How long did it take for your own (younger) children to get used to you childminding?

[Kimmy050983]

Well I am just interested really, how long did it take your own kids to get used to other children "taking away" their mummy? Jamie (20 months) is doing brillantly but does get upset when Mindee (16 months) wants a cuddle with me. The other thing is that Mindee doesnt like Jamie come too close to him and starts crying... so that then sets Jamie off :laughing:
He only comes for 2 days a week so every week ist like starting new..

Kimmyn

[Lyns123]

I started minding when DD was 7 months old so she has always been ok with the kids starting at that time, she wasn't very pleased when we had newbies start when she was a little older.

She liked them coming but she got very bossy, telling them which toys she and A play with so B can play with these other toys and if they wanted a cuddle she also wanted a cuddle at the same time and would slowly wiggle her arms under the other LO until they were off me and she was on me. She's 30 months now and is much better as we haven't had any newbies for ages and everyone's settled :)

It will happen eventually :)

[kats]

My 7 year old son still sometimes finds it difficult having other children in the house, he gets jealous, i think more about sharing me than anything else, but i always try to make him feel like hes my helper and what always works is the speech i give him that goes.... "if i dont do childminding i would have to go out to work then he would have to go to a childminder and i wouldnt be able to be with him in the holidays" it usually works :)

[snufflepuff]

My son is 18 months and i have been minding since just after his first birthday. He has generally taken to it quite well. At the moment i have 2 mindees a similar age to him and one 5 year old. One of them cries alot and wants constant cuddles which sometimes upsets him a bit. And the five year old mindee takes toys away from him and pushes him about a bit so that upsets him too. Some days i feel so sorry for him and im ready to pack it in and let him have his home and his toys all to himself! But overall he seems to like having the other children here.

[TammyN]

My 7 year old son still sometimes finds it difficult having other children in the house, he gets jealous, i think more about sharing me than anything else, but i always try to make him feel like hes my helper and what always works is the speech i give him that goes.... "if i dont do childminding i would have to go out to work then he would have to go to a childminder and i wouldnt be able to be with him in the holidays" it usually works :)

IM STRUGGLING WITH THIS AGE TOO, My dd is 3 and has accepted mindees and loves them coming to play, my ds age 6 is another matter, always wanting my attention, especially when i have older children! i gave my son the above talk just for him to repeat it to effect when mindee was here :blush: i give up.

[Cammie Doodle]

My youngest foster child was 4 when I started minding, but being she was from a large family it never ever bothered her or her siblings in fact I think they enjoyed having a little baby about. My own son was 10 and was brill with all mindees and foster children (and still is and he is 26 lol ) When he was about 12/ 13 he used to come home and watch tv in his room until Mindees left, but that was an age thing :rolleyes:

[Beetlejuice]

I've been minding for 3 years and there are still days when my kids struggle. My youngest was 7 months old when I started and she's mostly fine except with a girl mindee who is the same age - they fight constantly (though the child is leaving soon so not a problem for much longer). My oldest is 6.5 and often asks why I have to childmind :( I tell her that, if I didn't, then I would go to work in an office and wouldn't be able to drop her off/pick her up from school or spend school holidays with her. Seems to placate her. Also, I'm lucky enough to be dropping down to 4 days a week soon. It's going to be a struggle financially but I hope will give me a better work/life balance.

[curlycathy]

My dd is 3 now and I've been minding for 2 years. She gets upset on days that I'm not minding cos she wants to know where her friends are!!! It does bother me that she gets attached and then when mindees finish she doesnt see them anymore - or so much at least. Oldest is 11 and he's generally pretty good and helps and on days that he moans I just remind him how it used to be when he had to go to a nursery/childminder/out of school club and he soon shuts up!

[maisiemog]

3 months later and my 23mth old dd still hates sharing mummy!!! She's getting better at it but when she's tired she's still very clingy.

Far worse than sharing me though is having to share her toys! She just doesn't do it. They've been all hers a long time, and still are a lot of the time as I only mind 4 days a week!

[flowerpots]

ive been minding for 6 months, my ds (3) loves it, he cant wait for the lo's to come and play in the morning, my dd (18months) was very,very clingy before i started minding and iwas worried that she would get even worse when i got my first mindee but its gone the other way and shes now very independant. :D