I signed my first 3 mindees today :)

**bezi123** · 02-07-2012, 09:14 PM

Wow what a rollercoaster couple of weeks Ive had!! I got my registration certificate through a couple of weeks ago, the day after I went on holiday for a week (which was amazing) the day I got back my employer phoned me to say I no longer had a job, due to no fault of my own.....I worked as a self employed mother/baby swimming teacher and l loved it, I was planning on childminding on top of this. I was absolutely devastated and in a panic, I'm a single mum with a mortgage to pay and no job, no savings NOTHING!
So Ive now decided to childmind full time and after sending loads of messages on childcare.co.uk since I got back last wed Ive just signed my first 3 kids I'm soo relieved!

2 of the kids are sibling schoolies who I will be having 2 days a weeks from 6:30am-7:30pm before and after school and includes 2 weekends a month also from 6:30am-7:30pm sat and sun

I know you prob all think I'm crazy taking this on but I really need the money and it works out good money for only working 8-10 days a month for this particular family. I just wanted to ask do you think its ok to stick the TV on and let them chill for half an hr when they arrive so early in the morn and has anyone got any ideas how to entertain a 7 and 8 yr old (boy and girl) for 12 hrs a day at the weekend and in school hols?

**RachelE** · 02-07-2012, 09:21 PM

Well done you!

Yes, I would say it is acceptable for the children to watch tv. The children will be tired, arriving early, so will need some time to relax. We cant expect children to be on the go constantly.

I would say Lego is a huge hit with my older children. It is expensive, so if you dont have any - maybe a carboot sale etc. Its well worth it.
Board games and art and craft are good time fillers too.
My older children like regressing back to playing with the little ones toys and just being children again instead of constantly entertained.

Good luck,
Rachel x

BucksCM · 02-07-2012, 10:05 PM

Congratulations to you!!

TV in the morning is fine by me...it's what I did when I had 2 children arriving at 6.55 in the morning! There was NO WAY I was going to start arts and crafts or get noisy games out, the rest of my family were still asleep!!

Summer hols are spent doing lots of free outdoor activities...lots of picnics in the parks and woods, if wet, then craft, toys(as mentioned above) If parents are ok then some cinemas do children's films on sat and sun mornings for a very low price(ours for £1 per person)...older films that have already been shown.
During the summer hols all the children at mine make a diary/scrapbook, so at the end of a day or the beginning of the next they spend a little time filling it in.
Children's centres normally run during the hols too...

BucksCM · 02-07-2012, 10:11 PM

on another thread...

http://www.childmindinghelp.co.uk/fo...d.php?t=104449

**miffy** · 03-07-2012, 06:50 AM

Congratulations on signing your new mindees - if you are meeting the children soon then I'd ask them what they like to do as a starting point.

Miffy xx

**Bridey** · 03-07-2012, 06:55 AM

Funnily enough I've just been on the sofa with my early morning bunch asking if they want any changes made when they come back in Sept. At present we have quiet time where they come in, sit on the sofa and watch tv/read books/chat amongst themselves/play with their Pokemon/Yugio/Moshi cards.

They've told me they enjoy this quiet time after the mad rush to get here and would rather leave the more active playing until they come back in the afternoon.

**Zoomie** · 03-07-2012, 07:25 AM

I would consider taking them swimming on the weekend days they are with you.

**Rebecca Foster** · 03-07-2012, 02:40 PM

Congratualtions!

When you meet the children, i would ask them what sort of activities they like doing. My 8 year old loves drawing and painting. Also outdoor activities goes down well.

**bezi123** · 03-07-2012, 03:41 PM

Thanks for all the replies and ideas!! They start tomorrow, I think I'm going the get them to design and make there own 'all about me' books giving them titles they need to include such as favourite activities, fave places to go etc hopefully thst will help me plan specific activities. Swimming and cinema at weekend sound great ideas.