One day per week mindees
Thanks Thanks:  0
Likes Likes:  19
Dislikes Dislikes:  0
Results 1 to 17 of 17
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Posts
    84
    Registered Childminder since
    Mar 15
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default One day per week mindees

    Hi all
    I'm not yet registered but I am taking enquiries. A lady has approached me who needs one day per week (Friday's)care for her daughter who's 3 and 2 after school pick ups per week for her 6 year old son. I've heard of a few childminders say that they would not take on a one day a weeker. Would just like some opinions on this? Obviously I'm new to all of this and would not want to turn away work x

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    In LaLa Land
    Posts
    3,598
    Registered Childminder since
    Sept 09
    Latest Inspection Grade
    Good
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    I have done 1 day per week and I found the children hard to settle but a 3 year old might be more suited to it as they can understand more so I would consider meeting with the parents and child and depending on how I feel the child might settle I might consider it for this age group.

    xx

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Posts
    8,359
    Registered Childminder since
    oct 02
    Latest Inspection Grade
    outstanding
    Post Thanks / Like
    Blog Entries
    8

    Default

    I have a lot of 'one day a weekers' !!! its sometimes hard to settle a LO just one day, but it also means that mum and LO can pop over for a coffee/I can visit them on the other days, and that usually helps if there is an issue.

    I like it ... every day is different, and whilst I miss having the same children for a few days and following/extending play ideas over those days, I can repeat activities a couple of times in the week! this week, I've been to play in the woods 2 days; doing the same planned activities but with different children.

    I often find that my 'one day a weekers' become 2 days, or more, or I do extra days as and when needed. also ... sometimes, but getting that first mindee through the door, you can get out and about as a 'real' childminder and people see you working and its good advertising!

    plus, when they leave, its not a huge chunk of income gone! ( although filling odd days isn't always easy! )

  4. Likes Ripeberry, VeggieSausage, Maza liked this post
  5. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Posts
    308
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    hi I have a one day a week minded (Wednesdays) he settled in really well and have no problems with him, where I am most my enquiries are for 1 or 2 days childcare as parents are getting family or friends to have the children on other days to reduce their childcare bill x

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Posts
    2,868
    Registered Childminder since
    Nov 10
    Latest Inspection Grade
    Outstanding
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    I have avoided 1-dayers, but have had a couple of 1.5-dayers because they suited a particular gap I had.

    What puts me off is having so little income from that child but still having to do invoicing/register/contracts/settling-in paperwork/learning journal/contact with other settings/progress reviews/planning and next steps... and I work with them having dedicated beaker/spare clothes bag/hand towels/nappy storage bag here etc... yes, some are reduced in quantity due to shorter hours but it is still a lot of work and 'stuff' for little income.

    I much prefer 2+ days and would only look for 1 or 1.5-days of it filled a particular gap I had.

  7. Likes bunyip, Maza liked this post
  8. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    at my computer, of course
    Posts
    4,986
    Registered Childminder since
    Nov 11
    Latest Inspection Grade
    Outstanding
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by lpatters View Post
    Hi all
    I'm not yet registered but I am taking enquiries. A lady has approached me who needs one day per week (Friday's)care for her daughter who's 3 and 2 after school pick ups per week for her 6 year old son. I've heard of a few childminders say that they would not take on a one day a weeker. Would just like some opinions on this? Obviously I'm new to all of this and would not want to turn away work x
    When I started CMing I held the stupidly naive notion (based upon foolishly believing every dumb mum in the village saying "ooh, great, we need more CMs around here") that I'd have a nice, simple pattern of full-time EY children and a little troupe of schoolies to walk back and forth at each end of the day.

    I was a pillock.

    I am, fortunately, sufficiently highly-evolved to work it out fairly quickly................

    ..................unlike the chinless wonders at my local CM group (where I no longer attend because I found it embarrassing to constantly be the holder of the only 2-digit IQ in the building.) Far too many of them spent for too much of their time moaning about "cheeky" childcare requests, and would pretty much refuse any part-time work, or try to charge for a full time place if a parent wanted part time. They spent the rest of their time moaning about how little work they attracted.

