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newandlearning
23-06-2009, 07:35 PM
:) .. ok.. let me explain a little..

I have a Citroen Picasso .. have 2 LOs of my own and childmind 2LOs..
they are 22mths, 2.5yrs, 4 and 5years.

I have an enquiry/recommendation from a childminding friend to look after
a 6 year old full time over the summer.. I live on a hill and would have to
walk everywhere .. 2 in a double buggy and 3 by foot.. we can get to two
parks .. and could get on a bus.. altho I don't know if you can with double
buggies?? and was wondering how many of you would feel happy having 5
children all day for at least 3 out of 5 days.. am I being a wimp thinking
this may not work.. really the 4 I currently childmind are really good kids..
and the new addition is good too.. I have lots of craft activties etc we
can do here and am thinking can go to park in morn, lunch...
play and heyhoh its time to go home..

can you give me ideas for other things to do .. Im thinking number hunts around the area.. bug hunts around the neighbourhood that kinda thing..x

Zoomie
23-06-2009, 08:01 PM
I already have what you are thinking about, right down to the same make of car.

My mindees are 2y and 4.5y and my own children are 20m, 7y and 10y, and we can't all fit in the car :angry: :angry: .

We are also going to have to walk everywhere, and occassionally catch the bus. I am really worried about this will all pan out.

At the mo, we tend to do a playground in the morning (choice of 3) - but we have to be back by 11am for 2y mindees nap. Then we have a bit of play and then lunch and then in the afternoon, we play around the house.

However, to do this 3 full days a week (and the other two days for a morning each) I am seriously worried that my own children are going to be bored out of the heads.

I need a bigger car :panic:

(Sorry I was no help)

Lady Haha
23-06-2009, 08:06 PM
I only look after schoolies and eventually I ended up with too many for the car some days. No probs, methinks. Get some hi viz vests and we will walk on those days! Two months down the line and with almost total hairloss, I got myself an eight seater! Had it for three months now and I couldnt be without it!!!!

Sorry!

amirose
23-06-2009, 08:13 PM
I have a car but haven't passed my test yet so I am used to entertaining the kids without a car.

I have a timetable drawn up for the summer holidays and I have worked out some specific things we can do then picked one for each day trying to make sure it is varied and split up enough and that mindees on different days still get to do everything at least once.

The things I have planned are :
Adventure playground's (one I can walk to the other is a bus journey)
Country Park - walking distance and they have got some planned activity mornings such as bug hunts but I have also planned to go over there for a nature walk to collect things then come home and make collages and to have a day where they bring teddies and we do a teddy bears picnic
Tilgate farm - a bus journey and a walk but accessible
Visit to children's centre (some planned activities there)
Swimming - bus journey
Soft plays - both easy bus journeys
Sports day - literally going over the road to the playing fields for egg and spoon races, relay races etc
Libary - bus journey
We have also got two big day trips planned - one to the beach and another to Godstone farm

Don't get me wrong I know it would be easier with a car but its not impossible without one :thumbsup:

FizzysFriends
23-06-2009, 08:15 PM
You could always hire a bigger car for a odd day here and there to go further a field.

Mouse
23-06-2009, 08:28 PM
I don't drive, but luckily live on a good bus route and not far from the train station.

I don't mind any children over the age of 5 and they're always happy with what we do (walk to the parks, visit to the museum, short train journey)
I only work 4 days a week, so on my day off I take my own (older) children out on longer trips, to the cinema, bowling etc.

newandlearning
23-06-2009, 08:30 PM
some great replies.. I was thinking of hiring a car for one day a week..
if it all seems to go a bit pete tong :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: ..

trust and the universe will provide.. is my current thinking..x:)

TheBTeam
23-06-2009, 08:44 PM
Not much help with personal experience, as dh and i both are cms with cars, but I do know a childminder of some 20years around the corner from me who doesn't know how to drive and she manages fine and often has cared for older children alongside little ones.

