Hi - just wondering if it would look like a bad thing if my own child was not around on the day of the inspection - like I had shipped him out purposefully? He visits his grandparents once so I don't want the inspector to come on a day he is not here and think I have gotten rid of him deliberately iyswim?

Would you keep your child in for the day or let him go away as usual?

my son goes to a childminder if that happened on inspection day i would let him go as normal.

Box tree. Can I ask why your son goes to a cm? Just seems really odd to me!

its good for him and i like him to mix with other adults & children outside the home - I also like the idea of somebody else reinforcing rules and whys nots and of course Daddy pays !!! Our relatives are in Ireland so really it is just his big big sister, me, minded kids & daddy all the time.

HG's sister is 13 !! I don't look after L while the baby is out.

DS was 'invited' to lunch & play when i had an inspection when he was 3 !!! i just knew he'd be a nightmare! i'd already told the inspector he was at nursery, and when she asked if i needed to go and collect him, i said a friend had asked him to play! ( actually i asked her to have him! )

i can't remember ( :o ) but i think DD was at my last inspection!

My next door neighbour was registering as a childminder (darn it she changed her mind after the inspection) but I had her son while the inspection happened. Inspector thought nothing of it, little guy comes here every day, and routine is a good thing for him. Let him go to his grans, it won't look like you've got rid of him lol.

When I knew when my inspection was, I sent my DS out for a morning with his grandpa. He arrived back just as my inspection was ending and the inspectors didn't say anything about it!

I just thought it would all be easier without him around! :blush: :blush:

its good for him and i like him to mix with other adults & children outside the home - I also like the idea of somebody else reinforcing rules and whys nots and of course Daddy pays !!! Our relatives are in Ireland so really it is just his big big sister, me, minded kids & daddy all the time.

I've looked after two minders children, both were very clingy and it helped them to be more independent.

Well I went one further and i have a mindee who literally screams the entire time she meets somebody she doesnt know so i spoke to mum about the possability of moving her day so that when the inspector came I would be able to talk to the inspector and not have a screaming child through out. Mum was really good about it and said she understood that it was my time to shine and I wouldnt be able to do it fully if i was focusing on her little girl.

My own daughter who is 2.5 years was here for the inspection and she too isnt good with strange people in the house. Right on cue when the inspector came in my little girl climbed up me and would not let go and was crying really loudly, I explained to the inspector that she is still getting used to people coming into our home and that in order to calm her down I would put a movie on the TV for her and give her a bottle. That way I would be able to talk to inspector and play with my other 2 mindess. Inspector just laughed and said it showed I was adapting to each childs needs. Unsurprisingly after 20 minutes of sobbing my daughter then spent the next 2 hours pretend feeding the inspector cups of tea and bananas. :)

Oh no, didn't have my own little monkey there adding to the stress of an inspection! Inspector never mentioned anything about her....inspector interested in your mindees not your own lo's x

I always ship my own out - ever since my first inspection when my son was a complete nightmare, in fact my network co-ordinator suggested that I do so!

I had a friends ds whilst she had her inspection - as others said they arent interested in how you are with your own anyway!
I kept ds with me for mine - he and my mindee were the same age and interacted/ communicated with each other very well - infact it would have been harder if he wasnt there as mindee was so used to being with him to play!
Do whatever suits you!

Box tree. Can I ask why your son goes to a cm? Just seems really odd to me!

My son will be going to another childminder when he is a bit older so that he is a bit more prepared for school. At the moment he goes to my nan's on a Wednesday because I get calls and un-expected visitors if my nan and mum don't get to have him. :D what can i say my little man i a right charmer so i will have him there when my inspector call :) :laughing: