Thats it....I dont think I can do it

[Newbie1!]

:crying:

Hi Guys, am sorry to come on here and moan but I really dont think I can go on with my application anymore and could do with some support/advice etc.

I soooo want to be a childminder and have come so far already (application in, health check done, CRB nearly finished, social services check done, references done, first aid booked, website set up etc)

The problem is there seem to be so many obstacles holding me back and Im not sure whether Im strong enough to deal with them - and am also concerned that because I might not be able to deal with them may also mean that Im no good for being a childminder either :( :( Im so unhappy I just want to cry. I know no-one can tell me whether Im doing the right thing or not cos that will ultimately be up to me but please can anyone give me some words of wisdom!xxx:crying: :crying:

[Zoomie]

The end is really near now. Don't give up hope.

When is your first aid booked for and what obstacles are holding you back ?

[Twinkles]

You've come so far it would be a shame to stop now.
What are the obstacles in your way ? If you can share them we may be able to help , if you'd rather not share , write them down and see if you can come up with solutions for them.

Also write down your reasons for wanting to be a childminder in the first place. What has changed if anything ? Maybe you just need to do that last push to get what you want.

[Cazz]

You've come so far it would be a shame to stop now.
What are the obstacles in your way ? If you can share them we may be able to help , if you'd rather not share , write them down and see if you can come up with solutions for them.

Also write down your reasons for wanting to be a childminder in the first place. What has changed if anything ? Maybe you just need to do that last push to get what you want.

I totally agree with Twinkles - if you are able to say what the obstacles are I'm certain there's someone on here that can help you!

I had so many "wobbles" before I was registered. Some days I couldn't wait to be registered and other days I really doubted myself and was close to putting a stop to everything.

I'm so glad that I did proceed as I can honestly say it's the best career move I've ever made. I will have been registered for a year on 15th September and I absolutely love my job - my home life is so much better as well because I'm not going "out" to work.

I would personally say carry on with your registration and see how you feel when you're registered. If you never give it a go then you could regret it at a later date.

You can always come on here for help and support - everyone is fantastic and so knowledgeable.

[Newbie1!]

Thanks guys for all your quick replies. I didnt go into huge detail cos I didnt want to bore you but its no secret.

There are a few things:-

1. I am concerned about the current state of my house and the amount of time, effort and money it will take to get it right.

2. I am worried that I wont get any mindees (I know this probably seems like an obvious one but I mean REALLY worried!) We are just getting by on my wage now but things are tight and there is no way I could risk being without a decent income - what if I cant get anyone - or I just get one part timer or something :-(

3. I have a 19 month old daughter and Im concerned that although I'll be there to do things with her and for her that she wont get enough of my attention - even though I work now she gets my undivided attention when Im at home but she wont have that luxury if Im working at home with other children.

4. The possibility of having another child - maybe in the not so distant future. I really would want to be in a position where I could have some decent maternity leave which again would not be practical if I was self-employed.

Think thats the main things for now......my first aid is booked for first week in October and my Childminder training is booked for 14th September onwards. Im actually a qualified Teaching Assistant, although do not work as that at the moment and cant help wondering if I should just go for it with that for a while and see how it goes and then maybe think about minding in about three years when Ive had baby number 2 and then will have the additional experience of working with children.


Arrrrggggghhhhhhh :( :( :( :( (Sorry that went on forever didnt it!)xxxx

[gegele]

I decided to start doing course ICP to become a childminder in april 2007, because i was looking for a new home i was advised to wait to have proper address as different county have different scheme on

then i was pregnant

was advised to start writting policies

then the EYFS came on and I had to do training Before registering :angry: and all the things i was told during my ICP were 100% adequate

oh and i had to re-write my policies

then i decided to stop to listening to advise which keep on changing as the weeks went by and i started my application, my husband CRB took AGES...

my maternity leave came to an end and i still wasn't registered so i trained to become a carer and i did care in the community every evening to earn a living.

suddenly my husband crb turned up, my certificate was here within a couple of days. march 2009

august i had my first mindees, septeber i was as full as can be!:thumbsup:
i reduced my caring but still do week ends to round pay as hubby's work is not great at the moment.

