Its that time of year again - in limbo

Its that time of year again where I find myself (and I'm sure most childminders are the same) in limbo between now and September.

I have a 12yr old who 'might' not be coming when he starts Yr8
I have a 4yr old who 'could' need dropping and picking up from school but Mum hasn't even mentioned it yet.
I have a 20m old who 'might' be going to work with her Mum instead so I can fit her brother (above) in
I have a 9yr old who 'may' be changing her days

I have 2 school children waiting to see if I have a place and a lovely lady who rang last week with a 1yr old.

Everything's so up in the air with ifs, whens and maybes that I cant give anyone a definite answer and with September approaching very soon I'd like to get myself sorted. Parents will probably let me know last minute, meaning that the 2 new families will have gone elsewhere :rolleyes:

In the same boat... One 3yo waiting to ear if she can change from evening play school place til the morning one. Another 3yo who got accepted to play school 8 miles away instead of the one just over a mile. Mum is appealing but she will probably only get the evening session which will not suit me and she leaves end October as her mum pregnant.
A 4 yo starting primary school but with the number of seats in car I don't think I can accommodate as won't be able to do collection from there and I have a new baby starting September so I'm not doing runs to 2 different schools at 3 different times.
The 3yo who is going.going to be leaving might have to be given notice for end August as I need my business head on to accommodate those that ell be staying and the 4 yo might not be able to attend now either
Plus I have another mum who's 2 yo attends once a week and she is expecting and looking to know can I take new baby for one day a week too next may. Can't give her am answer til all parents tell me what sessions and times children have. Giving parents another few weeks them I'm asking them all to let me know who going where and when so I can work out what I'd going on and if needed give notice if I have to

Yup.

3 mindees starting school. Want school runs but still not sure which days. "I might change my hours at work." "Granny might do it if she retires, but she's not decided. What happens if granny starts doing it then doesn't like it, can I come back to you?"

1 mum due to start maternity. Hasn't decided when. Will still want 1 day for continuity, but not decided which day. Hasn't decided whether to go back to work. So may pull out existing mindee later, or "If I do go back to work, will you have places for both children?"

1 new enquirer who "wants the absolute best for my child" but can't decide if I'm worth adding a huge 5 extra minutes to her drive to work. :(

Add to this:-

• Mrs B wants to change her hours at her "proper job"
• DD just started shift work so I need school run places for her 3 all week, which might only get used twice a week (and doubtless paid for 0 times pw :p)

The only person to make any definite decision is me. No more reception class school run bookings unless I've previously minded the child. I've had it with parents booking these then changing their minds at the last minute. Or the ones who have no idea what a shock it can be for a child to start school and a new CM simultaneously. The child fails to settle and they don't look at causes or give it time. They've invested to much emotional energy in getting lo into their 1st choice school and can't believe school might be the problem. Blame the CM and move to another. :angry: And AFAIK, if nursery was "better for them" for the last 12 months, then they can persuade the bl00dy nursery to take them to school in September.

I'm normally the same, but I've taken control this year.

I don't do any school runs, so 3 children will be leaving completely when they start school. I've already got a baby signed up to fill the full timer's space, so that's my first EYs spot filled.

Another child has already been offered a nursery place for days she doesn't come to me, but will still come to me the other days. Contracts are amended & signed ready for Sept. One child will stay on the days they currently come. They are both part time and their hours fit around each other, so that's my second space taken.

I have 2 others who are undecided. They are both waiting to hear if they've got places at nurseries and if so, which days they will be going. They both only come one day a week, different days. I've told parents they've got until 22nd May to tell me if they want a place for September. They'll have heard from nurseries by then. If they don't confirm a place by then I've told them I can't guarantee a space in Sept. From the end of May I'll know whether I can offer my 3rd EYs space as a full, or part time space. I've already got 3 families interested.

I'm still in limbo until the end of May, but at least I know it's not going to be dragging on till September!

You know, I've always considered myself to be the most indecisive person I know (drives Mrs B up the spout).

But I'm astonished some of these dithering mums ever got round to have children. :p

I'm going to give a time limit of End of May.

I'm wondering when the Mum of the 4yr old who starts school is going to ask me if I have space for him (I already have his older sister 7yrs and younger sister 20m)

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Originally Posted by JCrakers

I'm going to give a time limit of End of May. I'm wondering when the Mum of the 4yr old who starts school is going to ask me if I have space for him (I already have his older sister 7yrs and younger sister 20m)

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Probably just assuming you will lol!

This year I do know for a change , last year they were all pregnant and it was a disaster as I had dribs and drabs coming up over several months. I have three ey spaces , one is staying. One had baby brother taking her space when she leaves for play school those days so I have one space advertised. People not reading the ad about when it comes up are driving me mad though! And mum of baby brother wants me to take him extra days from now as apparently she is likely to get fired if she doesn't do some work (works from home) so I spent ages sorting what I can do for her .: over a week ago.. And nada! Sigh!

Thanks Bunyip you just reminded me why I don't take on before and after school children if I have not previously minded them . I was dithering and nearly said yes to one. Phew

I have a lovely family waiting...if I take them I will be up to 4 on one day...DH as an assistant would cover that...but my longest mindee who is on 3 year old funding is having a little brother on September 11th.....parents are assuming I will have him ...but when? Initially it was definately December as she wants to get back asap career wise, but as the pregnancy goes on and she is getting tired and little things are happening in her pregnancy and at work, she announced in a low moment last week that she had told her DH that she wanted to stay at home.....I am hoping it was a low moment as she would then pull the older one out on one day no funding and I would be baby less.
So, my dilemma is how long can I leave telling the waiting family that I have no spaces for Sept as, depending on her pregnancy issues, I might well have spaces which would resolve my dilemma.

