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View Full Version : DON'T KNOW HOW TO CONTINUE WITH MY CM!



butterfly
21-05-2009, 09:19 AM
I'm in a total dilemna at the moment as to what to do with my cm business in September.

In sept my daughter is starting school and will move into the over 5 age group leaving me with my son (then 21mths) and 2 spaces for under 5s. i only ever get children till they're 3 as then they go to playgroup. i have booked in:

mon: J (22mths) 8-1 and B (5mths) 8-4
tues: J (22mths) 8-1 and J (9mths) 7-6
wed: N (23 mths) 8.30-3.30 and J (9mths) 7-6
thu: J (22mths) 8-3 and J (9mths) 7-6
Fri: B (5 mths) 8-4

leaving me with spaces for a child over 1 on mon pm, tues pm and all day fri. (I've had these vacancies for nearly a year!)

the trouble is i have a waiting list with 3 children on it for tues, wed and thu which obviously i wouldn't be able to take unless i could negotiate ofsted to double my numbers if i took on an assistant.

does anyone else feel really guilty when you have to turn down parents? there are 2 their minders in the village but none of my parents will go to them (they're very different to me and i have an outstanding grading in all areas)

i'm also frustrated with the vacancies i do have which i've never been able to fill! none of my waiting list parents can change their work days and also they all have babies under one anyway so i would need a variation just to take them on my own!

i just don't know what to do! i don't know anyone who could be my assistant so i would have to start advertising from scratch and it worries me that if they let me down i'd be letting down several parents! also i'm not sure my house if of an adequate size to allow room to feed and sleep that many babies!

There's no way i'd get a variation for 4 under 5 AND 2 under 1 is there? it's just that B who's coming on mon and fri also wants tues and thu which i can't fit in!

What i really need is J to change his hours to maybe all day mon and all day fri instead of tues am and 7 hrs on thu but i don't think there'd be much chance of that! the other issue is that J has a sister who will be 8 mths then and she wants a space but there's nothing for her!

it's all very complicated and i can't sleep at night trying to think of how to fill my spaces properly and not upset anyone!

sorry for the rant!

Daftbat
21-05-2009, 09:38 AM
First of all - stop worrying about things that are not your problem.

Do you need to fill the days for financial reasons? If so then you may have to be brutal and take on the children on the waiting list and serve notice to others.

If you don't need to fill them then just carry on as you are. I have often had people wanting me for days i can't do and they have just had to live with it. You can't be all things to all men. Leave it to the parents to decide what they are wanting to do. You are obviously a great minder and i am sure that if people want their children to stay with you they will sort their own lives out.

In the meantime, enjoy the kids, and have a glass of vino tonight and a good nights sleep.:thumbsup:

butterfly
21-05-2009, 07:12 PM
thanks!

i decided to stop worrying about taking on the whole town's children and just looked at what was best for the children i have. I've now worked the best possible solution and have managed to give a place to one child's sibling and give another waiting family 2 extra afternoons. as long as one mum agrees to a slight change in hours and ofsted agree to a variation to allow two under one on 2 days which they have before and it's continuity of care - it should all be fine!

the only issue is financially i need to make more money asap and i won't be full till november!

Louise_Oaktree
22-05-2009, 12:45 PM
thanks!

i decided to stop worrying about taking on the whole town's children and just looked at what was best for the children i have. I've now worked the best possible solution and have managed to give a place to one child's sibling and give another waiting family 2 extra afternoons. as long as one mum agrees to a slight change in hours and ofsted agree to a variation to allow two under one on 2 days which they have before and it's continuity of care - it should all be fine!

the only issue is financially i need to make more money asap and i won't be full till november!

Might be difficult with parents already in place but I charge a full day rate regardless of what time they finish, I have a 7 month old coming 9-2 and he pays the same as the 8-6 children. There is no way you can fill a vacancy from 1pm and even if you do you are relying on the parents picking up one time. Some CM in my area do a half day rate but only until 12.

angeldelight
22-05-2009, 11:51 PM
Hope you are ok and hope you work things out

Angel xx

butterfly
23-05-2009, 02:08 PM
Hope you are ok and hope you work things out

Angel xx

thanks i'm feeling much better. i discussed with current mum about changing her son's hours so i can fit in her daughter as well and she seemed positive - she's thinking about it over the weekend and will hopefully let me know on monday. then i'll need to sort out whether she should pay me a deposit/retainer to hold the place.