schoolies is where the money is?

**jadavi** · 25-04-2012, 07:49 PM

Sorry for such a bad taste / crass title but thAT IS what I am asking...

If I have my quota of three little ones its about total £80 a day for 6 - 9 hours.

I haven't started before/ after schoolies properly yet but am building up to it...
Another local childminder has about 8 she walks home with plus I know she is booked up with little ones all week as she's the only one in her town. If it's £15 per schoolie like most people seem to charge on the forum, then it must be another £120 a day just for three hours or less! Full capacity would be a thousand pounds a week!!
Plus even more in the holidays.

Do many people do multiple schoolies?

Apologies again for talking about money but we all have to make a living...

**miffy** · 25-04-2012, 07:54 PM

I have far less schoolies now than I used to have - there is much more competition for the business from nurseries, after school and holiday clubs. Local schools don't promote us as they want parents to use their own after school club.

I also think schoolies are hard work, they eat more too so less profit and in the holidays, want more in the way of entertainment so are costlier.

Miffy xx

onceinabluemoon · 25-04-2012, 07:56 PM

I make hardly anything form my schoolies, they are all term time only and 2/3 go to the after school club after school because "its cheaper than me" (it isn't)

**Milli147** · 25-04-2012, 07:58 PM

I think you're right, I know a CM who makes a lot of money doing after schoolies, BUT she darn well earns it! A house full of 8 year olds all evening after having had/still having three tinies since 8am? Most times I see her she is completely frazzled, though I have to say does an amazing job of appearing calm and lovely to the children!

**rickysmiths** · 25-04-2012, 08:03 PM

Originally Posted by jadavi

Sorry for such a bad taste / crass title but thAT IS what I am asking...

If I have my quota of three little ones its about total £80 a day for 6 - 9 hours.

I haven't started before/ after schoolies properly yet but am building up to it...
Another local childminder has about 8 she walks home with plus I know she is booked up with little ones all week as she's the only one in her town. If it's £15 per schoolie like most people seem to charge on the forum, then it must be another £120 a day just for three hours or less! Full capacity would be a thousand pounds a week!!
Plus even more in the holidays.

Do many people do multiple schoolies?

Apologies again for talking about money but we all have to make a living...

You could just do after school for that rate!!!

I don't think I would want that many on my own and with three little ones and you have to take into account the effect on little ones.

Also remember you can't have more than 6 under 8s on you own.

But yes if there is the demand locally and you have the energy then there is money to be made in the after school business.

When my children were first at school I did only before and after school care and had up to 8 plus my two every day am and pm and some in the holidays and I sold Dorling Kindersley Books in the day time. I loved it.

**bezi123** · 25-04-2012, 08:24 PM

Well I sure hope so, as when I am registered, thats all I will be doing as I am a mother/baby swimming teacher during school hours and an extra £1000 a week would be nice

However in reality I'm only charging £3.50 an hour to compete with after school clubs and I think it will take a while to business up, so I doubt I will earn anywhere near that amount! Although I do live directly outside a large primary school so hope that helps as I can just put a poster in my window to advertise!

**Chatterbox Childcare** · 25-04-2012, 09:04 PM

I don't compete - I charge £14 per child per night and I have approx 9 per night plus my little ones

It is very hard work and I don't finish until 7pm most evenings tidying up and packing away

**jadavi** · 25-04-2012, 10:05 PM

Thanks. So it really can be quite lucrative then ....

**Demonjill** · 25-04-2012, 10:08 PM

we dont have the option of that many children up here in scotland

so no £1000 a week for me -

not that id want loads of nippy schoolies anyway

**Twinkles** · 25-04-2012, 10:12 PM

But they're SUCH hard work !!!!

Give me a houseful of babies any day ( No Mr OFSTED spy I don't have a houseful ! )

**butterfly** · 26-04-2012, 06:17 AM

There is a lot of money to be made in after schoolies but they are a lot of work! They eat a lot, tehy take up a lot of room, they're difficult to entertain, they squabble, and generally their parents are not interested in their behaviour or anything else because they see you as a babysitter!

I wouldn't do it for all the money in the world!

