rotten start!

[scarlett2]

Hi I am newly registered and feeling really cheesed off. I have placed lots of ads etc but have had very little feed back.
Then the childminder who I have known for years and have been asking for advice called in and asked me to have her daughter for one morning a week(4hrs), I said yes and we filled in contract and I gave her my reg no, she then let slip that she wasnt recieving child tax creditr for this child as he was at home with her, I said it would be better for you to place him with a childminder full time to get tax credit, she just looked at me with a sly smile, now after only 2 visits she is saying that it is not working out. I have a nasty feeling that she wanted my reg no and will now claim for tax credit for full time care.
Then a couple called, were very nice, lovely baby but they were very vague on hours they wanted me, I had told them the hours I normally would work and fees. They wanted Wed afternoon but were not sure what pick up time and poss the odd Sat, which I said I would do at an extra cost. They then phoned back and asked me to have their little girl the next day at 12.30 till around about 5(doh!) I was all ready and waiting they never turned up I waited 3/4 hour, did not have their mobile no. I then went out, quietly fuming, only for there to be a message left on my machine that they had turned up for allocated 1.30.
I phoned them and we had a friendly chat but I had the feeling they thought I was in the wrong,even though I wrote down details at the time and now I have heard nothing.
What a lousey rotten start, fed up being home with nothing to do after 1 year to get my registration.
Any advice?
thanks scarlett

[Pixie dust]

Hi
I know how you feel. I was registered Sept 09 and it was a few months before I even had one phonecall, then my first mindees were two before and after school children. Now one year later I only have a 2 year old 4 days a week and I have a new 1 year old starting Mon for 1 day a week, plus the after school 2.(thats only for 1 hour) The phone has been very quiet which I didn't expect when I started doing this as I am the only childminder in my village and there is no nursery (we are quite a large village) We just have to play the waiting game I guess but it is frustrating when others are so busy.

[pinklady]

Poor you, it's hard when you're decent and you discover that there are many people out there who aren't very nice

Chalk it up to experience, see it as a lucky escape and look forward to all the lovely mindees and families that will come your way soon.

[The Juggler]

it will happen hon, keep advertising and sorry you haven't had a such a good experience so far

[Tasha M]

i refuse to give my reg number out until contracts are signed. if they want it to see my ofsted report i simply give them a copy but blank out my number. there are a few dishonest people out there but there are far more honest and lovely parents to work with too....so keep postivie and the phone will ring....it's been very quiet in my area too. x

[scarlett2]

thanks for replies, just needed a moan, back to my sunny self now.
It is their loss not mine