Love Childminding, but hate the holidays...

[SammyM]

I really love childminding, but can't stand the holidays. Have got 6 here today and already feel like a peace negotiator for the United Nations!! A constant stream of tale telling and whinging, albeit a lot of it is from my own kids!!

I love the structure of a school day, littleys in the day, big ones b4 and after school, and minimal mixing between the two.

3 more weeks til my holidays, can't wait.

Am I on my own with this???

[manjay]

No

I finish work on Thursday until 30th August

[AliceK]

I completely agree with you. I like my routine, the days can feel very long during the holidays.

xxxx

[Stormy]

I have six today, well I'm sure I do no one arrived yet !!!!
That is a big bug bear that time keeping just disappears over the holidays.
My childminder drop in is open today so will head off down there eventually.

[singlewiththree]

I'm lucky as I have 6 (3 being my own) but they don't arrive until 12.30 so we have the morning to chill and then start off to the park in the afternoon.

[Ripeberry]

Don't work the holidays and don't intend to as my DDs like to have my full attention over the holidays.

Other CMs that I know are VERY busy in the holidays and have so many kids they end up hiring the local village hall so that they can have some space!
But then, that must be boring for everyone, being stuck in a village hall for the week

[cs01]

I prefer the structure of my day during term time. The days can be so long during the summer hols, but at least the sun is shining...for today anyway!

[Chimps Childminding]

I used to feel like that when mine were at school I regularly had my 4 plus 6 mindees Now mine are all grown up and out at work its not quite so bad, but I will get days where I have 3 schoolies, plus 3 littlies all day which I'm not looking forward too, not too bad if the weather is good!!

Have to admit when mine were at school I always took 2 weeks off in the summer, plus February and October half terms as the chances were we would be stuck inside, my 4 were enough to cope with on horrible days!!!

[mushpea]

well I did feel like that but today is the start of my first week of minding with no schoolies and just littleys and im loving it already,,,my son is happily doing his own thing, daughter is on guides camp and little one is happily drinking his milk,

[The Juggler]

no! that's why I try to do t-time childrne. I only have 2/3 days to work in the hols and now only have either 2 or 3 mindees. My two are by far the worst!

[Joda]

I know exactly what you mean! I've got 6 today (have just managed to have a sit down for 5 mins!). The little ones have been no trouble, it's the big ones - esp my own 2 who are hard work! Although the older ones are booked into a playscheme for 3 hours every morning this week. My holiday is 12th - 30th Aug so really can't wait!

[jayjay1963]

My own children used to hate the school holidays because they couldn't sleep in so late, the littlies used to wake them up playing! My own were much older when I started minding (22, 19,and 14) but it hasn't made them move out yet with the exception of the eldest who's now 28

Jacqui

[watgem]

except for when everyone is getting on really well and the weathers nice, not really!

[Alibali]

I love the holidays I love being able to get up and away for the day without the restraints of nursery and school pick ups, we go out all the time and it keeps the children amused and tires them out so by the time we get back they're too tired to bicker

[funemnx]

It's horrible when all they do is bicker!

I've been lucky so far this year (but only day 1 of week 2!!) the children I have at the moment seem to get on really well, most days I've got 8.

I've made a little plan to get them to the local park 9.30 - 11.45 every morning and then home for lunch followed by babies naps and free play while I have my lunch/re-charge. After that we do a planned craft or baking then they all start going home 3.15, 3.30, 4.15 only 2 some days until 5.30 so not full-on all day!

I do count the minutes 'till September!

[balijay]

I quite like the change of pace that the holidays bring, although I only have my own 3 plus 2 or 3 mindees so not as many as some of you!!
We are out and about every day (I don't have a garden) so I do pray for good weather. I find just as I am getting fed up with the holidays they are back to school and I am back to my routine with 3 littlies each day.
I really like my job

[Helen Dempster]

I am so with you....I had 4 today ranging from 2yo to 9yo. Two of them are siblings and they fight constantly. It's been a loooooooooong day. I dread the hols. Hubby tells me to "think about the money" which does come in handy and is a lot more during holiday time, but even so....I'd rather have my sanity and hearing! LOL

[Bitsy Beans]

I've got 3-4 and two of those are my own.
There is some whinging about lack of sharing but on the whole it's been OK so far. Although I confess the reason I am counting down the next 3 weeks is because I am off on holiday
Not to mention during term time I only had kids before and after school so am finding it hard to stay on top of any basic housework or indeed just anything Am sooooo not used to working full time

[Ali56]

I do like the hols But I don't have all my mindees in the hols (just as well really as there are ALOT of them, part-timers!) Most days I have from 3-6 including DD. I try never to have more than I can fit in the car, I live in a tiny village so we do like to go out. I'm happy not to be tied to school/pre-school runs, but all my holiday kids are easy going and peaceful. I'm very lucky. The most demanding family are TT only and I'm very happy about that. the hols are a break for me!!

[gegele]

I love the holidays I love being able to get up and away for the day without the restraints of nursery and school pick ups, we go out all the time and it keeps the children amused and tires them out so by the time we get back they're too tired to bicker

same here!!! i love the freedom of the holidays but i'm bless by not having big age gaps and kids are great together. out and about is th eanswer to your problem.... they haven't got time to argue whislt in the forest, field, park... and if they do................................................ .................................................. ...........................................you can stand away LOL