Are you a good childminder?

[venus89]

What do you do really well? What do you wish you could do better? What do you do - or not do - that you feel a little guilty about?

I'm not as good as I could be - like being on here right now. My 14 month old mindee is happily bumbling around and doesn't really want my attention right now so I'm a bit surplus to requirements, with the two year old mindee asleep. But I do feela little guilty about being here when I'm 'working'.
I think I am good at varying our activities and I enjoy planning new things for the children to do, or extensions of what we already do.

At the moment, I'm bad with the obs - I've lapsed a bit over the summer and not really got my head back into them - lots of little notes here and there but nothing in the children's books.....

[Blackhorse]

good question...
this is the end of my second week,
one mindee at school, one asleep, on off sick and dd asleep
so dont feel guilty for being on here...just prepared their dinner, so once everyone is up again and mindee back from school we will have time for arts and crafts..

At the moment the only thing I feel guilty about is my own dd as she has to go through all these changes...but I know it is good for her..and I can see that she enjoys the company...but I cant help feeling a bit guilty.

Kids seem to enjoy it here, and they get freshly prepared food (which I cook when they are asleep or at home...unless it is something really quick...LOL)
I have 2 that are here for the german language so I know I will be doing that well...and I like helping with homework...

But I know I am still having a lot to learn...as I am only starting out so in a way I feel that they are not getting the best possible care at the moment (that sounds worse than what I am trying to say but I hope you see what I mean)...as I feel that it takes time to get really good at something..
and I also believe everything can always be better....

[singlewiththree]

I love crafts and activities but when the children vary so much in age 1-4 years one in each age range it makes it difficult. Today we did sticking paper on the fruit pictures. Each had something slightly different to do
1yr old - caught eating glue! so I put it on and he sort of stuck precut paper on
2yr old - glued himself and was taught colours/fruit
3yr old - helped to cut the pieces, did it all herself and wrote her name
4yr old - helped to cut the pieces, did it herself and wrote the names of the fruits or went over mine.

I finished at 1.30pm so only my two left and they are watching home movies :( brings bad memories for me.

Anyway, I feel guilty just sitting down and having a cuppa when they are all playing. The holidays were the easiest for me as the two children I looked after were the same age as my DD's therefore played really well and I did nothing really! felt terribly guilty getting paid.

[FussyElmo]

Yes I am.......If I dont believe it then no-one will!!!

I dont mind doing anything with the children. I had a mum look at me very strangely yesterday at toddlers when I was showing the children how to be tigers!!!!

I have spent from 9-1 today in the park just because we could, the children have eaten their dinners and now having a nap!!

Bad points - I dont really like doing craft stuff, will do them if there is nothing else to do:blush: :blush: :blush:

I dont feel guilty on my children as if I didnt do this I would have to work so Im firmly believe they would sooner have me and a few more children all day than only see me for a few hours:)

[allinatiz]

I also feel a bit guilty about being on here but I only have 1 mindee today and she's just fallen asleep, as has my own dd .

I think I am quite good with our activities and crafts although sometimes we'll do something at group and I'll think 'why didn't I think of that?'. I still feel like I'm new to this sometimes even though I've been registered for 2 years.

My biggest downfall is the paperwork. I need to get back on top of the individual child files, I have loads of photos that need organising and putting into their files and I'm hoping to do that, or at least start it, over the weekend :)

[rainbowmummy]

I like to think I am!

I am good at the paperwork side of things, arts and crafts, talking/listening, playing, story telling, keeping update with training and general organisation. I could go on :littleangel: hehehe

my not so good points are:- playdough! I hardly ever let the kids have playdough unless their is oportuntiy to play with it outside. I am fed up with bits in my carpet!

[grindal]

I am - ofsted said so :laughing:
This afternoon DS1 has helped me prepare party food for my mindees first birthday party. It is his birthday today and his mum and isister are coming in a hour, along with one of her friends and her little girl who is also 1 yr old. DS1 has been busy getting all the food set out for a picnic tea this pm, now all 3 are asleep :clapping: :clapping:
I'm sure there are loads of things I could do better - I clear up too often aswell, but I alwyas claim that is for health and safety reasons.

[tammerisk]

i am agreat fantastic wonderfull childminder this is what everyone of my parents tell me and i do kinda belive them

all my mindees are always happy and my asseser said it was a testiment to me that we had to force the children to cause conflick for my last asesement as she had never seen it in the 12 months she has been coming to me.

i am not good a keeping up with my paperwork but when i get going it is fine just having the motivation to do and not good at doing my own housework!!!!!(i get my kidis and hubby to do most of it!!!!)

i feel guilty when i talk to other adult when the kids are playing on there own a nd i can have 5 mins pease but i don't feel like i should but was told it good for then to learn to play with out and adult intervention all the time

[LeeAnn]

I think I am getting there.

I do lots of crafts , playdough , baking, cooking . etc.

I am good at the caring side of things and all of my mindees are happy and very confortable with me and my family.

I am bad at being organised and often feel like I spend a lot of time trying to organise activities and then clearing up after them.


I am bad at talking money with the parents :blush: and also bad at saying no :blush:

I feel bad for my own kids because until I can get the organisation side of things sorted I tend to be spend a good quantity of time with them but not so much quality.

