How do you Full Timers manage!!!!

[Lady Haha]

I only care for school age children which is just tickedy boo during term time as I have between 9am and 3pm to myself. I usually start setting up crafts and toys around 2.30pm and go off and get them.

But this is my third lot of summer hols and my busiest yet! Kids getting dropped off at 8am and not picked up til 6pm.....how do you all do it and with toddlers and babies too!!!!!! At least my lot are pretty independent!

Because of their age I have to keep them occupied, so I do structure the day as much as poss. Breakfast, free play, craft or cooking, dinner, go out somewhere, teatime, free play again til pick up.

But they do keep me very busy and I have no time to sit and do anything while they are here! So, when they leave at 6pm, I have to tidy up the bombsite left behind, get my own son bathed and into bed etc. Then I sit down for the first time all day before having to think about what we will do tomorrow as our craft or cooking activity and get all that set up ready as well as get some toys out in the playroom ready! I know I could do all that in the morning, but I'd rather do it now!

When do you have time to run round with the vacuum etc!!!! I've run out of fruit, but I have five kids tomorrow so I'm not even attempting a trip to the grocers! I can't go and buy some now, as my son is in bed! So fruit will have to wait til Thursday when I only have three kids here! Just been asked if I can work Sat and as I'm on holiday last week of August, I have said yes, as I could do with the extra money! So a 60 hour week for me this week!

Roll on September!

And I commend all of you who do these hours EVERY week of the year!!!:thumbsup:

[Tatjana]

I've had an enquiry for full time and if i'm honest I have to admit i'm hoping they won't want me, for all the reasons you've listed!

xx

[sarah707]

I have Friday's off and treasure them! :D

[sweets]

i don't look after school children at all at the mo but i think if ihad them in the hols i would struggle. What i do tho even with the toddlers i have is that we ALL tidy up at about 4 o'clock then sit down and have stories and cbeebies till pick up time at 5 ish. so when they have gone i can sit down without tidying up first, i'd get your schoolies to do this.
and it doesn't do them any harm to have biscuits or toast now and again for a snack! lol you could even make them with them.:)

[atmkids]

My under 5's I only have in the mornings. I take on ones that have a nursery session in the afternoon (which I don't charge for). A couple of mums actually asked the nursery if they could have the afternoon session as this was the only way that I could care for their child. I also have before and after schoolies but at least I get a couple of hours off every afternoon. :laughing:

[cabby]

50ish hours is a normal week for me:panic: the age range varies from 13mnts-6 years at the moment, i work from 7am till 6ish, 5 o'clock is usually tidy up time, the tv then goes on, or the books come out what ever they choose but that is chill out time ( mainly for me), by friday the only thing i have in for snacks are biscuits:blush: some times it is really hard, luckly my oh is fantastic (he done all the ironing tonight), my own kids are 15 & 17 so they help out as well, one parent has asked me if i can start doing saturdays :panic: i think i said no politly with a very false smile on my face:panic: :panic:

i find the holidays a bit less stress free even though i have the school kids, i havent got all the running around to school's, playschool's etc:clapping:

[nannymcflea]

Make sure you get the kids to tidy up before they leave. Can you walk them to the grocers so they can choose their fruit?

During term time I have been working 7-45 until 5-15 for 4 days a week then 1 day just before and after schoolers.

[ORKSIE]

I have 3 under 5 term time and hols, it has been difficult this last 2 weeks cos one of my under 5's is on holiday, so one of my mindees has missed him. I have tried so hard to play dollies, shops, offices(Telephones, comp key board, and pen and paper) but I cant do it as well as her playmate:blush:
Never mind, we have watched movies she has bought with her, been to the park, done lots ot crafty things which she loves and we are going on a Network trip tomorrow. So hopefully I have kept her entertained......But you never know, cos she's 4:D

[Lady Haha]

Make sure you get the kids to tidy up before they leave. Can you walk them to the grocers so they can choose their fruit?

During term time I have been working 7-45 until 5-15 for 4 days a week then 1 day just before and after schoolers.

Actually, I should say that the mess left behind isn't so much toys as there are rules on how many toys can come out at once and they are all tidied away before pick up time......it's more the general bits and pieces that I don't normally get so much of, glitter on floor, paper cuttings on floor, glue on table, grass and stuff walked in from the garden etc, not to mention the sink full of dishes!

And I could walk five kids up to the grocers, but I'd rather not!!! Its not cos I don't have room in the car, I have an 8 seater, it's just the pure stress they would cause me at the shops!! I have no problem taking six or seven kids to the park, library, soft play etc, but not to the shops!!!! I'll give em cheese on toast as their snack tomorrow!!

Well, I am all set for tomorrow now, playroom table is all set up with five different sets of playdough, so they can rotate round the table (in theory!), playmobil box is in the living room waiting to be all got out in the morning, we are going to soft play at 10.30am, back for dinner, then free play and then we will do the craft activity, which I haven't decided yet!!! Got to think of something that will take them more than five minutes to do! I have bags and bags of stuff upstairs that I bought ready for the hols.

Looking forward to Thursday and Friday, only three each day and Saturday is only going to be til 1pm now:thumbsup: And I know its terrible, but I can get loads done on Saturday morning, accounts for the week, housework etc, as the girl coming is 8 years old and can play with my 7year old son as they are good friends and they won't bother me all that much til dinner time!

thanks for all your replies and well done again to you all!

[Mollymop]

My children are a good mix. Mostly before and after schoolers and 2 under 5's during the day and Tuesday i get school hours off.

In the school hols I have 1 mindee all week 8 til 5.30 and another mindee part time. So I find it ok, not too busy. It is busier for me term time, even though I have tues daytime off.

A tip - make sure the children tidy up before they go home. When it's 5pm, the children tidy everything away and i grab the hoover.
I have left the tidying for myself to do once and it took me half hour of my own time, when i should be doing my own thing.

[wellybelly]

I have Thursdays off between 9 and 3 from September and I cannot wait!!!!! I am exhausted all the time, sooooo behind with my paperwork and at the end of the day, cannot bare to be downstairs in my house because I'm sick of the sight of it! My bedroom has become my salvation after 6pm.

[childmind04]

I currently have 8 monday - wed and 6 for the rest of week they age between 17 month and 9 and do a 55 hour week :eek:

I like the hols as it is more relaxed, i popped to the shops yesterday as i forgot to order washing up liquid on my shopping, the looks i get off people is so funny, im sure they think i have no TV :laughing:

My week will still be same hour wise but will get a bit quieter after Sept :)

[mummyroysof3]

I have Thursdays off between 9 and 3 from September and I cannot wait!!!!! I am exhausted all the time, sooooo behind with my paperwork and at the end of the day, cannot bare to be downstairs in my house because I'm sick of the sight of it! My bedroom has become my salvation after 6pm.

im like this just with my own kids, they go bed at 7 by 8 all my jobs are done and i watch tv/read/on laptop with a drink all from the confort of on my bed :laughing:

charlotte x

[georgie456]

I have a couple of part timers, but also have had a 22mth old for 45 hours a week since March when I came back off maternity leave. I also have my own children (aged 4 and 1)

I must admit that as much I love him, in hindsight I would never had done this amount of hours if I had a clue that I would be so exhausted - it is literally like having 3 of my own!

Before I would always ensure I had Fridays off so I could do things like dentist app's etc but now he tags along!

As for housework....well I either do it when they are here and get them to join in and help (nothing like a bit of free child labour and they LOVE polishing!) or I do it in the evening. The children are all expected to help tidy away toys, and we have a daily 'clean up' about 20mins before hometime and then have storytime, so my house is semi clean once he has gone.

