Does anyone childmind and have another job?

[MrsShell]

I am currently working at a pre-school 4 afternoons a week.

I have had a couple of enquiries through childcare.co.uk but it hasn't even led to a meeting with the parents because they want care straight away and I can't offer that, due to having to give a months notice.

I feel in a bit of a catch 22 situation because I'm a single parent and can't afford financially to give up this guaranteed work but I have worked so hard to get this far with my childminding and am desperate to get started.

Ideally, it would be good to get some before/after schoolies to get me started because I could easily drop off and pick up as I work in the nursery unit attached to the school. Unfortunately, the enquiries I have had so far seem to be for babies and toddlers, which I would love to have but can't accommodate at the moment.

Does anyone else manage to juggle another job with childminding. If so, do you have any ideas?

Michelle x

[grindal]

Not another job as such. but I mark gcse and a level papers as well as minding.

[WibbleWobble]

i work a 55 hour week.....my other job is being "nice" to my husband :blush:
and taxi driver to DD, and cook to both, and cleaner......hmmmmm i was going to put i didnt have another job...now i have changed my mind!:D

mandy xxx

[cas2805]

I used to be a police civilliam f/t then CM p/t. 8-4 for my main job, then collect a child or two on my way home or when the nursery/afterschool club finished at 6. Also had twin boys every Saturday which was great fun, especially as I had no children of my own!

I started CM full time during maternity leave and handed in my notice in March of this year. Many people asked if I was mad, my answer is yes!

It took me 6 years before I could CM full time, so stick with it!

[tulip0803]

Hi

I work three days and now mind 4 days. Like you said it is a catch 22 about when to jump. I have moved so spent the last 18 months caring for one child at a time as I can only mind Fri-Mon. Each contract has ended about the time someone new started. I have done lots of ad-hoc work for people that want some time to themselves or have appointments.

I always said I would not stop working until I can earn the same from C/M as I do where I work. It has been so quiet here and I have not been getting calls. I have been advertising that I can do all week in the hopes that a full-timer appears. Unfortunately not

Hopefully tomorrow I will know if I have finally reached the point where I earn more c/m than I do working. At the moment I have 1 LO ocasional Fridays, 1 LO Sat, 1 LO Sun, 1 LO Mon & one occasional. Hopefully I will get 3 new ones perm for Fri & Sat Mum got a trial day tomorrow. The occasional one pays a retainer dor the not used days. I also have some ad-hocs that come if I have a space on the days.

I know it is hard work for me & my family working all weekend but they understand that ultimately it will allow me to stop working & c/m fulltime:D .

I offer flexibility which only one other childminder in the area offers but my name is getting known & parents are recommending me to others. I see the weekends, early starts and late finishes as a means to an end in getting my name known and the work coming in.

It seems to take a while for your name to get known & your reputation to go out but the enquiries are starting to come fast now and I am getting near letting my security blanket go (but not yet).

Tell the school that you have registered and that you have before & after school places available as sometimes parents ask the teachers/secretary. SPeak to parents at the school gates. Be prepared to do one offs (ad hocs)for parents which will get your name known and then eventually word of mouth will start sending people your way treat each ad hoc as if it were perminant and do paperwork invoice etc to look professional. Speak to other local minders who may be turning work away not knowing you can do it. etc etc

Good luck - sorry for the ramble

[funemnx]

I worked for Tesco evenings and weekends for the first 3 years and I also did cleaning for the first year which I could give up at short notice before I gave up. I'd been lucky enough to childmind full time from the first year but the leap to fully self employed can be scary and I needed to be sure. Sticking with the childminding was the best decision I ever made :D

[heatherw]

Starting from next week i will be working full time (6am - 2pm) then picking 2 after schoolies. I am in the process of being made redundant so am trying to combine cm and woking until my redundancy is done. I am in the same position as you that I cant afford to stop working unless its worth my while. Luckily ive been able to get 2 after schoolies so i can get my name around for when i want to start minding full time. If i was you, i would tell every man and his dog that you are a childminder. Word will soon get round and especially as you work in a pre-school parents will have already seen you working with kids. It has took me a long time to get where i am now but its slowly getting towards minding full time.

Stick with it and you will get there.

[charlie potato]

I work in my local farm shop at the moment 2 days a week. I've managed to get a mindee two days a week after school :) . found out today that there's now someone else childminding close to me so more 'competition' :(

[TammyN]

i signed on to a childcare agency when i left work and they were great at finding my work when i was available so when a mindee came 3 days a week i still had work for the other days, if qualified could you do this? at least you wouldn't have to give notice to them!

[watgem]

I worked 2days a week in a preschool for 18months as I was so short of work which fitted in well with my after schoolers, but did create problems when I had to attend training and meetings or if my children were ill, however it was guaranteed work and income and I earned more than I could childminding. My contract came to an end as my key child left and luckily I have had more children fill my vacancies, so I'd stick with the childminding but try and find some thing as flexible as possible to fill in alongside, as things do seem to be picking up a bit, in my area anywayxxx

[Ripeberry]

I do some secretarial work for my husband (sorting out his e-mails) when I'm not minding and three evenings a week I clean the local pre-school so paid a maximum of 3hrs per week.

Keeps me ticking over, but until I have more mindees or longer hours then I'll stick with it.

But then looking after the house is a whole other job that is unpaid :rolleyes:

[The Juggler]

thing is when you are advertising you are often advertising a month in advance (after parents give notice). I think you might just have had some last minute.com parents. Hopefully some who plan ahead better will come alongx

[Mookins]

i currently work at my local village shop 2/3 days a weekbut lose 2 days as the season slows down but then will be minding 4 days (only one child so far) but will keep my all day sat

used to do party planning Vie at home formally virgin vie but the way peoples cash flows have been affected this became a luxury brand and more and more people were using good old avon for example

cant beat their prices so gave it up that was most evenings if you get parties booked and usually wekends too
xx

[selena 31]

i currently work 2 days a week in a preschool and might have to extend my hours to 3 days i havnt had any calls since being ( apart fron 2 children for school hols just 2 days) registered and i really need the money so carnt aford to give it up!:(

[bexcee]

I don't at the moment but think I am going to have to find another job unless I can get some more mindees soon :(

[theplayroom]

I mind monday through to wednesday adn then work as a teaching assistant thurs fri it works really well as i get a 'break' from childminding and its really social at the school and also 2 days off in the holidays! i thinkm its the perfect mix!:clapping:

[MrsShell]

Thanks everyone for taking the time to reply and for your words of encouragement - it's made me feel loads better and more optimistic!:)

You have all given me some more ideas of ways I can perhaps combine both work and childminding until I become a bit more established. It seems it works really well for some of you.

I guess from a lot of your comments, it may take a bit longer to get there but hopefully I will get to where I want to be eventually.:clapping:

Good luck to everyone else out there who is wanting to childmind full time but are just waiting for the mindees to come along before they can take that leap into self employment!:eek:

Michelle x

[pinkbutterfly]

Wow so nice to see others in the same boat. I work two night shifts a week (Friday and Saturday nights) as a hotel receptionist. With mindees that I have on roll now I have no free days at all. It's hard but bills must be paid and the income I get from childminding is nowhere near replacing the one I get from two nights sitting behind reception desk. I wish I could hand in my resignation letter and have weekends for my family and a week job that I really enjoy and feel passionate about.

[Toothfairy]

Yes, I am a Unit Manager & Nurse for an Emergency Out of Hours Dental Unit.
I work 2-3 6hr shifts a week, from 6pm til midnight, weekdays and weekends.
My Mindee's get picked up at 5.20 and I get straight into the car and shoot off to work. I do get tired but I have worked there for 20yrs so I'm used to it now.

[Baileys'n'cream]

This is something that I have been thinking about

I'm not childminding yet, I start my training on tuesday :)

I work 2 days a week and quite a few saturday mornings, and I am pretty scared at the thought of giving it up totally. I don't hate my job, but feel like I am stuck in a rut with it a bit, and am really excited about my new venture but am feeling reluctant to let my regular job go totally.....I am pretty confused :(

After my briefing session I was all ready to hand in my notice as the course clashes with my hours and I was sure my work wouldn't be happy, but they are allowing it and now it is my decision again as to when I hand in my notice eventually.....maybe I could do both?

I am hoping that my training and speaking to other minders will give me more confidence and things will become clearer :)

[Jelly Baby]

Hi i work 6am-8am as a cleaner at a local golf club which i enjoy but it is very tiring! I used to work there full time and took the leap to childmind with just one child on my books but it soon took off and ive been busy since (almost 5 years now!)
It is hard to juggle to begin with but worth the gamble if you can risk it.
Good luck