Giving up schoolies....

[maryp0ppins]

Last week I notified all school children's parents that I am as from "Friday 13th July" no longer having schoolies....(apart from 2 older boy's who depart and arrive independently due to their age)

My eldest is starting her her exam year after summer and has chosen subject which are 100% course work, and feel she will benefit from the more calmer environment after school to study as apposed to 4 4/5 years olds running around like loonies as well as all my EY group & the older boy's...

I am really looking forward to not going up to the school (first time in 11 years)

Just concentrating on the early years age group. Anybody else JUST have EY group?

[AliceK]

Originally when I started out I made the decision not to have schoolies but then took on 2 children from 1 family and the older one was a school child so I agreed. Then one of my mindees who I used to take to pre-school started school so I kept him on before / after school. Somehow I've managed to get another 3 schoolies as well. I am so tempted to stop as they are getting older and along with my DS (7) they are becoming just a bit too much sometimes. DD starts school in Sept and I've already agreed to take on a LO who starts school at the same time but I'm seriously considering just doing EY and possibly reception year but no older. Not sure yet though

xxx

[buzzy bee]

I am always secretly hoping that all my schoolies will give me notice, because I can't justify losing them - the money is too good, especially when I have 4 - so I can't afford to lost that. But if they gave me notice then it wouldn't be my fault!!

I find them much harder work than littlies!

So good for you!!

[caz3007]

After 5 years of after schoolies, which all left for different reasons, including age, redundancy I now only have EYFS and one before school 2 days a week, and its lovely. None of the teatime hassle and so much quieter. But my DS is 9 and think he misses them sometimes

Having said that if some came along, would probably do as its quiet around here right now.

[PixiePetal]

Me!

when DS left primary school I stopped pick ups, it wasn't an easy one but didn't mind for my own children. Best thing for my family and don't miss school runs in the rain

[AgentTink]

I don't. I made the decision from the start that I would Not take any children older than my own little girl as since she is only 2 and a half, I have got no intention of taking after schoolies. As I don't drive I also justify it by saying I would have to take three littles one out every day just to pick up from school. Once my little one is in school I will re-evaluate the situation

[Milli147]

I only have EY.
I made this choice so that generally I am only minding whilst my own children are at school. OK it does overlap at the end of the day by a couple of hours, but
they are old enough to still have 3/4 hours of my time before bed.
I was concerned about the overlap of toys as well - I didn't want mine to feel that they had to share anything they didn't want to with older minded children, and what if it were children from school that they didn't get on with - or friends they ended up falling out with as they were fed up with them in the house all the time, or the fact that as a minded child they can't go upstairs, but as my children's friends on a different day then they can????
I really think you have to mind a different age group than your own kids or it's just too complicated!

[Mouse]

I have no contracted school children & only have them for holiday cover & occassional care.

I enjoy having them for short periods of time, and my 11yr old likes having them here for a week or so, but that's enough for us!

[PixiePetal]

I have no contracted school children & only have them for holiday cover & occassional care.

I enjoy having them for short periods of time, and my 11yr old likes having them here for a week or so, but that's enough for us!

actually I do still have some back for odd inset days and in hols for odd days - they are the ones who grew up with my kids so now 11-13yr olds (mine are 15 and 17). I ask my two first if they are happy for them to come as they always want to be with them

[miffy]

Never done this - I'm always sad when they start school so happy to have them before/afterwards and holidays.

I wouldn't miss school runs in the rain/snow/ice though!

Miffy xx

[mindingmummy]

I always said I was just going to do EY, but then my very first customer contact was a schoolie so couldnt turn it down....then he needed a friend to play with so had one more to keep him company.....Then she left and I looked for one to replace her and ended up with a brother and sister......now I have 4 after schoolies plus my pre-school daughter, plus my EY..........

There are a lot of CM in my area short of work at the moment though so id be silly to turn anyone down.

[sarah707]

My schoolies are very hard work ... but they are all lovely and it's only 2 hours a day so we cope!

However if it's not working for you then you should make changes

[mushpea]

I had 4yrs of very busy after schoolies and now I only have 1 schoolie two days a week and to be honest I am loving just having younger children,, I sincerely hope that when somone rings me regards to school children I am strong enough to say no, trouble is those pound signs flash before me
I wouldnt say I wont ever do schoolies again as I dont think I would turn away siblings with one eyfs and one schoolie but i definatly prefer not having them and my days are a lot calmer and a whole lot less stressful now, the only issue with my schoolie is that its just her after school so not much fun for her on her own so I am always trying to find things for her to do.

[VeggieSausage]

I am not enjoying after schoolies and would like to give notice and only pick up my own little dd who is in reception, I have 2 older dd's too so the house is often too full after school. However both after schoolies are the sibling of younger ones so would lose everyone else too, I am struggling with so many tho - 4 (+my own) children till 6 on monday, 5 (+ dd's) till 6.30 on tues,wed,thurs and then just 2 till 5.15 on friday - I am knackered ....think someone has to give, since the start of a new family in sept with a 1 year old who screams for continual attention my life is turning into chaos


Well done you for actually going through with it....

[handeme]

Only EY children for me too. The only school run I do is for my own child.

I like being able to spend time with my own child after school, all my EY children go home at 4.30 too x

[kellib]

Only EY children for me too. The only school run I do is for my own child.

I like being able to spend time with my own child after school, all my EY children go home at 4.30 too x

That's the same as me, I only do school runs for my 6 year old and the latest I work to is 4pm, works out perfectly for doing homework etc.

[onceinabluemoon]

I sometimes wish I didn't have schoolchildren. They are much harder work than the young ones and much more wilful or sneaky (and the ones I have are really very good on the whole!!).

And then you get a morning like today when child 1 can't wait to tell me about something exciting he's done and child 2 comes in with a cupcake that they made me with their mummy last night. Thats something thats good but different about the big ones. Sometimes it's hard to remember the good stuff, but its there if you look for it.

[TooEarlyForGin?]

I had 4yrs of very busy after schoolies and now I only have 1 schoolie two days a week and to be honest I am loving just having younger children,, I sincerely hope that when somone rings me regards to school children I am strong enough to say no, trouble is those pound signs flash before me
I wouldnt say I wont ever do schoolies again as I dont think I would turn away siblings with one eyfs and one schoolie but i definatly prefer not having them and my days are a lot calmer and a whole lot less stressful now, the only issue with my schoolie is that its just her after school so not much fun for her on her own so I am always trying to find things for her to do.

I feel exactly the same way.

[JulieA]

I did start with schoolies, but after a couple of years I found that it was having too much of an impact on my family. Pick up gradually got later and later - sometimes not til 8.30pm and my children were shattered but, understandably, wouldn't go to bed. I also didn't feel it was good for the mindees as they were only 5 and 6 at the time. It was a hard decision to make as I felt I was letting down mum - who was going through a divorce too, but it was the right thing to do at the time. And to be honest I haven't looked back - and am even turning away schoolies. I think we are all happier as a family for it.

[loocyloo]

currently i only have EY children ( plus a before schoolie who i don't count who arrives, plays DS or football with ds and then we go to school! )

i would like an afterschoolie or 2, as my 2 miss having them around, as they have grown up with afterschoolies, but ds is getting older and starting to walk home from school/clubs by himself and dd does lots after school ( but as its only my 2 i collect from school, it fits in) but if i had afterschoolies i could end up to & fro endlessly!