave mum the termination letter after explaining it to her. She wasn't in the least bit surprised! So now, I only have them two more times!

Today, I did only get one box of toys out in the playroom and another in the lounge and told them that was what we were playing with til we took my son to ballet. I also told them they could only choose one dressing up outfit to wear (meany old me!) I took a book and read them a story while he had his lesson which passed some time! This afternoon we went to this huge park a short drive away and spent two hours there and then onto Macdonalds for a nice healthy meal before heading back. Got back at 5.30 and they were picked up at 6pm!

I'm still shattered though!!! I feel so much happier knowing that I get my Saturdays back every week now and won't make the same mistake again!

ORKSIE
02-05-2009, 09:09 PM
Good for you.
You can have some quality Time with your family now:clapping: