do any of you work part time?

[newandlearning]

hi all..

come september I've only got one baby here at the mo. on a thursday and friday and today I had an enquiry from someone wanting to put their toddler with me for 4 hours on a monday and tuesday.

I told the mum that ideally it would work a lot better for me if this was on a thursday and friday as this is when I have another lil one here... does anyone else say to parents sorry but I'm only open x-z? otherwise I don't get much down time on my own to study or find another part time job which would effectively pay me more...

also I find babies can be a lil boring if you only have one child for the whole or part of a day.. maybe I'm weird but I like having conversation with the kids and not to talk repeatedly about the one word all day ...:panic: :)

if you also work part time how do you manage to work the days you want and still offer a service people want to take up>? I've always worked full time and really feel I need to down scale.. am ssoooooo tired. xx

any help would be greaT"!

[Mouse]

I don't work on Friday and haven't done for a while. I don't often have vacancies, but the last time I had one I had an enquiry for 5 mornings a week. I told mum I didn't work on a Friday, so she went back to her employer and got her days changed to Mon - Thur.

In the begining it was tempting to take on extra work to fill my Friday, but now I prefer my day off too much and always turn it down :thumbsup:

[Lady Haha]

I only do schoolies, so I only work from 3pm til 6pm termtime (but fulltime in hols), but I have to mon to fri or I wouldn't get work!

I know some minders here who don't work Fridays for example, but I'm just not sure how that would work!

Could you maybe work every day, but just afternoons or just mornings? Then you would be part time, but still have be able to attract parents who need every day.

[aunt sally]

I work on a Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. My mindees parents changed their work days to fit around mine.

[The Juggler]

i don't mind on Thursdays (but often working doing paperwork :laughing: ) I won't give this up unless for an occasional favour for a current mindee.

If parents are just having free time whilst I'm minding I'd have no hesitation asking them to change days. Depends how much you need the money hon.

[Ripeberry]

I work on a Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. My mindees parents changed their work days to fit around mine.

I was carefully getting all my parents to work around my wednesdays which were going to be my 'paperwork day'. But then one parent said that she HAD to work on a Wed :mad:

So now Tuesday morning will be my paperwork day, but at least on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday I will be full for under 5's and only have one on a Friday, but advertising for a couple more.

[caz3007]

I keep my tuesdays sacred. They are my day to do things for myself, paperwork and during the holidays it gives me a day with my son, which is important to me.

I have had a couple of enquires lately which I am just waiting for them to come back to me, and luckily they havent required Tuesdays or I would be saying I cant do them

[kel1983]

I started off working Part time. I was only working thursdays and fridays some weeks until 2 weeks ago when I took on a full time mindee.

Its a bit if a shock going from 2 days 9.30-4.30 to 5 days 8.30-5.30. Im soooooo looking forward to my 2 week holiday next week :clapping:

[Chimps Childminding]

I have been having a Tuesday off as June offered to have the one child we share on a Tuesday. However I have a mum returning off maternity leave next month so will be back to working Tuesdays. But my only mindee on a Friday has now finished as she was term time only and is going to nursery full time in September and the siblings I had after school are also moving to a new school and won't need me as from next week, so I will get a Friday off instead :clapping: , and I am determined NOT to fill it unless I get desperate :rolleyes: .

I agree with newandlearning that having just one child/baby can be boring both for us and the child, so I try and fill the days I already have children!!

[miffy]

I've always worked part time but the days off changed depending on what work I had.

A few years ago I changed to working Monday to Wednesday - I had enough work at the time to let me shut down Thursday and Friday - and I've stuck with this ever since.

I've had enquiries I've had to turn down because they wanted other days but I've also had enough enquiries for the days I work.

Miffy xx

[Vickster]

At the moment I have Fridays off and I am trying to keep it like that.

[JCrakers]

I started off Mon-Thurs for a year, then took on a 5day mindee for a year. Then Dad cut his hours so I got my Fridays back again.

Now a yr on Im losing two mindees to school, not had an enquiry since Nov so if a 5day mindee comes along I'll have to snaffle it up...:D

Beckyx

[samb]

I also only work part time although I do not adevrtise only being open certain days. I would guide new parents towards the other days when I already have children but with vacancies as I would also prefer to be busy on work days and then none on other days. At the mo I do Mon, Tues and Thurs but in the hols I have 1 who's coming to me Fri too and another coming a couple of wed so those weeks will be full time. If someone wanted wed and fri only I might try to see if they could swap or I might turn them down.

[yummymummy]

Since my youngest daughter went to high school nearly 4 years ago I've worked Mon Tue Wed and has worked out well. Can't fill vacancies anyway in my area so don't know if working every day would make much difference!:(

[appleblossom]

I've been working Tuesday to Friday for a year now. Not really deliberately, just that all the current parents don't work Mondays. I love my Monday off now and would be loathe to give it up.

I have a 2 year old and a 4 year old Tue to Thur and another 2 yr old Tue to Fri. No school age ones. the 4 year old starts school full time in September and I haven't filled his place as yet. But a friend of one of my current Mums is looking for a part time job and wants the place for her 2 year old if she gets a job. I've told her I don't work Mondays so she can hopefully work this in.

However I do have on my profile on childcare.co.uk and with the FIS that i don't work Mondays. I do wonder if that puts people off. I think I may just change it to "part time vacancy" and discuss availability if someone contacts me. As others have said it may be possible for them to juggle their days around if they want the place.

[SandCastles]

I work 5 full (11 hour) days at the moment, but come September I will have 3 hours off each morning while my youngest lo starts pre-school, I shall also get my Fridays back 8am to 3.30pm then I have 4 afterschoolers until 6pm. I am looking forward to getting some time to do my paperwork.