How old was your youngest ever mindee?

[Maza]

Having previously only minded older toddlers I am now getting enquiries about young babies. Just wondered what everyone prefers and what the challenges are of having babies who are just a few months old. My DD is three and can obviously be quite lively...

[tess1981]

the younger the better i think... they settle in better and become used to the routine and house rules... love really young babies... can indulge my maternal side without having any more of my own

[desiderata]

the youngest I have ever had was 3 weeks old. Her mom had had a boy and then tried for another child and had a girl 10 years later whom i looked after and then immediately got pregnant again and had another girl so she had no maternity leave left ( I was happy tho ))) xx it was brilliant having them together there was only 11 months between them x

[Toothfairy]

My youngest was 5 months, she is now 3 yrs and still with me

[Nicky]

My youngest was 5 months too, she stayed with right up to Year one at school, and only left because I stopped before and after school. The younger they are the easier it is for them to settle in, I prefer the younger ones and now only look after the under 5's.

[miffy]

I once looked after a 4 week old but only for a day, then he came back to me at six months.

I'm finding babies are getting older when they first come to me now because mums aren't going back to work as early as they used to, shame because I love the little ones.

Miffy xx

[NI MINDER]

3 months was the youngest and my own was the same age so was like bringing up twins. But was probably easier as at that stage myself. Was asked recently to mind a wee one from 5 weeks old. Felt it was too big a responsibility and didnt take her on - would have been full time

[Mollymop]

My youngest was nearly 7 months old - he is 2.5 yr old now and still here, will be having him hopefully til he no longer needs a minder etc - will be having his new baby sister or brother when she comes along, at 4 weeks old. Can't wait

[lozzy23]

When I started minding, I worked as a co-childminder with my friend, we started with a 3 month old (3 days a week) and 6 month old (full time) and 4 toddlers. Our own children were between 9years-16years. We found it really hard going back to babies - we were ok with the toddlers as we had worked together in a pre-school. My friend still has the 6 month old - he will be 4 later this month.

The youngest I have had on my own is 10 months - if I am granted a variation - a 9 month old sibling of a LO will start in July.

[onceinabluemoon]

My youngest mindee was 3 weeks, she's now almost 2 and still here, feels like part of the family.

[Pixie dust]

The youngest I had was 2 weeks, mum was self employed and had to get back to work. loved it but was quite hard with toddlers running around. I had the travel cot set up in the corner so I could but her in there and she was safe out of the way from the others.

[christine e]

11 weeks is the youngest I have had one - when I started minding 20 years ago most mums seemed to go back to work at around 3 months - these days they tend to be around 8 months

Cx

[barbarella68]

2 days born on Wednesday and I looked after her from the Friday and continued until she was 3 and emigrated to Canada.Her Mum was self employed accountant and had loads of big businesses on the books so couldn't take time off,seems bizarre now but at the time it wasn't. She did have a brother and sister who I also looked after.

[Beetlejuice]

3 months old as a childminder - 12 days old as a babysitter I used to babysit every tues and fri for a family round the corner from me and I had their two youngest boys at 14 days and 12 days respectively.

[jumping j]

3 weeks is my youngest, he's now 5 months, and it made settling him much easier, currently got a 1 year old with separation issues which I've never had with the 3 week old.

[fluff1975]

7 weeks was my youngest. I had him until very recently (he is now 10 months) when he went to a nursery which was more convenient for mum's work. Had him 4 days a week so he was like my own, as others have said.

My own two are 4 & 7 and it worked really well. He was so little that he fitted in. Mum said I was to look after him, 'as if he is your own'. Which I did. We were all gutted, I miss him lots

[catminder]

My youngest starter was 7 months, she's 5 now and like part of the family

[flowerpots]

My youngest so far has been 9 months but ive got a lo starting in April who will be 4months when she starts, i cant wait.

[dette]

The youngest ive had was 4 month.Id had her big sis from 8 month and mam asked if it was ok to get pregnant when she was about 3yr .i said yes so she did
I'm Godmother to that little one ,one of my proudest moments.Mam is a teacher and would come to mine at dinner time to breastfeed while i made her dinner.I moved away from them but now they come and stay in the holidays with me.
I look after my great neice every couple of weeks.had her on saturday for a whole day while my nephew and his wife go and visit their nephew in jail(tried to beat up a sex offender,not that he should have but thats another story)
She,s only 2 month old and is still only 8lb in weight looks like a new born.She had a very difficult birth and they both nearly died...mam lost 2 1/2 ltr of blood,she thought her waters had gone but she was actually hemorrhaging.Baby had no heart beat so emergency section and they brought her back .She is so precious,i just love her to bits

[mumof4]

I had a 4 week baby for a couple of weeks, started off parttime then mum wanted 7am till 6.30pm full time and i just couldnt do it, far too long for such a young baby and he had colic so a little influenced by that