not sure this is for me!

[coffee-time]

ive only had one mindee since i started in april and have just signed contracts last week for 2 brothers on a weds (to start nov) which means i can give up a day at my other job which i do mon-weds (royal mail), it will leave me a little bit out of pocket but the money i get from my first mindee more than makes up for this, hope you are following!! anyway mindees mum comes today and tells me she is pregnant so wont be needing me once she goes on maternity leave, she was really apolegetic (sp) as she knows about me giving up my weds at work for the other mindees ect. so now i just feel so deflated, im wondering if its all worth it and if i should just forget the whole childminding thing and just stick to my boring job that i pretty much hate, you never know what you are going to be earning one month to the next and i cant afford to be getting nothing at all, my plan was to stay at r.m. mon and tues and childmind wed-fri, it seems any enquiries i get are hardly ever for the days i can do and they are few and far between. on top of this i really worry about all the obs im supposed to be doing and planning ect because im not very good at it really:blush:
dont know if i should mention all this to the lady thats wants me on a weds as something else might come along between now and when the other mum goes on maternity leave (in feb), or should i tell her so she has more time to sort out alternative care?
hope this all makes sense!

[Mcgons]

Can you change your days at royal mail to suit childminding so you can still do both and take on new mindees for the days they need?

Hope you manage to work something out.

[ORKSIE]

Welcome to the world of CM.
You never know what is around the corner.

It has its ups and downs:)

Hope you get lots of ups in the future:thumbsup:

[coffee-time]

i cant really change my days but if i did i would probably get enquiries for the wrong days again still!! thats my luck at the moment:(
think im just feeling a bit sorry for myself at the moment:o

[Newbie1!]

i cant really change my days but if i did i would probably get enquiries for the wrong days again still!! thats my luck at the moment:(
think im just feeling a bit sorry for myself at the moment:o

Oh sweetie, I just wanted to pop on cos Ive read your post and didnt want to read and run - I do know how you feel as my situation is very similar - I am still pre-reg but getting lots of enquiries - I also have the problem that they all either clash with each other or with my current job - for which I cant change my hours and its just not financially possible to give up my paid job. I know its sooo difficult and it does make me doubt whether or not Im doing the right thing - so what Ive decided is this - Im going to persevere for a few months and see what happens - take on odd jobs (even delivering free papers if I have to!!) just to make extra pennies - if by summer next year its not working out Im going to start applying to work in a nursery as by then I will have the childcare experience - thats the plan for me anyway - but I do hope things start to improve/you feel better about things soon. xxx

[amandajane08]

i cant really change my days but if i did i would probably get enquiries for the wrong days again still!! thats my luck at the moment:(
think im just feeling a bit sorry for myself at the moment:o

Hiya, I know exactly how you feel, I started childminding August 2009, It just happens as I started another childminder was on sick leave so I took on most of her children so was really thrown in at the deep end, as soon as she came back in December I was down to 1 child who is school age. I had a couple of enquiries that came to nothing and by this August I was ready to pack it all in. A week before my Ofsted annual fee was due I had lots of calls about childminding and even though all my minded children are at school I now have 6 children ranging from 6-11 before and after school every day. So i wouldnt give up all hope, just hang in there and im sure you will get more children. I'm just waiting for an under 5 now so I can get stuck into the EYFS, I know the EYFS can seem daunting but everyone eventually finds there own way to do it and theres always loads of great advice on here if you stuck with a certain part.

Sorry to waffle on, but hope everything goes well for you

Amanda J xxx

[Chatterbox Childcare]

This happens when you are self employed. I know it is worrying but keep plugging away at it and I am sure it will work out by the time you get there