anyone had a new parent visit and all midees decide not to behave?

**Ben10mad** · 23-10-2009, 02:05 PM

i have just had the worst parent visit within the three years of doing childminding.
I only had two mindees all they did was play up and not listen.
Is it just me or has this happened to others.
I will not expect a phone call off this lady, shame it was for full time aswell

**Bananabrain** · 23-10-2009, 02:27 PM

Thats why I always have parents visit eves or weekends.
Alot of my local childminders are horrified that I would even entertain the idea of visits during 'my own' time but i figure that there is no way I could have a proper conversation with mindees here.
Also it gives me lots of time to focus on their child which to prospective parents looks good!
Have to say that I have learnt the hard way{in many respects

}and have wasted family time waiting for no-shows.
I always take a contact number and I have been known to turn people away because they have messed me about with visits{slightly regretting that now as there is no work about at the mo

}
I have learnt tho' and I'm sure that many people on here will say the same, that if they mess you about at visit stage it will only get worse!!!!
You have to do what suits you best and I reckon childminding has been THE hugest learning curve of my life

**sarah707** · 23-10-2009, 02:48 PM

My own son was worse than the mindees!

He used to listen to half a story and contradict me all the time.

I'm glad he's older now and can be told to be quiet

Lady Haha · 23-10-2009, 03:28 PM

I think it could depend on how you handled it....sometimes parents like to see what happens in a crisis!!!

When one of my mindees parents first visited two years ago, another mindee here decided to have a full on screaming crying tantrum!!! She was five yrs old and had been here for about three months then. She was used to doing that at home and it usually worked in getting her what she wanted. I just left her in the play room on her own to calm down and carried onchatting to the parents, explaining that this was the best thing to do for her. After about five mins of screaming, then wimpering, she came back into the lounge and carried on playing as if nothing had happened. The parents were really impressed and said so! I still have the little girl (who soon learnt that screaming fits dont work with me) and the parents son two and half years on!

~Chelle~ · 23-10-2009, 05:11 PM

I had the same thing once. Had two 3 year old mindees and than ran around like loonies when the prospective parents came to visit with their 6 month old son.

I convinced myself that they wouldnt want me but was astonished when they called to say that they wanted to place their son with me as my house was the most "normal" one that they had visited. They said that I was the only childminder (they interviewed 8) to actually pick up and hold their son, the rest were just interested in terms and conditions and payment and hours and wasnt really interested in the baby

Had the little one for 2 years now

So I wouldnt worry, I think that the parents may be more worried if the children were behaving like

lol

**Zoomie** · 23-10-2009, 05:34 PM

I had two school teachers come with their autistic son, aged 10, wanting before school care.

My own son was being investigated for ADHD and I told the parents this, and left my own children to their own devices. It felt and sounded like a mad house (the mindee's dad was almost as bad, and really encouraged the).

I fully expected to never see them again but they phoned me a week later.

**Curly Quavers** · 23-10-2009, 05:35 PM

Originally Posted by Louise 144

Thats why I always have parents visit eves or weekends.
Alot of my local childminders are horrified that I would even entertain the idea of visits during 'my own' time but i figure that there is no way I could have a proper conversation with mindees here.
Also it gives me lots of time to focus on their child which to prospective parents looks good!
Have to say that I have learnt the hard way{in many respects

}and have wasted family time waiting for no-shows.
I always take a contact number and I have been known to turn people away because they have messed me about with visits{slightly regretting that now as there is no work about at the mo

}
I have learnt tho' and I'm sure that many people on here will say the same, that if they mess you about at visit stage it will only get worse!!!!
You have to do what suits you best and I reckon childminding has been THE hugest learning curve of my life

I do mine when mindees are not here. (much easier and a lot less stress)

**loocyloo** · 23-10-2009, 06:20 PM

i had a mum, who hadn't had her baby yet, and had no real experience of children, visit after school on a friday ... it had seemed a good idea at the time!

the children started a full on food fight at the tea table, with us sitting right next to them !!! then whilst i (and older ones were clearing up) the younger ones all ran around screaming!

i couldn't believe when she asked me to look after her babe! 3 1/2yrs on, he is still with me, and i'm about to get sibling !!! she said i was so calm she couldn't believe it! ( i wasn't calm inside, but didn't feel i could get too mad with a prospective parent there! !!! )

**FizzysFriends** · 23-10-2009, 06:53 PM

I had a parent come to sign contracts Tuesday just gone and I had 5 children here at the time and they were all naughty

They didn't listen to me and were rude to each other and kept talking over the lady and I really thought she would walk out.

**Ben10mad** · 23-10-2009, 07:45 PM

It nice to know im not the only one then

**Zoomie** · 23-10-2009, 08:39 PM

WOW, I wonder if this is actually a recipe for success

**Minstrel** · 23-10-2009, 08:51 PM

Mine is usually my own children which do the constant interupting.

**janminder** · 23-10-2009, 11:37 PM

I must admit I do choose a day and time when I have a certain amount/combination of mindees. Had a parent around today for starting after half term and only had 1 mindee so went well.