Am I mad? Maternity...

[Devonmaid]

Hello all,

I'm a bit of a quiet poster on here - but have read so much useful info, I'm hoping for a little feedback on my situation.

I started the registration process in March this year, and was finally registered in October. I have my own 17 month little girl and am expecting my second child in April. Because of this I decided to take on just before and after schoolies until after the baby was born and I had settled into a bit of a routine. I also work in a PAYE job, completely unrelated on a Mon/Tues so only open Weds/Thurs/Fri.

I have taken on the following (and that will be it now) - one before and after school on a Weds, one after school on Thursday and Friday and two before school on a Friday (siblings, one of which is my Weds). The Weds/Fri am are a friends girls whom I know very very well, the Thurs/Fri after school is new to me.

I have explained to parents about my maternity leave and they are all happy with my plans, but now I'm worrying I won't have enough time off! I will have from April (Easter hols) until Jan fro my PAYE employment, and then I'm intending to take from after Easter hols (although none of the parents need me for this time) until mid May - in total about 6 weeks. Am I crazy? Not sure if I can extend it now as we have confirmed it in contracts etc, but has anyone had a similar situation? I just feel that I will want to be up and doing something and a few children for a few hours a day will be fine to cope with. A bit naive? All the children are great and we have great fun, they are all very excited about helping with the new baby, and my toddler while I'm looking after the baby! Soooo cute!

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. And apologies for the long post!

Devonmaid xxx

[cathtee]

Congratulations on expecting again, not really sure about 6 weeks being enough, although with them being older ones it may not be to
hard, you could say that you are intending to take 6 weeks definately and then see how you feel after baby is born and increase
it if you feel you need more. At the end of the day yours and the babies needs come first.x

[Mummits]

Congratulations, and no I don't think you are mad at all. Plenty of new Mums have similar numbers of their own school-aged children to care for pretty much immediately after the birth of their new addition - a couple of hours before and after school should be fine.

[~Grasshopper~]

hi

i think its plenty, you only work a few days/hours a week and they are big so wont need 100% attention.

im due in june but having a planned csection in may. im only taking about 4 weeks off. i cant live on mat allowance and i will loose my schoolies if i dont work. I have a temp 1 yr old i loose soon and a nearly 2 yr old that i expect to loose in jan as playgroup is cheaper than me once she is 2. im really trying to fill my other space asap as we are struggling already.

im feeling a bit dishonest to take on new children and not tell them but i cant afford to loose the work.

x

[hectors house]

I used to only childmind teachers kids - so I planned my third child as close to summer hols as possible - finished working the day she was due Friday 14th July, the parents only had to find a weeks cover - I had her on 18th July and started back in the Sept with a 7 week old, mindees aged 15 months & 3 years (had to take 3 year old to playgroup couple of times a week) and my own 2 aged 7 & 10 to get to school too - all worked out fine, I survived - but that was 17 years ago before Ofsted and paperwork - but as you are only having after schoolies shouldn't be too much of that.

[Devonmaid]

Thank for the comments. You've set my mind at ease. My friend has sorted out cover for her girls while I'm off with a family member and has just text me to say that she's added a couple of extra weeks as a 'just in case'.

Grasshopper - I'm lucky as my parents have been really great about it - and are willing to stay with me (so they say). One said that she appreciated the lengthy notice so that she can sort out an alternative while I'm off. I'm still nervous that she may go elsewhere, but I guess I will just have to wait and see and hope that she can see that her child is best with me! Lol!

Good luck filling your space. If you're on Facebook do you have a local buying and selling page on there? I keep putting a link to my website on there and have had quite a few enquiries from it.

xd

[sarahlou]

I was mad - I had my bean (3rd baba) on the friday and went back to work on the monday! looking back now I dont know how I did it but i did

[Zoomie]

Why do you want only 6 weecs off?

You are employed so should get some maternty pay from that job plus you may also qualfy for maternty allowance. overall not more than the 130 odd per weec but you get to spend tme wth just your famly whch s prceless


(sorry some letter buttons not operatng)

[dette]

I was mad - I had my bean (3rd baba) on the friday and went back to work on the monday! looking back now I dont know how I did it but i did

i was the same ..had my son (4th child)on sunday morning and was picking up a 3yr old mindee from nursery on monday dinnertime.i felt bouncing and had my own daughter who was 4 at the time in the same nursery class,the two girls kept each other amused so was actually easier to work.did this for 2 weeks then the kids broke up for summer,teachers child so had most of the 6 weeks off during summer hols.i think once youve got your own kids to deal with anyway you might as well work

[k1rstie]

i
i think once youve got your own kids to deal with anyway you might as well work

I was the same. I have a 6.75 years difference between my 2 girls.

I had pains all day on the monday (worked till 6), went into hospital at 9. Baby came at 4 on Tuesday morning.
discharges wed morning. I think I was back with my after schoolers on the Thursday and Friday. Then it was the easter holidays.
During those days plus the holidays they kids were great, and we still went out for trips etc during the day.


I did not think to ask for any days off, just thought that if I was looking after my 6.75years daughter and going to school etc, what difference would a few others make.!! In my mind , I thought that i would still have to get on with it, even if they were all my own children anyway!!!

I also worked part-time for a supermarket (Tues 9.30 till 2.30, then back again for 7 till 11, and Wed 9.30 till 2.30), and would childmind everyday before and after school, plus all day mon, thus and friday.

So as I worked on a tuesday from 7.45 until 9, 9.30 till 2.30, 3 till 6, then 7 till 11 on a Tuesday, having a baby, and childminding was still easier!!!!

Not sure if Mr Anchovy will tell me off, but I took a years maternity leave from the supermarket as PAYE, and completed tax return as normal for my childminding

[loocyloo]

when i had DD, i was back doing my afterschoolies by the time she was 6 weeks or so ... a couple of girls who just wanted to play with the baby and entertain a just 3 yr old DS !!! it was bliss! it was usually the first chance all day i got to sit down with a cup of tea! i didn't do tea, just a snack. it was for about 6-8 weeks, then it was the summer hols & i didn't work at all, then full time LO and schoolies come september!

[Devonmaid]

It's great to hear people have done it and coped!

Zoomie - that's my concern that 6 weeks won't be enough. BUT - I can only claim SMP- not MA too. And I can still earn from self-employed work whilst claiming SMP, but couldn't if I was claiming MA. I've already cut my wage considerably by going part time so that I can get myself up and running with the childminding - with the idea of dropping my PAYE work once I am better established and once baby is here. But we really can't afford to just live off my SMP for too long. This way I have a little extra coming in. My parents pay a retainer for holidays, so I will only have 6 weeks or so childminding after my 6 weeks maternity and then I'll have another six weeks with just my children. Also I will only have two mindees for two hours one morning a week, the rest of the time it will be just one for a couple of hours. And I'm sure I'm going to be awake early in the morning anyway!!!!!

And as loocyloo says - I'm quite looking forward to my little girl getting a bit of extra attention from the other children who all adore her anyway and are very excited about the new baby.

Thanks again for all the replies. I'm feeling quite positive.