The thing I find the hardest is feeding him - I never had mindees who had evening meals here before and can be a pain trying to get him fed properly before pick up at 5.30pm....

I long for those Friday's off....

[Lady Haha]

I am still amazed at how some of you manage this all year round!!! I did end up taking all five to the shops but only cos it was on the way back from softplay and we were able to park right outside! So, I have a fridge full of fruit again!

I did take your advice and decided to have a wind down time after 5pm where the toys got put away and they were allowed to watch tv while I hoovered, wiped, washed dishes and cleaned the playroom table. Must admit, that did make a difference as I was able to sit down straight away at 6pm! Mmmmm, coffee never tasted so good!!!!

I seriously doubt I would be able to keep up with all this if I had to do it all year round, and now I realise just how much the paperwork must affect you! You must have to do it all in the evening and weekends, as if a 50 hour week wasn't enough! I only have two in EYFS now and that finishes at the end of the month for them. Then I have a new starter who will be EYFS in Sept but she will only be morning school drop off and holidays, so won't involve all that much in the way of planning and obs!

[Deb]

Shop wise, my tip (and there will be a few that really dont like this) - go to the petrol station with a shop in it; park at the first pump and go in and buy a bag of apples and then go back home. Sorted.

[Deb]

I also work a regular 50 hr week and have 5 children of my own. We tidy up at 5 and that's when the tv comes on, the parents must think they have been sat there all day lol.

[Lady Haha]

Shop wise, my tip (and there will be a few that really dont like this) - go to the petrol station with a shop in it; park at the first pump and go in and buy a bag of apples and then go back home. Sorted.

I happen to agree with you on this one, I saw your posts on the thread about this a while back.

I had to get petrol on Tuesday before a really long drive for our big day out this week and it just made so much more sense to leave them in the car waving at me through the BIG glass windows of the petrol station shop, than to try and get them all from the car to the shop with me! I could see them the whole time and they could see me.

I know some people might say I should fill up when I'm not minding, but I was low on petrol and had decided the night before to go on the trip Tuesday as it was going to be a really nice day. I can't nip out in the evening either as I'm a single mum and leaving kids in the car where they can see me, is totally different to leaving my seven year old tucked up in bed while I nip out for petrol!!

[nannymcflea]

I happen to agree with you on this one, I saw your posts on the thread about this a while back.

I had to get petrol on Tuesday before a really long drive for our big day out this week and it just made so much more sense to leave them in the car waving at me through the BIG glass windows of the petrol station shop, than to try and get them all from the car to the shop with me! I could see them the whole time and they could see me.

I know some people might say I should fill up when I'm not minding, but I was low on petrol and had decided the night before to go on the trip Tuesday as it was going to be a really nice day. I can't nip out in the evening either as I'm a single mum and leaving kids in the car where they can see me, is totally different to leaving my seven year old tucked up in bed while I nip out for petrol!!

I usually only drive my car when I am working so when else can I fill up? I do send hubby down sometimes to do it and I have been known to move my car nearer to the shop before I pay so I can see them.Sometimes reality has to take over and we have to do things like fill up the car!

[LOOPYLISA]

This i why im not :laughing:

Seriously though i take my hat off to you all who do it :thumbsup:

[Shivvie]

Hubby and I work together so we're allowed up to 6 children under 5.

We have 3 full-timers and the others are part time. Our week is: 5 children on Monday, 6 Tuesday, 6 Wednesday, 5 Thursday and 6 Friday, plus a child before and after school each day. We start work at 7am and finish at 5.30pm - that's before tidying, paperwork etc. To say we're shattered at the end of the week is an understatement!!! Never a dull moment though and, although, like everyone, we have our despondent times, we wouldn't change it for anything!

We feel very lucky to have this many children on our books, knowing that there are some childminders out there with no children to look after.

It annonys me when parents say, as they leave in the morning, "Well, some of us have to go to work, wish we could stay at home all day!!!!!" :rolleyes: