what people think of childminders

[tammerisk]

http://www.*****.com/coffeehouse/c...ildminder.html

not sure if this link will work as you might have to be registered with the site to see post

but it give you a good idea of what people really think of childminder

please let me know if it works

[Jules27]

Interesting reading, at least some on there are sticking up for childminders in general. It is sad that we all can get tared with the same brush when something like this incident happens.

[venus89]

I found that interesting - there did seem to be a lot of people sticking up for us and the points against were valid. We're very vulnerable and all childminders are not necessarily good, caring people, as the majority are. The childminder in question was awful but it's heartening that people still generally think we do a good job. Even that some recognise that we do much, much more than just look after kids.

[louni]

Well I have to admit I did get cross at first when reading this, then calmed when the support started pouring in. The bottom line is, no matter what,unfortunately, you will never change some peoples opinions of us and the ones that have the bad opinions are most likely to be the ones who have no first hand experience of childminders.
Louise
xxx

[Pudding Girl]

My mates are fab ( the ones sticking up for us!!)

There's another that riled me earlier, about Annual Leave. I tred to stay professional, but ended up letting rip

I'm sick of the stick we get.

ETA - Ooops, I always get dragged in when i didn't intend too!

[amirose]

Wow thats hard to read

[CCJD]

Wow - that has really brought me down. As above, how hard is that to read. I know that there were some posts in support of childminders but it still didnt make it easier.

I have been childminding for around 10 years now and I must say that I have never felt anything but undervalued in my job. The parents of the children in my care have always been fantastic and cannot say nicer or complementary things to me or about me but generally society does not place us high up the list in valued jobs and as a result a few bad ones give us all a bad name.

Previous to childminding I worked in a bank and the reaction I used to get when people would say to me "what do you do" and I would respond I am an assistant bank manager was so different to the one I get my now reply is that I am a childminder. For some reason people think it a more important job is to look after peoples money than it is to look after a far more valuable thing (ie chidlren) .

If there was one thing that would make me give childminding up, it would be that I wanted to do something where my importance wasnt in the same category as a cleaner. And that people didnt make very wrong assumptions about what I do.

[Tatia]

I don't envy parents the decision they have to make when going back to work. Just imagine choosing a stranger based on one or 2 meetings with him/her and then leaving your baby with them? It must be awful. I was glad that most everyone in that thread stuck up for childminders in general, though.

[FizzysFriends]

I find that site is always slating childminders and they egg each other on!!

[Twinkles]

Well that was interesting !
I have worked in nurseries and as a nanny before I became a childminder so have experience of several settings.

If I was choosing childcare for one of mine now ( not that I would as youngest is 14 ) I would choose a childminder every time. BUT I would choose very carefully.

Sad to say that some nurseries I worked in were like boarding kennels - baby fed , baby clean , put with toys , ignore baby.

All of my friends who are childminders are wonderful caring people who engage with the children encourage them in their next steps and developments and love them.

Now don't all shout at me but there are also some childminders that I know that I wouldn't trust with my dog.

[Blaze]

[QUOTE Now don't all shout at me but there are also some childminders that I know that I wouldn't trust with my dog.[/QUOTE]

Fully agree with this comment...but i would't trust the local nursaries either!

[Jules12Wed]

That was horrible to read, but who I really feel sorry for is the poor little boy and the parents who obviously have no idea what is going on when they are at work.

[mandy moo]

Well that was interesting !
I have worked in nurseries and as a nanny before I became a childminder so have experience of several settings.
If I was choosing childcare for one of mine now ( not that I would as youngest is 14 ) I would choose a childminder every time. BUT I would choose very carefully.

Sad to say that some nurseries I worked in were like boarding kennels - baby fed , baby clean , put with toys , ignore baby.

All of my friends who are childminders are wonderful caring people who engage with the children encourage them in their next steps and developments and love them.

Now don't all shout at me but there are also some childminders that I know that I wouldn't trust with my dog.

Me too, I also helped run a mother and toddler group, and ran a youth club for a few years
I have also used a childminder..
And I have 2 of my own..
When I was 17 I went on a Child care course with the YTS, and Im NNEB trained, I was also a school gov, and worked as an LSA in my local school
so have bit of experiance..
I must admit I found it difficult to comprehend that any one would leave a child for that long without checking on him
'specially one thats not their own
MY 2 are 7 & 10 and when we're out at an indoor play area, still always have an eye on them
Paranonid mother here

[helenlc]

I have 15 yrs child care experience and am Btec Nursery Nurse qualified. I have worked in a nursery and agree about the feed baby, change baby, etc routine.

I would also add that i went to soft play on Wednesday with 5 kids (11yrs, 2 x 8yrs, 2yrs and a 15 month old) and was there for 4 1/2 hours. I sat down for about 30 minutes of this. I had the 15 month old in the baby area and the 2 yr old in and out of the baby area and the bigger ones on the big frame.

There is no way one of mine would have been distressed for that length of time. I am constantly looking round and checking where they are and that they are not upset or hurt etc.

Unfortunately, there are some bad ones amongst us and it seems these get discussed (as someone said especially on *****) more than those of us that do a fantastic job - which if course is all of use on this site

[huggableshelly]

I wish parents would call ofsted when they are unhappy. This would sift out the rubbish childminders and allow the decent childminders to keep uo the top quality service they provide and parents accept.

I'm shocked at what I have read, uncaring heatless and imprissonment in a car with polos!

I stopped reading there enough is enough, i would love to meet those childminders and ask them how they would feel if someone treated their children that way!

Its not fair on the child/children involved and I honestly never believed there were childminders out there who were like what is portraid in the posts I read.

[huggableshelly]

I wonder if its worth contacting the forum owner suggesting they update their information regarding childminders

http://www.*****.com/working/Child...249/westherts/

[Kat]

Hi,

Just made me upset as some of mums will read it and never think to go to childminder ... never mind ... I am generaly tired of opinion that childminders are having one nig coffee shop all the time and doing nothing...
Kat

[Schnakes]

Been throwing my weight around over there. ***** seems to be full of Haterz though. I hope its not a reflection of society in general. They seem to think we are all so lazy and greedy, expecting them to pay us for looking after their kids all day! We are so damn rude!

I almost feel like posting a link to this website to show actually how hard we all work, but wouldnt want to ruin the sanctity of this lovely forum with all those suspicious and prying eyes!

There are bad childminders. There really are. What to do about them, thats the problem, when you have no proof. I know of one who has had three complaints against her by other childminders who have witnessed her bad behaviour. (I have also seen her, so its not just them). Ofsted have investigated each of those complaints and come up empty handed. She also got a "good" report last inspection, with a couple of "outstanding" areas too.

Sx

[angeldelight]

A lot of moms do use this site so its a shame really because they wont bother reading the good it will just be the bad that they see

But its like everything in life there is good and bad

We have to hold our heads up and take it with a pinch of salt - what do these people know ?

Angel xx

[Schnakes]

Well, they know where to take their business, for a start!!!

Sx