this year i'm full for my under 5, could take 1 more after school but really can't be bothered and i'm going to be able to reduce caring to once every 2 weeks!!!!:clapping:

if you want to do it, just keep going the worst is behind you. the long process help to get rid of people who don't really want to be there.

good luck!:thumbsup:

[gegele]

i had minding as a second job for a couple month until my income was beter so i could reduce the other one.

if you're already done most of the registration process iwould say just keep with it and then if you decide it's not for now at least you're registered and when the best time come you won't have to wait long before starting.

mindees are never guaranteed, i'm full (as much as i want ) but i had 1 who didn't turned up for his induction day today so he's gone! all my little ones are part timers: one of the mum is trying for baby number2, my full timer's mum is on maternity replacement so may lose work at the end so in 6months i may lose my 2 main earners!! you can never tell!

ggod luck with whatever you decide. xxxx

[funemnx]

It's very difficult moving to self-employed from employed as you feel like your jumping in at the deep end! I worked for Tesco evenings and Saturdays until I was full (and beyond because I was scared it wouldn't last). It's not a guaranteed income BUT lots of childminders are busy once word gets around. I've loved being a childminder and hopefully if you get a few lo's, your daughter will have loads of new playmates :)

[Cazz]

Don't get too worried about your home being ready - Ofsted don't expect everything to be done when they come for your pre-reg visit. As long as it's safe for a child to be in - which it will be if you've got your own young child then that's the main thing.

With regards to money, being self-employed, and particularly a childminder, means that your income will not be completely guaranteed as mindees can leave you due to change of circumstances with only 4 weeks notice (if that's what your policy states) so if you are able to do some other part-time work until word gets around and you get busy it may help take some pressure off.

As I say I've been registered for almost a year now and from October my monthly income will be going up 3 times what it has been at even my busiest times before - so things can change for the better. I've actually had to turn an enquiry down today for the first time!

My daughter was 22 months when I got my first mindees and she has always been fine with having other children here - in fact she loves having different people to play with her. Most mornings when she wakes up she asks "who's coming to my house today?". I had a little phase of her not wanting to share her toys but I think that's just normal for a toddler and it didn't last that long. I think it has benefitted her greatly because if I'd gone back to my old job she would have spent 2 or 3 days a week with my mum and although she wouldn't have been short of attention she wouldn't have been interacting with other children and developing her social skills. She's also been on lots of outings and taken part in various activities with the local childminding group that I belong to.

It sounds as if you're having the same sort of "wobbles" that I did (apart from the possibility of having another baby :laughing: - the only thing if and when you do is that the baby will take another one of your early years spaces). I'm sure you'll be fine once you get started.

[coffee-time]

i think you should definitely carry on and get registered, it is hard and ive felt like 'is it all worth it' a few times, i have another job which i cant afford to give up (ive mentioned this on here a few times)! the thing that worries me the most is if i left my job which is a guaranteed wage to childmind full time, how will i manage in the quiet times, we do rely on my wages as well as my oh. i have found it hard to get any mindees as im only minding thurs and fri, but ive got 1 now and love it.
get regisitered, advertise as much as poss and just see how it goes, maybe you could cut down days on your other job when you get a mindee or 2.
chin up! im sure it will allwork out for you:)


p.s. just realised ive said all this to you before in a previous post!! you must be getting fed up of me lol!!

[heatherw]

