Time.....?

[Gherkin]

Just had a call from another childminder asking about something and we got on to the subject of there never being enough time.

I work at the moment 8-5 on 3 days and 8-6 on the other 2 days. That is just minding. Before minding in the mornings I am getting my two ready for the day and sometimes doing last nights washing up (no dishwasher and the dh seems to have gone on strike if it is "school" night). After work I am getting my two sorted, cleaning and then doing dinner. At weekends I'm trying to keep on top of the allotment, taking the kids swimming and trying to have family time as will as cleaning, food shopping etc.

Somewhere in all this I need to make time to do my planning/obs (all written on scraps of paper at the mo) accounts, update paperwork in general.

Could you all tell me how you fit everything in? Because to be honest I am not finding the time at all. Dh asks how he can help but he is tremendously busy with work drives a long way to work and is as knackered as I am if not more so.

What do you have in place to make your lives easier, when do you do it all?

Thanks

[sweets]

i rarely do any minding paperwork in my own time. its all done during the day when the children are either sleeping or when just playing nicely. you can't and shouldn't play with them all day, they need a bit of time without doing activites. i sit at the table with my paperwork, obviously in the same room as them and get on with out, always being aware what they are up to.

[Chatterbox Childcare]

I have 2 hours in between lunch and school runs where my mindees sleep. In that time I am on here and if not doing paperwork, tidying up and getting tea ready.

[grindal]

It is hard isn't it! We get up early, DH leaves for work at 6.15am, so I get a lot done before mindee arrives, this might include hoovering, mopping floors, emptying the dishwasher (a must have item in my kitchen!), hanging washing up to dry or taking dry washing down (although I use my tumble dryer a lot), making soup or dinner for all of us. When mindees are here in the day I try to get any paperwork i need to get done when they are asleep or playing. Then when DH gets home, he is left in charge of DS1 and 2 while I get on with more kitchen tidying, finishing dinner and putting piles of laundry away. I try to keep on top of housework and paperwork, that way it never seems like there is too much to do. I also write lists of chores, tick them off as I go (big sense of achievement). When everything gets too much for me, I have a big strop about not getting enough help around the house and let DH get on with it for a few hours:blush:

[TheBTeam]

I have a laptop and do my food shopping online while watching the tele when I sit down.

I print all my obs out in one go, so do a few at a time, pasting the photo onto the sheet and then sitting watching tele do the writing and linking bits, or when the lo's have a nap in the afternoon, if i am not on here!

I do my accounts and planning while watching tele!

I spend all weekend both saturday and sunday running around for ds and dd, with football training and games, and am out 2-3 nights in the week!

I do my washing up straight away at meal times, and will often put washing on at night to dry overnight and quickly fold it in mornings before school.

My children are 7 and 10 so are not reliant on me getting them dressed etc so i can fold washing and stuff then, or quickly hoover the main area. I tend to do housework as i go, ie clean the bathroom when washing, etc

It will settle down and become easier as you become more familiar with stuff, also if you have little ones contentedly playing it will not hurt if you run a duster around, sometimes they like to help, and this is all part of learning (not suggesting you get them being unpaid cleaners!)

It also will not hurt to occasionally hoover while they play or are involved in an activity, especially if it is their snack that has helped with the mess!

I sometimes will hang washing up if they are happy playing in the garden and sometimes they like to tell me whose clothes they think they are, they enjoy that they know about us!

[The Juggler]

I have 2 hours in between lunch and school runs where my mindees sleep. In that time I am on here and if not doing paperwork, tidying up and getting tea ready.

ditto but I find it takes me 1/2 hour to tidy/wash up after everyone's gone plus at least 30 mins to and hour of paperwork every other night or two hours if I leave it all to the weekend. It's never-ending. Need a fairy godmother:p

[sarah707]

i rarely do any minding paperwork in my own time. its all done during the day when the children are either sleeping or when just playing nicely. you can't and shouldn't play with them all day, they need a bit of time without doing activites. i sit at the table with my paperwork, obviously in the same room as them and get on with out, always being aware what they are up to.

I do most of mine during the day when they are playing happily as well. :D

[Mouse]

I only work 4 days a week now and finish by 5pm. That definitely helps :clapping:

I try to get most of my paperwork done in the daytime when the little ones are asleep or playing happily and I do housework or family stuff in the evening or on my day off.

I also make sure that on my day off I have at least some 'me time'. Every month I use one of my days off to have a comlete day to myself - no housework, no paperwork, nothing apart from fun shopping & coffee with friends :D

[Daftbat]

I do paperwork mainly when kids are playing or napping without needing my complete attention. I have also been known to do some housework when they are with me - they follow me round with a duster and have great fun - its all KUW. We sort out bookshelves too and toys boxes.

I know what you mean about still not having time though - especially time to myself. I am lucky that dh comes home around 430 and he often helps with things and i have finally got through to my kids and hubby (I think)! that if they help me then i can have more time to spend with them. Still trying to fit in reading a book here and there though - the only place i get chance to do that is in the bath!:laughing:

[Tinglesnark]

obviously ive not started working yet but i have 2 mini me's and so i have tried to make life easy for myself.
i get my shopping delivered which has not only aided my budgeting but its also saved me time and stress.
... i put one load of washing on every morning and tumble it. if i catch it from the tumble then i can smooth it out and save myself the task of ironing and hoovering, dinner etc gets done after 6pm i always make extra dinner so that i have charlies dinner for the following day sorted. dh will either bath the boys or do the housework so i am very lucky and i then use my after dinner/ before bed time to catch up on paperwork and i am hoping that this routine carries on when i am actually minding..
HTH
x

[Jacqui116]

I try to do my paperwork when the mindees r having a sleep in afternoon which is not always possible as i have a 3 month baby who wants bottle about 1.30 and then wakes the others up when she is trying to go to sleep.

As Im working 5 days 8am to either 6pm or 6.45pm and sat morning for 4 hrs now, I told dh that Im having my cleaner back as Im working longer and are now full again. So I can food shop sat afternoon and that we can do things as a family on sun without me rushing about trying to get things done.


Jacqui

xxxx

[LisaH]

I do most of my paperwork whilst mindees sleep too. I refuse to let it eat into mine or my family time:)

[Allie]

Time I have to much of it!!!!!
Having been as full as I've wanted for over ten years I'm a bit empty at the monent 2 children have gone to school (one is staying with me for wrap around care) but I've lost the other, I was having my grandchild as an additional, but her mum thankfully is OK now, so down to from 4 to most of my time with one and only working 3 days instead of 4!

I have a baby coming in at the end of the year and a vacancy so hopefully will be busy again soon, but I was doing two courses and minding 40 hours a week so now catching up with my reading and of course coming on here

Free time is not so good when in large quantities


Allie

[Angela234]

Mine don't sleep during the day now except maybe 1 of them

As soon as i try to do anything they seek my attention. I have 2 that are always wanting my attention

So everything gets done or not done at the weekend paperwork is starting to build up again