What i really hate about this job

**JCrakers** · 25-04-2013, 11:40 AM

....is comments that people make. It really annoys me and upsets me, even though I tend not to take them seriously otherwise I'd be down. It's either ignorant people who people who must think I must have no feelings....

Yesterday at the park my 9m old mindee was out the buggy crawling round the grass and another mum who I've spoken to before came over and made a fuss of him. She asked me if he was new to which I replied he's been with me a couple of months. She went on to ask how many days I looked after him. I said 3 at the moment but 4 in May and then 5 in Sept.
She sighed and let out a big groan and screwed up her face as if to say, poor little thing......(5 days a week with you basically). She then went on to say 'ah well, at least he gets to spend time with other children'

Today at toddler group the woman who runs it said 'oh I was speaking to someone the other day who has seen (mindee) at Tuesday toddler group with his mum, and you go too don't you'
I said I did and we continued talking a little about it. Then she said '(mindee) seems to talk a lot more at that group. So and so told me he's always talking but I don't hear him talking so much here'
I was a bit stuck for words so just replied..oh right. But should have actually said 'well, yes, he goes to the Tuesday group with his mum so he's bound to talk more there because when he's with me he has such a crap time he doesn't feel like talking'

I used to be a nanny from when I was 17 for 9yrs and used to look after children from 730-7pm, I used to dress them, give them breakfast and bathed and dressed in pyjamas at the end of the day. Parents used to see the children for 1 hr a day mon-fri and I never had any comments made. In fact if I told people I was a nanny they were impressed and asked questions and actually held a conversation with me.
Now I'm a childminder I get so many comments from people its deflating.

Plus I'm annoyed now because I've eaten two blinkin doughnuts!!!

**Koala** · 25-04-2013, 11:48 AM

Feel for you, vent away......

It happens all the time, some people are just STUPID and what comes out of their mouth is

, don't take it to heart.

**oxfordshirecm** · 25-04-2013, 12:00 PM

I know how u feel- I swear people still think childminders stick the kids in front of the tv all day and drink cups of tea- I wish x

**Kirstylob** · 25-04-2013, 12:06 PM

My younger daughter has recently finished a 2 year Level 3 - A level equivalent so the kids are bright - in Child Development and Education and one of the girls on the course said she wanted to be a childminder because she thought it was easy! My daughter soon put her right!

**lauraring1** · 25-04-2013, 12:09 PM

Just ignor them... Don't let them get to you! I'd like to see half the people who make comments like these do our job :0) hope you enjoyed the doughnuts lol :0)

**Sarsar3NCH** · 25-04-2013, 12:20 PM

I have had similar comments too, one of my favourites is when some parents have had hols with their kids and then come back to me a week/2 weeks later and say his/her speech has really come on over the hols! More like you've now spent enough time with your child to notice how much they can say!!
Also comments like 'I thought you would have given up once your own children were older' like its just a stop gap and not a career

**Dilly Daydream** · 25-04-2013, 12:20 PM

I heard from another friend last week that another mutual friend (who I did consider one to be one of my best friends) won't consider using my services as I have my own child of a similar age to one of hers. Apparently she feels the care I would give her children would be sub standard as I would always put my own child before hers. I hope I don't see said friend anytime soon cos I am so angry.

Why cant people follow - if you have nothing nice to say then don't say anything at all x x

**Supernanny86** · 25-04-2013, 12:50 PM

I hear cm bad mouthing others all the time so it's not just other people. I get grief as I'm a nanny, purely as I don't have my own place yet. I quite often get told when asked bout my job, "oh your a babysitter then!!" NO!! I start at 7:30, I dress, bath, cook, feed, clean, tidy, plan etc etc!! I do so much more that just "babysit"!! I don't have to do planning and follow eyfs but I do, as I put everything in to my job and the children I look after!!

I agree that people shouldn't say anything if they have nothing nice or positive to say!! Especially as they then go on to say, "I couldn't look after other people's children!!" Now I ask you??!!! Really some people need to grow up!! And besides my job never really ends as I'm always planning or thinking of new ideas, places to go, things to buy them etc etc!! It's not just a 9-5 job!!

Kxx

**caz3007** · 25-04-2013, 01:00 PM

I am finding it hard too at the moment. LO is off to nursery for her 15 hours soon and I attended the home visit and mum said 'oh LO doesnt interact very well with other children (she is my only EYFS at the moment) as she doesnt spend any time with them. Ummmm excuse me, we go to two toddler groups and have other friends over with children, so LO does interact and lately I have been writing in the DD all the time that sharing and taking turns and playing alongside is coming along nicely. I did interject and say that I couldnt agree, she has been coming along very well as we do mix quite a bit with other children

**phoenix2010** · 25-04-2013, 01:04 PM

Happens all the time doesnt it ?

Ive had a mindee for 18 months and granny picks him up every day , in January I sent his evaluation and 2 yr check home and mum showed it to granny

next time I saw her she said she was really shocked that I had written all that , I replied that its all part of the EYFS and she said "oh you dont just have them then " She clearly walks into my house with her eyes shut

Im sure she didnt mean it quite as condescending as it sounded but to be honest Ive had to grow a thick skin becasue people say things all the time that could potentially offend and upset me

**emma04** · 25-04-2013, 01:31 PM

I was pushing two of my mindee's in a double pushchair, one was walking alongside it and my dd was walking in front, on our way to school.
I passed two old ladies at the bus stop, one obviously didn't realise how loud she was and after walking passed her she said.... 'see that (meaning me and the children) we're paying for all those kids!)

How I didn't turn around I don't know, but I just kept walking!

I am constantly asked how I manage with so many children.....My NEW response is!.............I lock them in a cupboard for most of it and drink wine...Oh and I have a big stick.....Ever seen Nanny McPhee the Big Bang!

They reply with a nervous laugh and never ask again!

Mrs O will appear on my doorstep soon i'm sure with her laptop, ridiculous questions and the odd pathetic rules and regulations................Like making sure I empty the puddles before the children play in the garden!!!

**jackie 7** · 25-04-2013, 01:50 PM

I heard a man say as I passed by haven't you heard about contraception. Not sure if I should have taken it as a compliment as a 55 year old. The number who ask how I manage is crazy. I tinfoil around and say that as s nanny I cold have had as the parents had. Yes I was asked if I was the babysitter. And they thought if was an easy job! The workman who asked if I drank tea all day and did nothing was not offered a cup of tea. Thick skin is what we need.

**merry** · 25-04-2013, 01:51 PM

I've had a Dad say that he'd taken some time off in school holidays so that his daughter wouldn't be 'stuck in childcare' every day

I was diplomatic and didn't mention that I already knew about it because she'd been complaining to me all week that she'd rather come here cos he does nothing with her.

**Dilly Daydream** · 25-04-2013, 01:53 PM

Originally Posted by emma04

I was pushing two of my mindee's in a double pushchair, one was walking alongside it and my dd was walking in front, on our way to school.
I passed two old ladies at the bus stop, one obviously didn't realise how loud she was and after walking passed her she said.... 'see that (meaning me and the children) we're paying for all those kids!)

How I didn't turn around I don't know, but I just kept walking!

I am constantly asked how I manage with so many children.....My NEW response is!.............I lock them in a cupboard for most of it and drink wine...Oh and I have a big stick.....Ever seen Nanny McPhee the Big Bang!

They reply with a nervous laugh and never ask again!

Mrs O will appear on my doorstep soon i'm sure with her laptop, ridiculous questions and the odd pathetic rules and regulations................Like making sure I empty the puddles before the children play in the garden!!!

I am pregnant at the mo so you should see their faces when I walk past the bus stop on way to pre school, I have my daughter walking who is 3 and 2 boys aged 2 and 1 in double - then they clock the bump! I am waiting for a comment cos hormones won't allow me not to react

**jep** · 25-04-2013, 02:06 PM

Yep... when i started taking mindee to Nursery everyone was very nice, they presumed i was Granny......when they found out i was a childminder wow what a difference in attitude i couldn't believe it! Now i feel everyone is watching me just waiting for me to slip up on something grrrrrrrrrrrr.

**Wheelybug** · 25-04-2013, 02:15 PM

Originally Posted by emma04

I was pushing two of my mindee's in a double pushchair, one was walking alongside it and my dd was walking in front, on our way to school.
I passed two old ladies at the bus stop, one obviously didn't realise how loud she was and after walking passed her she said.... 'see that (meaning me and the children) we're paying for all those kids!)

How I didn't turn around I don't know, but I just kept walking!

I am constantly asked how I manage with so many children.....My NEW response is!.............I lock them in a cupboard for most of it and drink wine...Oh and I have a big stick.....Ever seen Nanny McPhee the Big Bang!

They reply with a nervous laugh and never ask again!

Mrs O will appear on my doorstep soon i'm sure with her laptop, ridiculous questions and the odd pathetic rules and regulations................Like making sure I empty the puddles before the children play in the garden!!!

Ha ha, I make comments like this too! I'm sure Ofsted will turn up on my door one day because someone has taken it seriously!

Cathy x.

**skatie** · 25-04-2013, 04:14 PM

Pharmacist once told me whilst handing over my contraceptive pill prescription 'that I clearly needed them' nodding to the pills and looking the kids up and down. Lol, I just walked away laughing!

**ozzy10** · 25-04-2013, 05:20 PM

I had 3 under 2 including my own toddler last summer while heavily pregnant. Really made me laugh people smiled at the boys in pram then spotted bump and smile turned to shock!