So would you say this is a fair reflection of Childminding

**button68** · 13-01-2008, 08:17 PM

I 'Googled' Childminding and came across this on a Parenting Forum.

The OP has said they were thinking of giving up their job and becoming a childminder - she was after the 'pros' and 'cons' don't think she was expecting this ......

Pros.

You get to stay at home with your own child/ren whilst earning an income.

That's it for the minute (no I am not feeling despondent at the moment).

Cons.

The Ofsted inspection. Your first is not so bad, as you will not have any minded kids. But the next inspection will last 3+ hours and your every word and move will be scrutinised. You will be put on the spot and will have to answer their questions with the right answers, you will need to have evidence that you are complying with the five Ofsted requirements 1. Helping children be healthy 2. Keeping children safe 3. Helping children enjoy and achieve 4. Helping children make a positive contribution 5. Organising your childcare effectively - these five catagories will also include the 14 National Standards for childminding.

Lots and lots of paperwork; policies, menu's, activity plan, fire plan, statements, attendance registers, accounts etc etc etc...

Insurance; you will need Public Liability Insurance, if you intend to take minded kids in your car, you will need your insurance to include a business cover for childminders.

Lots and lots of courses to attend; ICP, first aid, food hygiene, child protection etc etc etc...

You need to have an extensive range of toys from birth to 8 in labelled boxes and in an accessible place for the kids. Your toys also have to show racial and equal opportunites...

Your home has to be completely child friendly, stair gates, protective film on glass, smoke alarm, fire blanket, socket covers, cupboard locks etc etc etc...

You will need buggies, suitable sleeping areas, travel cot/cot etc, highchair/feeding harness, car seats etc etc etc...

Then come the kids; new babies almost always cry for hours on end as they are only used to Mum/Dad carrying them around all day (one of mine cried for 5 months solid). Parents send their kids when they are ill, despite your policy on health and safety, they mask the symptoms with Calpol, Nurofen or anything else that will get them out of the door and on their way to work. Usually by the time you discover that the child is ill, they have either puked all over your carpet/sofa or have spread the disease to everyone else in your home including your own children (yes, my two got everything going and were ill nearly every week. My youngest caught Tonsilitis when she was 10 weeks old from a minded child).

Some parents also take the Michael, they drop the child/ren off early, sometimes by 15/30 minutes and pick them up late (on quite a few occasions, have had a child still with me 1.5 - 2 hours past the pick up time, with no phone call and mobile switched off) when they eventually do pick up their child, there is more often than not, no sign of an apology (because childminders do not have lives or families).

Some parents think that you do not work to support your family, that you are a charity and therefore you do not need to be paid on the day you arranged (despite when, in the initial interview you clearly stated that you did not mind if they paid you weekly or monthly, but what you did want was that whatever day you both decided was payday, they paid you on that day. And despite writing this clearly in their contract), you have no bills to pay, you do not need money, you are just doing the job to please them, so they will pay you whenever they want, 3 days, 1 week late who cares. So far this year, I have been charged £180 in bank charges because of late payments, which basically means that I have worked 51 hours for nothing.

The kids treat your home like a playground, things get broken, walls get drawn on and rooms are trashed (normally these things are not found until the kids go home, so you end up having to tidy up trashed bedrooms etc). I have had many items go missing, have caught children stealing, have had faeces spread all over my Daughters' bed, carpet, walls and bedroom furniture . I have had many potty training kids (despite my desperate pleas that they were a little too young at 18 months - 2 years, and were unable to hold their bladder/bowels or understand what was expected of them yet) wee all over my sofa's (thankfully the old sofa's and not the new one's, YET!) and carpets. When your back is turned or when Mum comes, they jumped up and down on your sofa (have a lovely big pull in my new sofa, where child was jumping with buckled shoes on). Have had quite a few things shoved into the video player, had dibbers (remote controls) hidden on purpose (which is always discovered after child has gone home). I have had snot wiped all over my sofa's, food and drinks spilt on both sofa's and carpets. Have had mud and dog's poo wheeled/walked into the house, no apology or offer to clean it up.

When you take your children out, people look at you as if you are a complete sla**er and if anyone speaks to the children they always refer to you as Mummy!!!!!! I am not at all bothered by it, but in the past, it has been a little irritating, when out with my two blonde haired, blue eyed girls who are the image of each other, an 18 month old baby of mixed race and a dark haired, brown eyed boy who was 6 months older. It has happened on many occasions with other children, are some people that blind?