[kindredspirits]

nope i'm a rubbish childminder - my mindees don't like playing with me :blush: one just cuddles me if i sit on the floor to play and the other plays much more confidently on her own/ with other children than with an adult.

we're in the garden at the minute - one is playing with the dolls in the playhouse, one is kicking a football around and i've just stopped my own son trying to swig out of the guinea pigs bottle :eek:

[Pipsqueak]

I am a good minder - actually I am better than good and i am brilliant and my mindees love me (so they tell me!!!) although if you ask about me as a parent I am probably the worst in the world lol

What do i do well - interact with them, know when they need me and when to leave them alone, I know my mindees well, the new little one (I thought was going to be hardwork) is responding slowly but surely and her smile now reaches her eyes and her giggle is lovely to hear. I honestly care for my charges - someone commented about how well Iz 'fits' into my family.

What could I do better - be more confident when talking to parents, have belief in myself.

All in all job satisfaction is good at the moment!

[daisyboo1980]

i was a great nanny but will have to wait to next week to say if im a good childminder i hope i will be :laughing:

[TheBTeam]

For a few weeks at a time yes, and then for a few weeks at a time not!!!

I run out of steam and then have to recharge my enthusiasm again, I think when i am motivated I am great, lots of activities, planning/obs up to speed etc, really happy and caring, notebooks for parents are complete and informative! On a bad run the notebooks contain the minimum, more freeplay and shorter activities, and the planning is more winging it!:laughing:

Most of the time I am motivated, so more good than bad, but :laughing: it takes so much energy with everything else in life to be on top of it all of the time, so I allow myself to slide!:blush:

[Daddy Day Care]

[QUOTE=Pipsqueak;524075].

What could I do better - be more confident when talking to parents, have belief in myself.
QUOTE]

This really surprised me, I think you come across as a very confident person

[Bitsy Beans]

I think the fact that my mindee doesn't want to go home with her daddy each Friday when he comes to collect her would suggest I am doing something right!!!
Some of it I suspect is down to DS, he's a year older than her and they have great fun playing out in the garden but I am going to take all the credit.

I do worry that I am not doing enough structured activities but she's not really that interested. If she had her way she'd stand and wash nice smooth stones in a bowl of soapy water all day long!!

[mushpea]

some days i feel yes some days no but overall i think so , i must be doing somthing right cause the kids love comming here and the parents dont complain.
i am not very good at pretend play and tend to leave the make belive stuff to them, but i am good at cooking with them(have nvq1&2 in bakery!) , love doing crafts, provide lots of activities with the after schoolies too, go out loads in the hols and have fun at home
bad points, hate the paper work and need to get better at keeping it up to date and havent done my accounts since June:blush: , sometimes feel i can be mean to them, like the other day we were out walking in town and i must have said 20 times to one boy dont run through people and look were your going then he walked straight in to a lamp post cause he wasnt looking and the post actualy went 'dong'!! it was that hard, i couldnt help but laugh (not that he saw) and said 'well i did tell you to look where your going' i did give his head a bit of a rub but not too much because as i told him no sympahathy when you dont listen to me!

[Daisy1956]

Most days yes, really enjoy craft activities glue tissue and paint. Not so good at saying no but getting better I had to Hubby kept threatening to have a word with parents otherwise.

[Gizmo]

Think I must be doing something right when kids dont want to leave and 1 mum has changed her shift so lo can come to me on on a Monday when I have a space.
Things I do wrong I must do the housework and keep everywhere tidy

[Chatterbox Childcare]

No I am not a good childminder, I am bl...dy brilliant - so there!

I too lapse from time to time but that doesn't make me, or anyone else, bad or average at their job.

I feel that I am a professional reflective practitioner who delivers an excellent service and that I play an active role in the learning journey of so many children, younger and older.

[ORKSIE]

I am a brilliant childminder...I know i am cos i get told often enough!!
I love my job...Love my Mindees to bits cos i do have lovely ones at the mo.
And have brill parents:thumbsup:
What more could I ask for....Outstanding?
Well in the next three years that is what I am working towards and with this forums help I hope I will achieve it:jump for joy:

[tinkerbelle]

im a brill minder how do i know because my mindees tell me they love me and love coming to my house they never want to go home and are eager to get here the younger ones all give cuddles and big sloppy kisses when they get here and as they leave as well as a few through the day

i am totally pants at paperwork and try to keep it to a minimum but hey ho whats more important happy healthy smiley relaxed kids or me slaving on paperwork every night for hours on end i know what my mums would choose :blush:

[Annie_T]

im bad at everything (ok maybe not bad but clueless)

ive had no training on the eyfs (prob not only one) and dont get it ... tho im sure i will

i have had my mindee draw her own face picture - want do ob on it

but i also got look at the chart thing see where she is and see how can improve

as for activties .. i not done anything at mo as have get 4yr minde at lunch and not insured on car to go anywhere at mo :(

[Ripeberry]

I would like to think that I was a good childminder. I don't know yet as I've not had my grading inspection yet. I like to show children the wonders of the world..mini beasts, birds in the sky, the joy of music and dance.
I also don't mind doing daft things with them, at pre-school I was usually the one playing hide and seek, making mudpies and playing chase.
I also enjoy reading to children and getting them to think about the story and what might happen next.
I try and do crafts, but I'd rather just give them a load of materials and see what they come up with and help the ones that don't have a clue by letting them explore their imagination.
Not too hot on cooking and baking though :(