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Playmate
09-09-2011, 06:43 PM
Just out of a matter of interest do any of you have a minimum age that you will take children. We have never had a minimum age, but I'm now getting to the point were I'm finding lifting difficult and getting little ones in and out of the car. I also find working with the different age groups increasingly more of a problem as we have more children as there are two of us together. I would dearly love to concentrate on the 2 -5 age range and run a sort of home based pre-school, but don't know whether it would be sustainable with over 2's only. I would appreciate your thoughts :D

Bear23
09-09-2011, 06:52 PM
I 've had a baby sincce she was 4 months, shes two and a half now. I don't think i could do that young again, i think its more full on, i was scared every time she napped, checking every minute she was breathing. i personally like one and above,
But saying that the baby, well little girl now sees this as an extention of her own home, cos shes come from very young she see's it as something normal, not a childminding house, pro's and con's i suppose x

rickysmiths
09-09-2011, 07:51 PM
I really love having them from 6mths or less. Much easier to settle and lovely to watch them grow and develop.

I would miss having a range of ages.

miffy
09-09-2011, 07:56 PM
No, I've never had a minimum age but I do know what you mean about the lifting!

I think I'd find it hard to make things pay with just the 2 to 5 age range - in my village there are 2 playgroups, 1 nursery and 3 before and after school and holiday clubs and both primary schools also take children at 3 either for full or half days. From this September there is also going to be just one intake every school year in September.

All this means that I'm lucky to keep a child with me once they get their funded sessions and even if I do they will definitely be gone at 4.

Miffy xx

mushpea
09-09-2011, 08:12 PM
It depends what children come along , I have had three children from babies,, one from 11 months and two from 8monts the rest I have had from 2yrs plus so for me i have made a living from preschool age,, and if you can accept the funding then this would influnce parents decisons too.

Penny1959
09-09-2011, 08:26 PM
I don't have a min age - but I know what you mean about the different age groups and meeting everyones needs.

I think a 2 - 5 age group would be nice - but as I took on 4 all under 13m at the begining of the year - if I had had a age group of 2 - 5 I would not have been able to take them on.

A difficult one Playmate

Penny :)

Playmate
09-09-2011, 08:34 PM
I really love having them from 6mths or less. Much easier to settle and lovely to watch them grow and develop.

I would miss having a range of ages.

Don't get me wrong i love the babies and I agree much easier to settle. When i had 3 as a single childminder, yes it was easy to have an age range, but now we have 6 I find it much more difficult. My main concern that due to my Fibromyalgia, I have many days when my arms are to painful to keep lifting the little ones :(