Carrie1983
15-08-2011, 09:46 PM
I am in the pre-reg stage and already have a full timer and her part time brother lined up for when I am registered.
I currently use a childminder and a nursery for my own daughter. Both have been great but the c/m edges it! My c/m's daughter starts school in Sept and she is going to a different school than the one the c/m has, to date, been covering. She wants to continue to cover after-school from that school as the school will 'hold' the kids for 5 minutes until she has managed to walk round from her DD's school; but she has to give up any morning care of children from that school, as the school won't take the chn in early (quite rightly- qualified teacher here ;) ).
Anyway, I think you may see where this is going. My c/m has been brilliant at guiding me on some stuff, and also seems to have learned from me as well (pricing - she is far too cheap!). About 10 days ago she text me asking if I could take on 2 of her children before school term time and half days holidays, a few days one week and one day the following week. I said OK as I do want to cover that school, even though my part timer I already have lined up, goes to a different school - it's doable!
So after some toing and froing between me and my c/m (her seeming to act as negotiator!), a price was agreed for my service. The mum was given my number from the outset but asked my c/m to contact me. :S I asked for the mum's number and the mum didn't want me to have it to start with! I'd rather deal direct!
Anyway, my c/m said this mum was going to contact me in a day or two to organise meeting up. This still hasn't happened. I took my daughter to the c/m on Thursday and as I was dropping off, this mum was picking up (I didn't know she was the mum but my c/m pointed us out to each other). The mum and 2 chn (7 and 10 yrs) were going towards their car after obviously having had a chat on the doorstep with the c/m. My c/m said to the mum 'this is x, the childminder I was sorting for you.' The mum seemed a bit cagey and waved up and said 'I'll text you, definitely interested.' Well that's not really enough to secure a place you want to start in a few weeks' time!
Anyway, the point of all this is that as I was walking up the drive towards the c/m's house, the 7 year old was kicking his mum's car and generally acting like a yob. The mum screamed and yelled at him and he jumped in the car and slammed the door. Now I am not naive - I've worked with all sorts of children over the last 10+ years in many different capacities. However, the two chn I already have lined up are younger and very meek and mild - dad is a well known radio presented and mum is a surgeon, and I was chosen not only for my qualifications, experience and approach (which she could see through my own daughter), but also the environment I provide. This 7 year old is not really indicative of the type of environment I offer, and I wouldn't want other chn/parents upset; I also don't want my own daughter upset.
So I still haven't heard from this mum yet, and I don't have her contact details - she won't give them! But I have decided that for the 2k income these two chn would bring me, I just don't want them! I don't want to 'chance' the fact he might have only been acting up for his mum - not being judgey, or not trying to be, and I know 'kids will be kids' but I can afford to be choosey at this stage, and besides I really don't want to fill my car up (limited space) with school chn who won't bring me a great deal of income. So I don't want to upset my c/m as she is a useful contact to have, but how do I go about saying 'thanks but erm no thanks?!'
I currently use a childminder and a nursery for my own daughter. Both have been great but the c/m edges it! My c/m's daughter starts school in Sept and she is going to a different school than the one the c/m has, to date, been covering. She wants to continue to cover after-school from that school as the school will 'hold' the kids for 5 minutes until she has managed to walk round from her DD's school; but she has to give up any morning care of children from that school, as the school won't take the chn in early (quite rightly- qualified teacher here ;) ).
Anyway, I think you may see where this is going. My c/m has been brilliant at guiding me on some stuff, and also seems to have learned from me as well (pricing - she is far too cheap!). About 10 days ago she text me asking if I could take on 2 of her children before school term time and half days holidays, a few days one week and one day the following week. I said OK as I do want to cover that school, even though my part timer I already have lined up, goes to a different school - it's doable!
So after some toing and froing between me and my c/m (her seeming to act as negotiator!), a price was agreed for my service. The mum was given my number from the outset but asked my c/m to contact me. :S I asked for the mum's number and the mum didn't want me to have it to start with! I'd rather deal direct!
Anyway, my c/m said this mum was going to contact me in a day or two to organise meeting up. This still hasn't happened. I took my daughter to the c/m on Thursday and as I was dropping off, this mum was picking up (I didn't know she was the mum but my c/m pointed us out to each other). The mum and 2 chn (7 and 10 yrs) were going towards their car after obviously having had a chat on the doorstep with the c/m. My c/m said to the mum 'this is x, the childminder I was sorting for you.' The mum seemed a bit cagey and waved up and said 'I'll text you, definitely interested.' Well that's not really enough to secure a place you want to start in a few weeks' time!
Anyway, the point of all this is that as I was walking up the drive towards the c/m's house, the 7 year old was kicking his mum's car and generally acting like a yob. The mum screamed and yelled at him and he jumped in the car and slammed the door. Now I am not naive - I've worked with all sorts of children over the last 10+ years in many different capacities. However, the two chn I already have lined up are younger and very meek and mild - dad is a well known radio presented and mum is a surgeon, and I was chosen not only for my qualifications, experience and approach (which she could see through my own daughter), but also the environment I provide. This 7 year old is not really indicative of the type of environment I offer, and I wouldn't want other chn/parents upset; I also don't want my own daughter upset.
So I still haven't heard from this mum yet, and I don't have her contact details - she won't give them! But I have decided that for the 2k income these two chn would bring me, I just don't want them! I don't want to 'chance' the fact he might have only been acting up for his mum - not being judgey, or not trying to be, and I know 'kids will be kids' but I can afford to be choosey at this stage, and besides I really don't want to fill my car up (limited space) with school chn who won't bring me a great deal of income. So I don't want to upset my c/m as she is a useful contact to have, but how do I go about saying 'thanks but erm no thanks?!'