Last year I still did consultancy work so number of children didn't bother me. But in my run down to my PHd ....I have informed the LEA that I won't be available after the summer. I only want 2 children 3 days a week and I will be a happy bunny.

Not that I want us all to have these issues ...but it does help my mind to know these dillemas are normal in childminding.

I normally send a letter home around May/June asking for confirmation of places required for the next school year.
This year I have mainly 1 yr olds and I already know their plans, and I have a LO increasing hours plus baby sibling starting (in Jan). But I had a couple of enquires for sept so I sent the letter home at the start of term and WOW all back and ( in theory ) I know what everyone is doing! :-)
I've had to let my enquirers know I can't help as although I will have a couple of spaces-babe is starting in Jan and that's enough. I'm not taking on any more Schoolies, even though one is leaving for high school. I'm wanting to stop Schoolies but will continue with current mindees and those who go to school having already been with me.

I seem to feel like this all year round not just for September! :( minding is so uncertain - can never be sure of income and numbers!

Currently from september I think

I have a mindee going to pre-school 3 hours each morning -will need dropping and collecting and keeping til 5pm - with her brother doing wrap around care at same school.

I have a mindee who I presume will continue wrap around care mon-fri in year 1

I have a 3yo who will be eligible for funding in September, mum says she wants to use funding with me :)

I have a 3yo leaving in July to move away

I have a 4yo leaving in July to go to school in a totally different area

I have a possibly baby starting (enquired and visited - and wants to sign up after work agreed days/hours)

And whatever else life throws at me :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JCrakers

I'm going to give a time limit of End of May.

I'm wondering when the Mum of the 4yr old who starts school is going to ask me if I have space for him (I already have his older sister 7yrs and younger sister 20m)

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Good idea.

One step ahead, I also wanted to know by the end of May.....................................which is why I told them all I needed to know by the end of April. ;)

I'm sorted - mum was just having a wobble about school so today the world is a better place !
I have also now decided to keep my 2 year old into 3 year old funding - pupil premium will mean I am not losing out too much. Better the devil you know as they say and I am now full and a little over to what I wanted - so the new baby will be extra, if it comes and I'll be able to afford my favourite South of France photography course next year - all organised . ( let's hope they are not famous last words!).

Thank you all, this thread has made me be proactive and talk to parents tonight.

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Originally Posted by bunyip

Good idea.

One step ahead, I also wanted to know by the end of May.....................................which is why I told them all I needed to know by the end of April. ;)

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Like your thinking.

Im in a similar situation. I have 1 ey leaving in 8 to 12 weeks as mum is joining our ranks :D

That brings me back to usual ratios as i have 1 on coc.

I sent a message to all parents who hadn't already discussed September with me. I got 2 answers within hours which i was impressed at.

I had 1 parent who i would like to no longer support so hoped to get a cancellation from her. Turns out when i prompted 2 weeks later would also like me to have younger sibling :-(

Trouble with that is this mum and a couple of others are friends :-(

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Originally Posted by shortstuff

I had 1 parent who i would like to no longer support so hoped to get a cancellation from her. Turns out when i prompted 2 weeks later would also like me to have younger sibling :-(

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That's like me! I'd really hoped one of my mums would say she didn't need me at all in September, but she was one of the first to book her place! She says it would be a shame for lo not to see his friends any more. I did point out that his friends were all leaving to go to school so he'd be here with new baby starters, but she didn't seem to listen. I'm still hoping that by Christmas it'll have sunk in and she'll leave then! Lo is lovely, but mum drives me mad!

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Originally Posted by Mouse

That's like me! I'd really hoped one of my mums would say she didn't need me at all in September, but she was one of the first to book her place! She says it would be a shame for lo not to see his friends any more. I did point out that his friends were all leaving to go to school so he'd be here with new baby starters, but she didn't seem to listen. I'm still hoping that by Christmas it'll have sunk in and she'll leave then! Lo is lovely, but mum drives me mad!

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Yeah see i cant gel with either. Current lo is yr1. So if i say yes it will be yr2 and yrR. The yr1 doesnt have any manners and doesn't even speak to me unless its to tell me they want food. Then the table manners are what i would expect from a 1yr old!.

Well, a few things were up in the air: stuck with a gap between one child leaving and one child starting; waiting to find out about nursery sessions; waiting to find out what a Mum is going to do about her child's space once she goes on maternity leave...and so on...

...but now a parent has just tearfully informed me that she won't be returning to work and therefore won't be needing spaces for two children come autumn after all.

So that's nearly two thirds of my projected income gone, and I need to go looking for some new families. :ohdear:

Ive made the decision to talk to the mum. To have her 2 I need an assistant. I have an assistant for that day at the moment for 4 children but this all changes in september. Trouble is I was hoping that this mum would just be taking her soon to be yr2 out from my setting. I didnt even realise another of her LOs is about to start school. Yes ive seen them but still cant be sure. I will say I cant do the wednesday for both or either child but can offer a monday instead.

Im lucky in that mondays are the only day I will have spaces unless something unexpected happens.