mixing with other minders

[yummyripples]

Just wondering what your feelings on this are. I go to different groups and see different people on different days. I do a lot of stuff on my own too.
One toddler group I go to has a group of minders who get together every morning (unless can't make it).
I feel a bit guilty that my mindees don't mix with the same children everyday.

[yummyripples]

Whoops didn't finish. They do days out together and also socialise at weekends. I feel that I should join this group so the children have a better social life but I prefer what I do.
I also find I interact more with the children while they chat together - which is fine cos I know kids need to play independently.
I dunno maybe I put too much pressure on myself

[greanan]

We go to a few toddler groups etc but don't plan to meet up with other minders very often. We often bump into them at parks etc though so kids play together but it's never planned really. I e joy spending time doing things with them that we wouldn't if we were meeting up everyday with people.

[Stapleton83]

I think you are being too hard on yourself if it works for you then stick with what you are doing. I don't think the children are missing out from what you have said.

Sam x

[rickysmiths]

I go to a Childminding Group and to a Toddler Group. I sometimes go for a number of weeks and go to both every week plus doing my own thing some weeks I don't go to one or other or either. This morning I didn't go I met up with another childminder and we went to our local park (very big with Lakes and canal and rivers), met in the cafe at 9am, bought the five children we had breakfast (and ourselves!) and then we walked around the lakes watching sailing going on and feeding the duck, swans and geese. I was out until 12.30. Even persuaded my 18 year old to come with us, he has just finished his A Levels. It was a lovely morning los were ready for lunch when we got home and then they slept for 2 hours.

Last week I drove 10 miles on my own to a different park also with a Lake but with a fab out door play area. We went after lunch and took a snack to have and again had a fab time.

I would go nuts if I didn't socialise with other adults. I think it is good to meet up with other cms because it gives support and often a sympathetic sounding board as part of what can very easily be a very isolated job. I like to go to groups regularly so the los do meet because it is that work network that I will call on for example if I am ill, for emergency childcare help. It helps to reassure the parents if they feel their child will be familiar with the cm and some of the children even if they are not. Same goes if they may want holiday cover.

I don't meet with the same people very day, that would drive me nuts as well! We do go out for a Christmas meal together and we sometimes get together if we have a Candle or Chocolate Party

[charlottenash]

I can think of nothing worse than meeting up with a group of childminders every day despite being one lol!

[Rick]

A group of us get on really well, we run the CM group together and often go to other groups as well. We help each other out with enquiries as well. I have had to make the effort though, it doesn't happen overnight

[CLL]

I go to 1 or 2 groups a week but prefer to do my own thing really. I get fed up of having to play with everybody else's kids as they seem to migrate to where I am playing with lo's while their mums sit on the sidelines. However if I had a close group of cm friends it might be a different story but I still could not do every day, I don't think it would give me enough time to do my planned activities and observations.

[KatieFS]

I meet with a few cm's a few times a week. Great support for me, sounding board and networking as well as some adult interaction. I also think it very important for little ones to socialise with other children so I attend a cm toddler group once a week and then a few if us might meet at the park another time. I think I might go a bit insane if I didn't get out the house now and again. I've found the networking with colleagues essential when thinking about new strategies etc for children.

[bindy]

I know lots of child minders but don't meet up very often. The odd time we might arrange a play morning or my choice would be to meet at the local park. I organise different activities with the children, going off to different places, Farm, Hatfield house, Butterfly House, Whipsnead, Splash Park, local woods to mention a few. The problem with doing lots with other child minders, they seem to sit around and chat, leaving the kids to get on with it, which is fine, but I always like to keep an eye out, even if they are happily playing in the ball pond! Therefore I always end up looking after everyone kids, they are sat around having a good old time, and silly me is sat on the edge watching loads of kids. I see it all the time too! Yesterday at a local place, I was with my kids in a small soft play area. One baby (who belonged to a child minder, who was sat at a table with 4 others minders) never came once over to see if that child was OK, that baby was their 1 hour Unbelievable !! The only play group I visit is a small run ( quite expensive, which is why I guess its small)) play group, once a week, its much more organised than the normal toddler groups( that I find unbearable, normally chaos) I don't think my kids are missing out playing with others. I do have 6 under 5 they play with each other and at times they choose to play by themselves!!

[miffy]

Whoops didn't finish. They do days out together and also socialise at weekends. I feel that I should join this group so the children have a better social life but I prefer what I do.
I also find I interact more with the children while they chat together - which is fine cos I know kids need to play independently.
I dunno maybe I put too much pressure on myself

You're happy with what you're doing so stick with it.

Miffy xx

[loocyloo]

I sometimes mix with other minders, but very rarely, due to the fact there is only one other minder in my village and those is surrounding areas are as busy as me, and we can never co-ordinate meeting up during the day! I meet with mums at the childrens centre or toddlers, but i don't go to either on a regular basis. occasionally friends come over, but most of my friends here work or their children have grown up. I do feel a little isolated, and it would be good for the children to mix with other children a bit more, but I always have so much I want to do, I can't fit groups in all the time.

I use the forum as my 'meeting up' !

xxx

[BuggsieMoo]

Me and Rubybubbles are neighbors and she actually childminds my DD in the morning for me so I can get my older sons to school. We go to tots together (or separately if only one is going), meet up during the days (not every day but some) and also have plenty of time in our own settings alone. We bounce ideas off each other and support each other through our childminding careers - as we all know, it can be a lonely profession. This has helped immensely as I am moving in 4 weeks and my mindees are going to Rubybubbles who they already know and love so a lovey easy transition with minimal disruption to them.

[Chatterbox Childcare]

I "see" a lot of minders but mostly once a month at our meetings unless we bump into each other whilst out. I do socialise with these too in the evening but does that count? lol

I have a relief minder who I see every day at school and we meet up 3 times a week, once at toddlers, at our own homes and once at soft play or outing.

It is all what works for you. My children all know each other and all 9 met up at a birthday party last week (relief and mine) and now all the parents know each other two. it does make life easier if everyone is happy when relief is needed.

[Rubybubbles]

Me and Rubybubbles are neighbors and she actually childminds my DD in the morning for me so I can get my older sons to school. We go to tots together (or separately if only one is going), meet up during the days (not every day but some) and also have plenty of time in our own settings alone. We bounce ideas off each other and support each other through our childminding careers - as we all know, it can be a lonely profession. This has helped immensely as I am moving in 4 weeks and my mindees are going to Rubybubbles who they already know and love so a lovey easy transition with minimal disruption to them.

giving me goose bumps and going to cry that your moving

feeling rather emotional today

[ziggy]

I never mix with other minders.

There is one other in my village who doesnt really mix with anyone. 3 in next village who i am friendly with and are always very chatty if we meet BUT they never go to any groups and are very rarely at the park. One took on a child I gave up and often calls me for advice but has no interest in going out and about with her mindees.

I go to toddler group on weds and soft play on thurs. I need to get out and mix with other adults and i think it is important children mix with others.

A lady who is daily nanny for friend of mine comes to both groups and it's nice to have a chat with her about caring for other people's children but sadly today is her last day as she is moving this weekend.

[wendywu]

I mix with other minders every morning at one group or another. All us local minders know each other and are friends. The children have their own little social circle.

But its what you feel happier doing, then that is right for you

[supermumy]

I don't mix with any other minders would love to but round here there very clicky and want to be better than everyone else and I do me and what's suits me

[kellyskidz!]

I see other minders as workmates, they may annoy you at times because the environment is mainly women and can be cliquey or a bit bitchy (although we do have a male minder locally who keeps us all in check!)
You need adults around you who understand, and so you don't bore your other half or non minder friends with childminding talk. They're great for getting advice from or for sharing ideas or even discussing problems. Remember to keep it confidential though.
As for going out with them,I do!
We go out on cm related trips, or I go to theirs for a drink or to the local pub- like I said I see them as my workmates. You don't have to live in their pockets but they're good to have around.
Also, like in a nursery or other work environment, there will probably be people you don't get on with so much, and the joy of being a minder is that you don't have to! You're not forced to be in the same place as them if you don't want to be.
I couldn't be without my cm friends if I'm honest, because I'm quite new to this and they're fab at explaining stuff to me or giving me advice based on their own experiences xx

[hectors house]

I don't go at the moment to a dedicated childminder toddler group as it is on my day off, but I do go to another toddler group that is run by a childminder and several other childminders go too - I really enjoy this group and I must admit I do just leave the children to get on with it and watch from a distance while chatting to other minders and parents, this is my adult interaction day. Most weeks I go for a walk in the countryside with another childminder - we do chat but make sure we spend time talking to, supervising and showing the children things too.

I went to visit a Nursery yesterday to meet a mindees keyworker - I was impressed with the Nursery set up, space, resources etc but wasn't at all impressed with the interaction between children and staff - unless children wanted an extra bike out of the shed and approached the staff, I didn't see any proper conversations (other than snack time sitting round a table).