Teaching and Childminding part time

Hi

I'd really appreciate some advice from people on here. I'm training to become a childminder at the moment, so am just in the process of starting out. Currently I'm a teacher and work three days a week having reduced my hours after becoming a mummy myself just over a year ago. I love my job as a teacher but don't feel that I could do the job five days a week and spend the time that I want with my daughter. So, I would like to become a childminder but don't want to give up my job as a teacher right away and was hoping to childmind on the two days that I'm not in school. I realise that I'm limiting my potential mindees as I'm only offering two days but would really like to give it a go. Does anyone else do this? How is it working out? I'd really like to hear people's experiences.

Thanks :)

i would think it would work :laughing: as long as you are happy to share your time with your daughter ( when you are not teaching ) with mindees.

*****mind 4 days a week, and volunteer in school on my day off, for the morning. i love it, its using my skills and i know i am appreciated. BUT, if i need to do something, then i can take that day, as otherwise i have 3 LO under 3 every other day, (plus my children afterschool) and simply popping out for some milk, can, mad as it sounds, prove impossible! ( i do live in a rural area though )

i've noticed a change in families requirements since i started childminding, and more and more families are looking for part time care. i think it is quite possible to just childmind 2 days a week. i would suggest doing the 3 days teaching to say mon/tue/wed and then childminding thurs/fri to keep your life simple! if i have parents wanting more than one day, i always suggest they do days together, as it creates a better routine for the child ( and the parent! )

good luck x

Hi, I dont really have any advice, but I'm in a similar situation, I'm in the process of registering but want to keep my part time job as a mother/baby swimming teacher which I do mon-thur for 2-4 hrs a day during school hrs and sat, so I would do the childminding before/after school and on fridays, I also only work tues and thurs in the hols so would hope for some extra hrs from my schoolies in the hols, would you look to offer holiday care as you wouldnt be teaching? I'm expecting it to take a while to find mindees to fit in with the hrs I can work but am realy hoping it works out!

Hi

Thanks for getting back to me so quickly! That's great to hear that you think it could work. In terms of having time to do stuff, it'd be exactly the same if I were in school full time, if not worse because of travelling on top of my working day so I don't expect that to be too much of a problem. I certainly don't mind sharing my little girl, in fact I think she'll love it! She is with a childminder herself on my days in school and loves it so I think new experiences with other children will be perfect for her. Fortunatley my days in school are Mon-Wed so I plan to childmind Thurs-Fri.

I most likely will end up working Thurs-Fri in the school holidays unless I mind 2 children that are teacher's children too, although i think the chances of that are quite slim. That would be the perfect senario!!

Thanks for your advice, it's much appreciated :)

When I first started childminding I used to 'mind' Mon, Tues, wed and 'be a nurse' Thursdays and Friday. worked well - just advertise vacancies for the days you want to work:)

Marian x

Hi, I am an NQT and childminder. I am aware that I need to get my first year in teaching done and have been keeping an eye out for a post which will suit me for ages but am going about it the opposite way around to you!

I am applying for a 2day per week job share and hoping to childmind the other 2 to 3 days :-)

I think it would work and if it doesn't we always have the choice to either just teach or just childmind! :-)

Good luck with whatever you choose x

I did this for 6 months, I minded monday, tuesday and taught wednesday, thursday, friday.
I started minding full time a year ago and all my lo's are part time, either monday, tuesady / wednesday, thursday, friday / ad hoc / shift workers
I only have one who comes 4 days a week.
I think alot of parents are working part time and I know a few other minders who only work monday-wednesday then have a LONG weekend.
I will say at the moment everyone seems to want a tuesday for some reason!

The only negatives I can think of is trying to book hospital/doctor/dentist appointments. I used to have one day off a week that worked well however I now work full time but only until 4pm most days so I book all my appointments after that as I have 3 children of my own.