This is tough!!!

[unalindura77]

SO .... as some of you know (those who helped me through the process of registering!) I have now been registered for nearly a month, and have three part time children.

I have NEVER done so much housework in my life! Do you learn to relax? If it's 12pm I am already worrying about parents picking up at the end of the day and it kind of hinders my enjoyment of the day. We have tiled and wooden floors which have reduced us to slaves, constantly sweeping and mopping. Tomorrow I have two potential parents coming and will be minding two children, I am so stressed at the thought of having to clean the house AGAIN now. I do want to calm down but I feel so stressed and overwhelmed...

Over the past month three people have come, and I have cleaned like a demon, laid out toys and snacks, got my paperwork ready etc etc and they have not even had the decency to email me back to say no thanks, just went and that was that.

I guess that's the downside to this work.....all the coming and going of people to your home and time and effort it takes from you.

Anyway, with regard to cleaning, my husband has been really good but does things like try to sweep with the mop to kill the two birds with one stone, which stresses me out even more!!

Will I calm down? Is it always going to be like this? How much is normal to clean?

Uugggh....anyway off to get the mop out AGAIN.

[kellyskidz!]

Ahhhhh another sweep with the mop-er. My partner genuinely thinks that's how you clean a floor, his mum has a lot to answer for lol!
I too am a clean freak but you DO calm down after a while. You have a shiny new business and want to keep it just so, you do learn over time though that it will get SO messy and to do one big clean up at the end of the day to stop you from going insane
See the comings and goings of potential new clients as practice, if they sign up, fantastic, if not learn something from it, like next time I won't.. Maybe I could have.. Etc etc always a positive
Xx

[littlebears1009]

I was a clean freak before i started childminding and was so worried how I would cope with the mess. But ive adjusted well, i used to clean top to bottom everyday now i clean top to bottom every other day and downstairs quickly after mindee has gone. I pick toys up when hes gone as he just gets them back out again. You'll calm down over time. X

[kellib]

It took me a good few months to realise I didn't need a sparkling house, kids don't care!

I tidy up, with the kids, as we go during the day then do a big tidy once they have all gone home.

I sweep after snacks and lunch but don't wash floors until everyone has gone home.

Once you get into a routine it'll be easier and take minutes

[Maza]

I only worry about having a clean and tidy house at drop off. I think a bit of mess at the end of the day shows that kids have been in the house! I remember when I first started one mum did a double take at the state of my kitchen at pick up and I was so ashamed. Afterwards I thought, well at least she can see that I have been providing home cooked meals and then entertaining her little one instead of cleaning up! To be honest, I might be a bit curious/suspicious if I turned up to an immaculate house after my child had been in it all day.

[loocyloo]

In the past week I think every single parent has been into my kitchen for some reason or other and after tea it looks like a bomb has hit it!!!! Usually hand over at the door!
Not one parent has commented and I usually laugh and say ' haven't got cleared up yet! '

I try to tidy and clean for new parent meetings and settling visits but I'm not tidy and I'm not fussed about housework and parents soon realise!!! ( house is usually clean enough )

[unalindura77]

Ahhh thanks ladies. It really helps to have a moan and know that the CM's will have been through the same and have their methods and tips....

Hopefully I'll get in to a routine pretty soon....

Maza then you would be totally suspicious of me, lying down with the babies on a spic and span floor with the lamp on and everything tidied away maybe I should let them see what it's like an hour before they come!

And kellyskidz yep looks like I'm not alone with hubby being 'practical' with the mop

[smartbear]

My 8-year old is happy to tidy up in exchange for Wii time - & older one is now our cleaner at £10 "to get the setting ready for work tomorrow" which definition means he can be offset against tax as long as he ONLY cleans rooms used for work

[Chimps Childminding]

I only worry about having a clean and tidy house at drop off. I think a bit of mess at the end of the day shows that kids have been in the house! I remember when I first started one mum did a double take at the state of my kitchen at pick up and I was so ashamed. Afterwards I thought, well at least she can see that I have been providing home cooked meals and then entertaining her little one instead of cleaning up! To be honest, I might be a bit curious/suspicious if I turned up to an immaculate house after my child had been in it all day.

Yes that's my thinking too! I tidy up in the evening before I go to bed, BUT having 4 x 20 something sons plus gf's up later than me its not always as I left it so I make sure it's tidy when parents arrive in the morning, but by the end of the day it often looks like a bomb has hit the place! Usually only toys and may the debris from their tea but definitely not looking how it was when they arrived

[TNT]

My house is tidy in the mornings when people drop off but after tea it is a right mess, I get the children to tidy the toys away before tea so the living room is ok but there are pots stacked up in the sink, food all over the floor from my 16 month old and a pile of 'artwork' shoved on the side.
On a mindees first day I always make sure I tell parents that they will have to excuse the mess but I would rather be playing with the little ones
I am going to start a jobs rota next week where each mindee has a job every day, such as set the table before dinner, clear the table, sweep up with the dustpan and brush etc, I have quite a few older ones now so think this might work well.

[Maza]

Ahhh thanks ladies. It really helps to have a moan and know that the CM's will have been through the same and have their methods and tips....

Hopefully I'll get in to a routine pretty soon....

Maza then you would be totally suspicious of me, lying down with the babies on a spic and span floor with the lamp on and everything tidied away maybe I should let them see what it's like an hour before they come!

And kellyskidz yep looks like I'm not alone with hubby being 'practical' with the mop

You do know I don't mean it in a bad way! x

[bindy]

I like a clean house and clean toys. I normally do a quick tidy , morning mess, when all the kids are sleeping . After work I do the hovering, dusting, toilets, ready for the next day. Saturday do a deeper clean, takes a few hours! I clean all toys well, once every 2 months, buggies, ride on' s kitchen and other large toys, get a good wipe. Soft toys and dolls in the washing machine. Duplo, cars, trucks etc in the bath, even the smallest toy, wipe the covers of books, takes time! But they look good and smell nice!! Wipe in between too if they get dusty or sticky.

[mandy moo]

My just turned 15 yr old son knows you hoover then mop!!!

[chriss]

I feel for you. I like it tidy, but am not very good at keeping it tidy...well I wasnt till minding, and since then I am worn out with trying to keep it tidy from just my own and my kids stuff.
On top of that I have been taken over with toys, toys, books, more toys and kids play things, squeezed into every corner.

Help...I'm sinkingggggg........

[sprinkles]

This is one of the many reasons I'm giving up minding - I didn't realise how much of my house would be taken over and I no longer feel like our house is our haven where we can relax; I feel like it's a show home open for people to look around!!