**mama2three** · 26-04-2012, 06:23 AM

There are relatively few schoolies to be had here - most go to the ( very very cheap and flexible ) after school club. They only pay for sessions used , no charge for sickness or other days off. childminders simply cant compete.

At another local school my close friend has a few schoolies - not the numbers mentioned on here though! 2 or 3 . She manages a day off in the week and works only 8-5.30. Im working 5 days with los 7 - 6.30 . She earns £400 a month more than I do. Not that Im jealous or anything

**jadavi** · 26-04-2012, 06:28 AM

Haha
Yes thats the trouble - them being hard work , also once you're doing it there's no real end in sight as wouldn't want to mess about the parents.
Do people try and take them to the playground or park every day? Weather so unreliable tho!! What do you all do?

**marnieb** · 26-04-2012, 06:38 AM

After almost 3 yrs of minding I started with after schoolies last week, boy 7 , 2 girls age 11, but they c all fall on different days, and so only last Thursday had them all, but it meant I had 8 kids ( 2 my own! ), 7 to feed at tea time.

BUT - I'm loving it!! Ds 8 had a pal to play with and the 11 yr olds love the bables, and yesteday we made cakes.

The money is good - an extra £70-90 a week extra, which I am saving to pay for our family holiday this year.

**Roseolivia** · 26-04-2012, 06:44 AM

I have 3 after schoolies, 2 are siblings. Some nights i may have them all other nights i may have 1 or none. Generally i only do 2 nights per family so it's not too bad. They are really well behaved and get on great even though one is an 8yr boy.

**nokidshere** · 26-04-2012, 07:04 AM

I only have one little one in the daytime and most of my custom is schoolies. Most nights I have 8 children in the house and its sort of organised chaos and noisy!

I love the interaction with the older ones, especially after talking Thomas the tank engine and zinga tinga most of the day

But.. they are harder work, the noise levels are high, they eat tons, they do squabble more than little ones and the 7-9 year olds tell tales!!!!

However, its worth it for 2.5 hours each day - a lot of work concentrated into a short space of time. The average cost (some only stay an hour) is around £9 which works out at approx £360 per week. But once I have taken my costs off that (including the cost of a full meal for them all each night) its not as profitable as it could be.

Its definitly not boring though

**gegele** · 26-04-2012, 07:05 AM

how do you count £1000?

I wouldn't do that many after school as i haven't got the space and truth be told I couldn't deal with the NOISE!!!! I think you need a room separated just for them LOL. put CCTV in it and hide at the other side of house with babies ah ah ah aha ha

DD is 6 i have 1 6yrs old before and after school and for a while i had a 7yrs old....plus DS who's 4........the noise is unbarable!!! and 1 is only there for 2h!

during the holidays they're really expensive as well as they pay for all outing, you need more recources and more expensive ones. as much as you can entertain a toddler with a few books, a few boxes and 2 crayon and 2wooden spooo it's not the same with 8 8yrs old!! and they eat ... a lot...often

i think that if i was to work with 8after schoolies i wouldn't have any little one so no little ones toys or ressource in my house and so more space for big ones... I'll spend my day at the gym to have the stamina to survive all of them ah ah ah ah

**buzzy bee** · 26-04-2012, 07:06 AM

I have 4 schoolies 2 nights a week til 6.30pm and I get just under £80 for the 3 hours work.

So yes the money is good for a short amount of time BUT they are much harder work than little ones (in my opinion). I'm seriously considering stopping but the money makes it hard to refuse!

**helengreen13** · 26-04-2012, 07:18 AM

I love my after schools and have 12 most nights as lots are now over 8. there is a good mix of boys and girls and really don't find them hard work at all. Boys play football, go on trampoline or down to park. Girls love arts and craft, dressing up or writing stories.

**jumping j** · 26-04-2012, 07:33 AM

I just have one after schoolie at the moment, about 2/3 times a week.
Then if the hols I have 2 ad hoc.
The older they get the more work they are.
They eat more, want more entertaining and always want to know what we're doing next, even when they've not even started the activity we're about to do
Saying that all my after schoolies are girls and lovely, during term time they're happy to play with the dolls for an hour, do some craft and have something to eat then go home.
It's the holidays that are a pain