Anyone NOT do before and after school?

[lisbet]

I'm just starting out and I was thinking of not offering before/after school care, just early years care between 7.30am -5.30pm because:

a) I'm new to childminding and I want to make sure I don't take on too much and compromise care
b) My 3 children (age 12, 9 and 6) will be adjusting to having mindees in their home and I want to be able to still be there for them as much as I can.

I'm signed up to do 1 enhanced provision placement which would probably be in school hours, which does mean that I *could* offer 1 early years before/after slot without adding to numbers.

Someone's just phoned asking for before/ after school for 1 infant school child and 1 nursery child and I explained I don't offer that at this time and now I feel mean and I'm also worried that I'm being unrealistic business wise?

Also don't want to get a bad reputation as inflexible...

What would you all advise?

[ziggy]

I dont. I just find it isnt worth the hassle of doing school run in middle of afternoon while younger ones are resting. Financially it isnt worth it either.

I have one starting school in september and will do it for him as i will have his 2 younger brothers but wouldnt take it on otherwise.

Dont feel bad for refusing, it is your business and that is the good point of being self employed, being able to choose

[moggy]

There are many of us who do not do before/after schoolies- there was a thread recently, maybe try a search. It has never caused me a problem in terms of business and makes my life more calm. I find children near my own children's ages are the hardest to have- arguing, fighting, too boisterous, just too 'big' to have too many in the house, harder to keep them downstairs as they want to go up to my children's rooms etc ! I love looking after just the little ones, I am am as full as I want to be, the parents valur the fact that it is not a crazy busy place here before/after school.

[Little miss]

I am just starting out also, and intend to not offer before/after school care and concentrate on the little ones. My business my way!

[Rick]

The only before and after schoolie I do is on a Friday. It works out to be of benefit to my other mindee because she lives near the school and can pick her up and drop off schoolie in the morning and vice versa in the evening. But as a general rule I don't do them because it interrupts activities and sleep time. I also haven't got a car so it's just more trouble than it's worth. It can be quite lucrative if you live near a school and can take several children at once.

[lisbet]

Thank you everyone This forum is a godsend!

I'm walking my youngest 2 to school and back anyway, so if I have an early years child booked with me for the rest of the day I don't mind taking them to the preschool next door to the school for their free 3hrs session and doing the extra middle of the day run. It's just adding extra children after school that I'm not sure will work for my family, for now at least.

I forgot to do a search for this topic first - will do now.

[lizduncan72]

I don't do it either-have always found that the older kids are really hard work and are more likely to cause problems!! Much rather just stick to my littlies

[eddie]

I have never done before or after school and have concentrated on the under 5's. To be honest I think some parents like the fact you don't do school runs (although I do for my own children) as I always explain this means less impact on the little ones from older more boisterous children.

[ivy]

I do before and after school care as well as in between and it is a pain in the backside . I have the younger children all i na lovely routine but once the older ones come back all hell lets loose . It can be hard to say no especially if the afters have been children who i have normally looked after or if they have younger siblings still in my care .
For the amount of money it generates it is not worth the stress .

[SammySplodger]

I have done in the past and have also found the schoolies cause more 'issues', especially if they are older than my own children.

But what I'm doing now is a minimum charge per day of £15 per child, which means that I'm more expensive than our before/after school club. Also, I have a more expensive rate from 7am to 9am. Hence, no takers! So now I don't have to say No to people all the time...
:-)

[FussyElmo]

Just me who likes the after schoolies then

[angeldelight]

I have always done it for years and years and years

But for the last few months I have not

I love it , our days are longer I do not get wet at school times

It is brilliant I never want to go back to them again

Angel xx

[SammySplodger]

I used to be asked to do it a lot and I felt bad saying no all the time. Like Ivy, I found it not worth the money (stupidly, I was charging my usual hourly rate), my kids used to get upset, stuff in the house got damaged/broken, babies got woken up, some kids would eat and eat and eat... I just didn't enjoy it as much as the under 5s.

[kellib]

I don't have any schoolies and I don't plan to take any on. I do school runs for my own son but not everyday as some days my grandad takes him to his after school activities.

Much prefer the little ones, they aren't as hard as older ones!

[Ballette]

It's entirely your choice Lisbet. If you don't want to do before and after school care, say no! Once you have been working for a while, you may decide to try it but don't feel pressured as there are plenty of childminders who like to fill up on before and after schoolies! Each to their own I say

[catlyn]

I've got 2 after schoolies and tbh they are more bother than the littlies......much prefer my under 5's

[loocyloo]

i have one before schoolie who is a friend of DS. he arrives, they play & then we go to school.

i have 3 after schoolies, all girls and all pretty much friends. i waited a year before taking on sibling schoolies as i wasn't sure how it would work, but its going great. ( i moved coming up 2 yrs ago and didn't mind for 6 months or so. all my previous schoolies had been with me since before going to school, or i knew them well, and despite having lots of schoolies, they were one big happy family and had all been with me years! ) at the moment, i check with my own children if they know possible schoolies, and how they would feel if they came. if they were not happy about it, then i wouldn't take them on. currently i am doing school runs for my own children, so it doesn't alter my day to collect any others, plus they all play well together and the LOs love having the schoolies to entertain them! my schoolies are all term time only.

i have a holiday only who is the older sibling of a LO i mind. he gets on really well with my children and as a foursome are great that i actively don't have others one of the days i have them! we can go and have great adventures!

[Maza]

I don't. I felt that it conflicted too much with nap times/snack times/playgroup etc. I might start though once my daughter starts reception next year. x

[bunyip]

Just me who likes the after schoolies then

You're not alone: I like schoolies too. Just started with my first regular one, though I often collect the grandchildren from school as well.

Because they like/do different things to the EY children, I find they provide a real change and a variety. I never feel as if my day got longer - it just gets different.

Tbh, the only aspect I dislike is that I have to deal with the ruddy school.

[jillplum]

I love the older ones. They are great to talk to and ask about their day etc. Most I have had since they were little. The little ones love playing with the big kids. Yes it is a pain going out in the rain and snow etc but I am only 5 minutes walk from school and nursery. Today I picked up 5 from school so good business.