It can also get extremely lonely and you crave for adult conversation.

Right at the mo, I can't think of anything else but if I do, I'll be sure to let you know .

Still thinking about becoming a childminder?

**miffy** · 13-01-2008, 08:24 PM

Bet she changed her mind!!!!!

Miffy xx

**sutherland** · 13-01-2008, 08:29 PM

Well I never!!!!!

I am currently in the process of registering and am aware that the job can be very trying at times and am by no way under any illusion of what it will be like when I am registered and minding, but just what is this person doing while the minded children are doing all these things to her house?????? Esp. not to notice things like trashed rooms until they have gone??????

Michelle

**sarah707** · 13-01-2008, 08:36 PM

That was my first thought Michelle - is she not supervising those children or keeping them busy? Does she not have ground rules which she has written with the children and which are enforced to help them know how to act?

Children here don't have time to do the things she is talking about... they are too busy reading, doing crafts, making models or role playing... and they certainly don't go upstairs and trash bedrooms... nor do they go drawing on my walls - and if they are toilet training, they sit on a special cover until they are trained!

Gosh, what a dreadful thing to post... I think she is in the wrong job!

son77 · 13-01-2008, 08:42 PM

Gosh, she really enjoys her job!

If you don't enjoy it, you get out, it obviously not for her so why bother carrying on.

Or perhaps there's lots of competition in her area so she's trying to put off any other potential childminders.

**Trouble** · 13-01-2008, 08:47 PM

i think that just about sums it up would we do it again? of course we love it!!!!!

**katickles** · 13-01-2008, 09:04 PM

In my opinion, this childminder sounds like she doesn't have the patience to be a childminder. Hope they have changed there mind!

**LittleMissSparkles** · 13-01-2008, 09:23 PM

think this has been discussed before was it on ***** or something ??? we did have a bit of a rant about it but it was posted in 2005 i believe so we hope that the woman isnt minding anymore xxx

**Mollymop** · 13-01-2008, 09:54 PM

Wasn't this the one that Lana (Banana) posted a few weeks ago, that made everyone mad?
It's such a shame that some people try to put others off instead of supporting them.

**button68** · 13-01-2008, 09:59 PM

Originally Posted by Susan

think this has been discussed before was it on ***** or something ??? we did have a bit of a rant about it but it was posted in 2005 i believe so we hope that the woman isnt minding anymore xxx

I didn't look which forum it was - although I could check my history and see - it just came up on google, I didn't even get as far as reading any replies.

***** can be quite an arguementative place from the thread I've see

**button68** · 13-01-2008, 10:03 PM

Just looked and the site was Raising Kids.

**Twinkles** · 13-01-2008, 11:37 PM

Yes, this job is a lot harder than people think, yes, your house gets messy, yes, some parents are inconsiderate but why the h**l is this woman doing the job as she obviously doesn't enjoy it. Despite all the drawbacks I, like most childminders I've met, really enjoy my job. I can't help but feel sorry for the kids she minds.

**Trouble** · 13-01-2008, 11:42 PM

i wonder what ofsted gave her on her inspection

**angeldelight** · 14-01-2008, 08:04 AM

I always ignore things like this I am sure half the time they are not real and they do it to wind people up - and it works !

Angel xx

**LittleMissSparkles** · 14-01-2008, 08:15 AM

Originally Posted by rascal

i wonder what ofsted gave her on her inspection

she prbably acted for the day and made out she loved it !!!!

**Schnakes** · 14-01-2008, 08:52 AM

If Im honest there are some days when I feel as exasperated as this woman...but all through that I would say I love my job, and those irritations are part of it!!!

Although agree that she should be doing more with the kids so they arent trashing the place. Having said that - I have one of my mindees for 12 hours per day. Honestly, I cant keep her entertained for that amount of hours - there is "free play" involved, when Im washing up or making food etc!!!

Sx

**sarah707** · 14-01-2008, 09:46 AM

Originally Posted by Schnakes

Having said that - I have one of my mindees for 12 hours per day. Honestly, I cant keep her entertained for that amount of hours - there is "free play" involved, when Im washing up or making food etc!!!

Sx

We all have times when the children are involved in free play - it's called normal life!

Superwoman I am not! If I tried to keep them going 12 hours a day I think I'd be burned out inside a month!!
But I think the difference is, even our free play is closely monitored... sounds from the post that she was letting children do what they wanted upstairs on their own!

I hope she has found herself a nice little office job and comes home every day to a tidy house...