Childminding for close neighbours?

**Snowwhite** · 19-12-2013, 09:19 PM

My next door neighbour is pregnant with her 1st child & due next summer. My husband and i get on really well with this married couple (who are younger than us) and have socialised with them on many occassions.See them regulary as our driveways are next to eachother.I have always said to myself that if they were to have a baby i woudn't want to childmind for it as way to close for my liking! (business with pleasure & all that!) The couple both work so this would prob continue once baby arrives.My business has been much quieter than usual for several months and my husband thinks that if this couple were to ask me to provide the childcare then i should do it given how my business was struggling a bit.(lot of CM's in my area & not enough kids!!) I know i could keep everything proffesional if i did childmind baby but my question is what would you do? Its early days yet with pregnancy so no talk yet about childcare. I may not even get asked!

**3 little ducks** · 19-12-2013, 10:04 PM

I have and still do mind for neighbours. it has always been fine as long as you are straight with them about what to expect from you and what you want with them, as like friends they may think they should get special treatment or privilidges etc, I have never had a problem saying that and we can be open and honest with each other so it had worked out well. they only thing I struggle with and that's my personal demon as such is that I don't always want to see the children out of work hours! ie if they and my kids are out in garden playing and want to play together it can feel like unpaid work.

**Snowwhite** · 19-12-2013, 10:28 PM

3 little ducks thats something else that occurred to me aswell- would i ever feel off duty when seeing the baby outside working hrs & maybe in time my son would want to play with the child (although there would be quite a few yrs age gap) I guess its something i would never really know how it would all go unless i tried it. Few yrs back *****minded for someone in my road for 2 yrs,and went well.Didn't always see them as lived at opposite ends.Only finished with me due to the mums job. Maybe it all depends on how easy going/laid back the parents are!

**ziggy** · 19-12-2013, 10:40 PM

I will never again mind for people I already know as friends. It is much easier to keep it professional and business like that way

**Shivvi** · 19-12-2013, 10:48 PM

Hi, my next door neighbour was my childminder. I was very cautious and even went and looked at other childminders but I didn't get a connection with any of them. We sat down and agreed that we needed to be totally honest with each other and if either of us had issues we needed to raise them and sort them. She was my childminder for 13 years. I am a childminder too now and My three children still love her to bits. I think with good

**Shivvi** · 19-12-2013, 10:49 PM

Originally Posted by Shivvi

Hi, my next door neighbour was my childminder. I was very cautious and even went and looked at other childminders but I didn't get a connection with any of them. We sat down and agreed that we needed to be totally honest with each other and if either of us had issues we needed to raise them and sort them. She was my childminder for 13 years. I am a childminder too now and My three children still love her to bits. I think with good

Ha silly ipad.
Will good ground rules it can work. Good luck

**Tealady** · 19-12-2013, 11:35 PM

I'm always wary of working for friends. As soon as one announces they are expecting I start to throw in odd comments about how I don't CM for friends. However, what I do find is that they often come for advice so then when talking about nursery vs CM and the fact that we have to close from time to time I do offer to be a back up, ratio permitting, should they choose a CM. This has often worked well as I don't offend by refusing and they have a back-up well known to their child so they don't worry about the upheaval.

**samb** · 19-12-2013, 11:36 PM

I live in a flat and minded the boy downstairs. It worked well for both of us although sometimes I was a little paranoid when he cried or shouted etc but mum said she never heard him!

**Jenna** · 20-12-2013, 04:07 AM

I mind for our next door neighbour their ds and my ds are only 6 months apart in age and are best friends it's lovely. The only problem I do find is payment dad always pays me by cheque and there a very laid back family this month I didn't get novembers cheque until Tuesday and it won't clear until tomorrow which has been a right nightmare. It's like this every month. However I do really enjoy looking after their son so the pros outweigh the negatives.

**Snowwhite** · 20-12-2013, 07:14 PM

Some good points there.Thanks.Shivvi its good that it really worked out for you

**TNT** · 20-12-2013, 07:49 PM

I always said that I would never mind for friends but I started 6 weeks ago! The family live on the road next to mine and I am friends with mum, she was someone that I socialised with at toddler groups and we would meet up with the children. I have never really socialised with her without the children.
I was in the same situation as you when she approached me, I was losing my full timer to school so was desperate for the money but it is working out well so far.
I have been straight with her from the start, no mates rates, extra hours or babysitting. I expect payment on the first of the month and we had a settling in period. She read and signed all my policies and we have set hours. I was very professional about it from the start.
The only dilemma I have had so far is whether or not to buy mindees older brother a christmas present, I wouldnt usually for mindees siblings that dont come to me but I feel that I should, even though if I wasnt minding I wouldnt buy them presents if you know what I mean.

**critch** · 20-12-2013, 08:53 PM

I mind for one of my closest friends and do ad hoc for another close friend we have no issues other than sometimes they pick up late but I don't mind as her child is friend with my kids and it's like home from home as we spend loads of time together out of hours too, it's more than fair as they don't send if grandma is visiting for a week at a time or if they are late I to work so this far outways the 10 mins late picking up at night!

**Rolacolapink** · 21-12-2013, 08:04 AM

I mind for next doors dd she is 2 years older than my eldest (ds). They used to play together outside of school but as they're getting older they're growing apart and dont usually ask to play together outside of school now but they did up to this summer. If we were in the garden the neighbours dd would pop her head up over the garden hedge that separates our garden and ask to come and play at every opportunity if we were in our garden - or even if our patio door was open and we are inside. She'd shout "hello" repeatedly until someone responded. At first I used to say yes but now I say not when it's 'family time' eg weekends and evenings! When I'm minding we see her every week day and 3 days in school hols! I think her and her parents have got the message!

**Lottie** · 21-12-2013, 10:56 AM

I nearly minded for a neighbour but glad I didn't. I think I'd find it too awkward if there was an issue.

**bunyip** · 21-12-2013, 07:51 PM

I've looked after a neighbour's child for the whole time I've been registered. They're also friends of our family. Had no problems.

The key is to understand it's a business relationship, first and foremost, and have a solid contract and policies that you each agree upon. Be clear that there'll be no relying on your existing acquaintance from either party.

It's the assumptions that everything will be hunky-dory and nicey-nicey just because you share a postcode/acquaintance that always leads to trouble. Mind you, most disputes carry an element of this sort of 'assumption' based on 'niceness' - so the lesson is to get the contract right in every single case anyway.