I just wanted to say that i think you should carry on and get registered, you don't have to start minding straight away. I first enquired about get reg'd in 2007, had another briefing session in 2008 cus the eyfs had been introduced. I sent away my forms and got reg'd in 2009. However other circumstances meant that i have spent the first 6 months of this year in america and only now am i ready to start minding. I still work full time and can't afford to give this up until ive got some mindees so im combining the 2 at the minute. Im doing after school only until someone else comes along then im going to slowly reduce my job and increase minding. I have worries about minding too, i don't have any kids of my own so will that put people off? What happens when i do want to have kids? Will anyone want to use me? These are all normal things to worry about. Dont worry about your house not being ready, when i had my pre-reg i had nothing in my house, no equipment or toys but i told the inspector what i know i need to get and she was happy that i was thinking about it and had a plan. Earlier on this week i was ready to give everything up and keep working even though i hate it cus i just wasn't getting any firm enquiries, but the support and advice ive had from people on here has been great. If you ever need to talk about something, have a rant or are worried, we are all here to listen and help. Everyone has been in the same position at some time, we all have questions and problems but we're here to help each other through them. There have been times in the last 18 months where i have thought i am never going to have mindees but im getting to the other side now and am signing contracts next tuesday.

Keep your chin up, if you need to talk then we are here.

[Newbie1!]

Thank you all so much. You are all really fabulous on here and I take on board what each and every one of you says. I am at work as Im typing this but am so touched by your messages I think I'll go home and have a good cry! (I know, you must think Im terribly sad!!) Well, the plans for this weekend are serious house blitz - even if only for my own sanity - and hopefully once thats done I'll feel a bit more positive. I work afternoons at the moment so was thinking of advertising initially for AM mindees - what do you think guys - or should I not specify - just say vacancies? I need to do this, I know I do - its what Ive always wanted to do and Id be kidding myself if I talked myself out of it!!

I'll give it lots of serious thought over the weekend (along with a very large cold bottle of something!)

So one big question that I need to ask now is..........best methods and places of advertising?? You are all fabulous. xxxx:blush:

[tiger79]

Here is where I have advertised:-


On this site
Childcare.co.uk
Yell.com (free)
Thomson Local (free)
Local Freebie Paper
Every shop window possible (I'm even in the knitting shop!)
Posters in the back of the car
Leaflet drops around my village
Business cards (Vista Print)
My wife! (She just starts talking to random people in the Drs / at parties / outside playgroup etc...!)
[LIST]
Gumtree (free)
Website (do a free one through Windows Live Business Site)
Ask other to put a link on their website
Local info websites


Good luck and keep your chin up - fingers crossed we'll both have loads of potential mindees knocking on our doors!

[tiger79]

Here is where I have advertised:-


On this site
Childcare.co.uk
Yell.com (free)
Thomson Local (free)
Local Freebie Paper
Every shop window possible (I'm even in the knitting shop!)
Posters in the back of the car
Leaflet drops around my village
Business cards (Vista Print)
My wife! (She just starts talking to random people in the Drs / at parties / outside playgroup etc...!)
[LIST]
Gumtree (free)
Website (do a free one through Windows Live Business Site)
Ask other to put a link on their website
Local info websites


Good luck and keep your chin up - fingers crossed we'll both have loads of potential mindees knocking on our doors!

Whoops the formatting went pearshaped there but I'm sure you can decipher it!!

[Newbie1!]

Whoops the formatting went pearshaped there but I'm sure you can decipher it!!

Thank you Jon, will crack on this weekend! Just one quick question tho - Gumtree - what have you put your ad under? Could only find babysitters - or am I being totally stoooopid!! :panic:

[chibault]

A friend once told me:

persistence wears resistance

it's one of my fave sayings as all I have to do is think if I plod along, through all the obstacles I will eventually reach my goal. So keep going. If it helps picture your house sorted, courses finishes, kids signed up and you in the park with your mindees on a sunny day, when other people are glued to their desks at work.

Good luck, we're all cheering you on!
Becky x:clapping:

[Playmate]

A friend once told me:

persistence wears resistance

it's one of my fave sayings as all I have to do is think if I plod along, through all the obstacles I will eventually reach my goal. So keep going. If it helps picture your house sorted, courses finishes, kids signed up and you in the park with your mindees on a sunny day, when other people are glued to their desks at work.

Good luck, we're all cheering you on!
Becky x:clapping:

So true, lovely words :clapping: I have had experience in running another business and learnt so much through that and motivational books and one of the best tips I learnt was "do one small thing each day to make your busisiness work" try not to become overwhelmed by it all, break down. Another good saying we have "only Qitters Quit". Keep going you can do it :clapping: