When you say full do you really mean it?

[jadavi]

No this isn't a diet related question haha

I notice a lot of people seem to say they are full on their webste etc and no more vacancies.

Is it seriously because you have your quota for every session in the week? ie 6 chillden of under 8 every day? or 3 little ones every day

I wondered if people also said they were full because they didnt want any more?...I'm not full solidly all week but feel I'm approaching my own feeling of not wanting many more due to stress levels and what works for my family (have a mum with altzeimers we look after too!!)

cheers
ja

[sarah707]

I am currently as full as I want to be

[loocyloo]

I am currently as full as I want to be

me too!

[Greengrass74]

We are the same, as full as we want to be. We could take on more but just don't want to.

[amanda1309]

I am currently as full as I want to be

Me too

[rickysmiths]

I must confess even if I am full I always show on my info that I have a vacancy. I am especially pleased because for the last four years I have had the same core of children who I had for 4.5years. They were local families settled in the area. Several had come and gone around these 3.

One started school in Sept 2010, the other was due to go to school in Sept 2011 and parents had chosen schools in order of pref that I could get to.

Well how things changed in the three months that started 2011. The one who had started school, the dad was made redundant in Nov 2010 and hadn't got a job by the New Year so gave notice. He starts a new job this month but won't be requiring childcare as 'friends' are helping out!

The other two, sibblings, suddenly, at the end of March, moved 300 miles away because mums job changed and because dad was retiring in Sept she would be the main bread winner so had to go.

I lost my 3 main bread winners inside 3 months and was so glad I had continued to 'keep a vacancy' because I was able to contact a couple of people and at least fill 2 of the spaces. It has been an odd year here and now from having 3 full timers 50hrs a week each I now have filled the spaces, last one signed a contract last Friday. They are all part time though but at least the hours are filled. I have had several come and go this year because mums have either decided not to go back to work at the last min or the employer has with drawn a job offer, another parent was made redundant or for the first time in my 17yr old career, I gave notice within 4 weeks because I could not work with the parents.

I always have and always will advertise at least one vacancy you just never know what is around the corner.

[kel1983]

When we are full we still advertise tht we have spaces as you never know what peope are looking for and never know what will happen in the near future. I got one full timer who moved house to the next town and I didnt know until they had actually moved. The next day she came and told me they would be leaving us at the end of Jan. Lukily we have another 2 children starting this week an have just had our numbers raised from 6 to 8 to accomodate the after schoolies.

[onceinabluemoon]

I say I'm full if I am as full as I want to be. That also gives me the chance to offer extra hours here and there to my part timers.

[samb]

I don't have a website to say I am full but I do advertise on the FIS website as having vacancies. However at the mo I am as full as I want to be. My vacancies currently are silly times (over 5 term time but in hols only mon and tues; under 5s only until 12 noon when I leave to collect another from pre school and then fri I have no children and don't really want any) and to be honest I am happy to have just what I do have.

[tashaleee]

Im as full as I want to be BUT I do always advertise that I have vacancies as you never know whats going to happen next....

[mushpea]

I am as full as i want to be and just this week turned somone away as i dont want any more,, the lady was most put out as she thought because she had come to see me over a month ago that her space would be there but a the time I had one less child, anyway I have been full to the brim on numbers and it was manic but fun , now i am not full on number but am happy as I am althouhg you never know whats around the corner

[mr man]

i am full as i want to be too

my spaces are one full timer and one 5-7 ( but i dont advertise them)

i am more than happy with what i have now and it works well for us. not to stressful.

i ask paretns now if they need me in the hols, casue while they have mindee sibling at home im sure mindee would prefer to be at home than here. plus it loosens the worry and stress of school hols. yes i loose income but im in a lucky position now, i have never earned a great deal so when i started this i paid every debt off i had ( aprt from mortgage) and now dont panic as much - iykim.

keeping life managable and fun.

[PixiePetal]

I am never full to capacity - I take on what I need to earn what I need

this gives me some space to have a friends mindees if she needs cover

And I don't DO Fridays

I need more now as I am down to 2 mindees for 2 days a week and feel all my eggs are in one basket as they are siblings bit quiet round here right now - advert going in local village shop soon

[funemnx]

All of my children come to me part-time, so although I have a few spaces during the week, they aren't enough to fill with a child ISWIM

[singingcactus]

ATM I am FULL! Really really full! I have it on my website and other places that I am full but people still call me all the time.
I didn't want to be full, I wanted to be as full as I wanted to be (does that make sense?) but childcare is so sparse here I feel like I have to keep saying yes, when I mean NOOOOOO.
I aim to only take on part timers here though so that I can have the odd 30 minutes during the day when I am not at total capacity, but they keep going full time on me .

[jane5]

I do not take schoolies and I am more than as full as I want to be. I have a variation for 4 unders 5's 2 days, one afternoon with 2 under 5,s and the rest of the days 3 under 5's.

I have just given notice to my weekender that I have been minding for 6 months but she has talked me into having him 1 day at the week end and is trying to change shifts to get my last afternoon place.

I find it hard to say no as I feel sorry for people but I have ended up working 7am - 6.30 7 days a week for 6 months .

Note to self JUST SAY NO!!!!!!!!

[Bluebell]

I am full on the 2 days I work as my youngest son is included in my numbers so I can only take on 2 anyway.
I usually advertise my services but don't specify whether I am full or not. Or if i do I say 'vacancy becoming available in... 'and specify a month down the line. I would like to give up my job and do childminding full time. I've recently had to turn parents down not because I am full but because I work so I don't say I work somewhere else as well I just say I'm really sorry I can't accommodate them at the moment and if it changes I will get back to them.I am planning to give up my job in the next 2 or 3 months but can't commit to anyone until I know. Many parents are so vague in their initial inquiries and don't necessarily come back to me with anything concrete - I'd be embarrassed to say yes I can do that and then actually I can't because I haven't given up my job yet!
It makes you look good as a childminder if you are always full but if you advertise as full you will never get any enquiries surely?

[Ripeberry]

I'm full as I want to be. I have one mindee who comes twice a week but the mumd does lots of training courses and I have to keep a space open for her as it's all over the place and she does not know herself until a week before. I've 'groomed' all the parents into me having Tuesdays off, and it works well for all of us

[MAWI]

I'm Full this year(up to numbers including after schoolies, 6 under 8)and all of last year had a variation for 4 EYFS everyday, which I vowed not to this year.
I never post on my website that I am full and I always take their details. in the past I have been able to go back to prospective parents when a current child has left and I have gained business from it even though I couldn't help them at the time.

Most of my EYFS are moving on to school in September 2012, so I have vowed that I am taking it easier for a year from then on.

This time next year I want to say 'Im as full as I want to be'. And hopefully that's 2 part timers and no after schoolers lol.

[miffy]

I am currently as full as I want to be

Me too!

Miffy xx