What advice would you give to new cm's

[Gherkin]

Ok everyone what advice would you give to new minders?

Mine would be:

Keep up to date on your paperwork
Get paid up front.
Know your contracts and policies inside out
Learn to say NO
Be very clear with children's carers
Log everything

[nannymcflea]

Hi there Claire.

apart from what you have posted.

Ask for help when you need it, don't wait until you can't carry on.

Find a cm friend if you can to bounce things off, even if they are new to cm too.

Get out and about, find cm groups or toddler groups that are friendly, you may have to try a few!

Come on here for fab, honest advice.




Yeah, 1000th post!

[Alibali]

Don't do it

[Pipsqueak]

Join this forum - would be my number one tip



network with colleagues, get to drop ins, toddler sessions etc
attend training where possible
think of yourself as a professional and a business
relax and enjoy your job
trust your gut instincts

[ORKSIE]

Find a cm friend if you can to bounce things off

I had one of them

[nannymcflea]

I had one of them

sorry.

[Twinkle]

RUN!!! and keep running!!!

[Pipsqueak]

I had one of them

what sort of things did you bounce of her Orksie? did you aim for the head or the belly? are things better to bounce than other things????

[mumof1]

Thanks girls, im taking down notes as i speak!

I want as much info. and advise as possible and that can only come from ppl like yourselfs that have years of experience xo

[ORKSIE]

what sort of things did you bounce of her Orksie? did you aim for the head or the belly? are things better to bounce than other things????

Allways go for the head Pip, especially in the mornings

I find a nice piece of Duplo does the trick.

Mind you I need long arms to throw at Nanny now, or maybe I should start training for long distance Duplo hurling

[ORKSIE]

One piece of advise i have is..... make sure you get enough settling in time...I know this is not always poss, but at least then if things dont look like there gonna work out you can do something about it before its too late, and I'm not just talking about not working out with the LO.

[Polly2]

I would say to start as you mean to go on
learn from your mistakes don't beat yourself up about them
Don't take on too much too quickly
don't mind for friends or family!!

[Pudding Girl]

Payment upfront
Stick to your own guidelines and rules from the start with no exceptions
Learn to be assertive when saying no
Put away 30% of your income straight away for tax and NI to avoid nasty surprises!
Keep all your reciepts/write in a notebook, however small as you#ll forget things, and they do add up.




And sadly - Watch your back as other Cms can be very vindictive especially if you are full, earning lots, being talked about positively or get fab inspections.

[Minstrel]

My advice would be,

Take a deposit! preferably to keep until the end of contract incase they do runner.

Trust your instincts! more often than not they are right if you are not sure about somehting/anything.

i'll think of more and add later.....

[nannymcflea]

Allways go for the head Pip, especially in the mornings

I find a nice piece of Duplo does the trick.

Mind you I need long arms to throw at Nanny now, or maybe I should start training for long distance Duplo hurling

EXCUSE ME...Orksie and Pip....I have feelings...somewhere!

[Pipsqueak]

Speaking as someone who has an inspection within the next 48 hrs:

do you SEF bit by bit and blow your own trumpet
AND (this is the biggie)
work every day like Ofsted is going to come-a-calling

thank goodness I was just about ready anyway

[emmadines]

DONT DO IT!!!!!!!!

no really,
start as you mean to go on,
dont let parents demand things that you dont want too or are unable to do!! and set late payment fees as a deterrent
set house rules and stick to them.
expect days where you sit and think "why did i start this?! its normal.
ask for help when you need it!
buy sedatives (ops did i say that, )

[estrelas]

RUN!!! and keep running!!!