I know occasionally she has been taken out by her childminder friends in their cars when spare seats between them allow but that is very few and far between, if you have a good pushchair and bus routes are good then i would set yourself a plan for the summer, share this with the parent and see how they feel about it.

I have mindees whose parents don't drive and they love the buses and often say to me oh why do we have to go by car, can we get a bus! Also (this sounds sexist but isn't meant to be) if the 6yr old is a girl she may well be quite happy just being around some of the little ones, (not saying a boy wouldn't be too but found more often in girls).

PixiePetal
23-06-2009, 09:24 PM
I don't drive. I manage with walking, buses and trains quite well. A minder friend sometimes joins me on the train when we are going to the beach - she drives but the kids love the train!

As I have never driven, I don't miss it. I don't take on more kids than I can safely handle. :)

Helen79
23-06-2009, 09:45 PM
I can't drive, I walk everywhere & where I live everything is a looooong way.

The buses here are terrible aswell, it's nearly a 90min bus journey to the nearest soft play (it's a 20min car drive) & costs 10pound just for the adult return ticket :eek:

I have to make do with a rubbish local park & the nearby woods for entertainment.
we live 10min walk from the beach but I daren't take the 2 under 2 mindees at the same time so don't go very often.

Helen79
23-06-2009, 09:50 PM
sorry forgot to say that I have 4 children at any time inc my own 2 but am registered for 6 so would take on the extra 2 under 5's if I had an enquiry.

from sept I'll have 2 in the double pushchair, 1 in the sling & 2 walking. tiring but should be manageable (& hopefully will lose a few lbs in the while walking up the hill to my house lol)

Louise_Oaktree
24-06-2009, 12:31 PM
Try having a child who is travel sick then :panic:

We manage okay as he is after school so term time when he is at school we get about okay, after school and holidays we stick to 2 local parks, picnics, football, duck pond to feed ducks, play in garden and activities at home.

I'm trying for a baby though and my son starts school 2010 so me thinking is it worth the extra cost of a new car to keep them all on and have to go to 2 different schools :( then me thinks how much I would love to have 9 months off when my son is starting school :D

I know a couple of Childminders who don't drive and the only thing they miss out on is toddler groups but there are 2 within walking distance. Personally I find going out quite stressful, especially with young bladders :laughing: and complicated baby nap routines. Hubby has recently relaid the flags on my patio and we have extended the lawn area and it has made my garden so much more useful we just camp out there if the weather is good.

Jen4Kids
24-06-2009, 12:52 PM
I drive but i dont have business insurance on the car so i dont use the car when i have mindees. Luckily i live within 5mins of the schools, toddler groups are between 10 and 20 mins away from the school (depends which one i got to) i walked to the library today which took about 20 mins so so far things have been ok without the car (only 3mht in and nice weather!!)

When the insurance runs out in october, i will be getting quotes and probably use the car then. We have a 6 seater Fiat Multipla but i have 4 children of my own so only 2 spare seats, and only 1 spare seat if hubby comes too (being reg'd as my assistant)

singlewiththree
24-06-2009, 01:17 PM
I have a scenic and can't fit all the children in the car I have activities planned for summer

Local park - choice of 3 within walking distance (one is an hour away but along canal and nice nature walk)

local peak district caves - 20 mins walk then train ride
Local museums - bus
other local parks - bus
library & Childrens centre - walk
local nature parks x2 - bus or walk

I think I should manage ok, its my first summer but the only under 5's will be my two children as my mindee under 5's are term time. I will have 7 children when we go on outings some days.

The Juggler
24-06-2009, 01:40 PM
I drive but have rarely used the car for minding. We walk to school come rain,shine or snow! We're all used to it. Occasionally for mid-morn nursery runs or rare holiday days I have room to go somewhere in car but not often.

You'll manage fine. Get some wellies and a good waterproof from millets though and your summer suntan will be unbelievable!