    I have built my business entirely upon such "cheeky requests" - the "bits and pieces" work that no other CM would touch with somebody else's bargepole. I am not 100% full but, I am at the stage where I can be reasonably picky (I'll now only take the work if the child is an angel and the mum is pretty. )

    You need to do what works for you. However, your closing words should sound as a warning bell in any CM's ears: "[I] would not want to turn away work." It is incredibly easy when starting out to take on work you really don't want to do, or which will limit your options later. It is extremely difficult to find the balance between flexible to get yourself up and running, and saying a hasty "yes" that you will have all too much time to regret later at your leisure.

    It might indeed be a matter of being totally realistic and honest with mum. That may mean saying, "yes, I'll give it a go, but I may need to review the arrangement later."

  9. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Posts
    683
    Registered Childminder since
    Jan 13
    Latest Inspection Grade
    Outstanding
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    When I take on 1 day a week mindees I always say that we will need to review the arrangement if the child finds it hard to settle because of the 6 days between each visit. I had a 2yr old who came 1 morning a week with no problem - they were used to childcare and a happy-go-lucky little soul. On the other hand I had a 12mth old who came for 1 afternoon for a week and really struggled, so I recommended that his parents book in another half day per week which helped the LO a lot.

  10. Likes bunyip, Maza liked this post
  11. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Tunbridge Wells, Kent
    Posts
    1,378
    Registered Childminder since
    Sept 10
    Latest Inspection Grade
    Outstanding
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    I have 4 one day a weekers at the moment and 1 one day a fortnight and it works well.....I also have 2 day a weekers etc but I always find people to fit with the spaces I have. Also often one day a weekers increase their hours and/or a new baby arrives and they come too, and also one day a weekers have stayed with me and gone to pre-school on other days and I have had them from 8 months to 4.5years when they go to school. Also if someone leaves it doesn't leave you completely bereft of money....and I agree every day is different and you never see too much of one particular child, I say go for it....

  12. Likes Maza, lisbet, loocyloo liked this post
  13. #9
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Posts
    1,573
    Registered Childminder since
    July 10
    Latest Inspection Grade
    Outstanding
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    I currently have 3 that only come 1 day a week each. I don't mind it but i do stress that some children find it hard to settle and get as much out of 1 day and so we will need to review after a month and then after another 2 months to check how things are going. I had 1 child who after 2 months of being ok just started screaming the whole time he was here. I tried to settle him for the next few weeks but it was a short term contract and mum didn't "need" me so I recommended he stopped coming. Another didn't settle as well so upped by half a day and when he settled we dropped it back down and was fine. The 3 I have at the moment all seem fine with 1 day. It's important to remain open minded and honest I feel.

  14. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Posts
    601
    Registered Childminder since
    pre-reg
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Just replied to a similar post, all of mine are one or at most 2 days per week, I have 6 eyfs children mon-thurs all doing a mixture of days so my spaces are all full.
    Like others say you can do similar planned activities all week so we did ice play in the tuff tray 3 times this week and next week are making bird cakes.
    Also I'm losing one in march but it's not the end of the world as I'm only losing one day a week income, I have 2 mindees who's parents want to increase days but im full at the mo but as soon as space opens I'll most likely fill it immediately with one of them, and if I have space I'll get the new baby the mum is having when she has to go back to work after maternity in 9 months.
    All the children have settled so quickly, even a new 12 month old but I offered 4 or 5 free settling sessions with and without mum so we could make the start as stress free as possible as she'd never been left with anyone before and we had about 10 minutes of tears on day 1 and since then fine.
    I feel I've been very lucky with settling and filling all my odd day spaces but all the different groups of children get on well and my son loves it as each day is different, definitely works for me

  15. #11
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Posts
    3,753
    Registered Childminder since
    Mar 10
    Latest Inspection Grade
    Outstanding
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    If you feel you like the mum/dad and the child then why no give it a go? Like someone said, getting your first mindee through the door and getting your face known as a childminder is a really useful thing. Remember, nothing is forever so if it doesn't work then you can let them go. I was also like Bunyip before I started and had visions of me having full timers, but the reality is quite different!

    I also agree with Moggy - the amount of paperwork/equipment does seem to increase if you have lots of part timers but over the years you might have periods where you do have mainly full timers and then others where you have lots of part timers. x

  16. #12
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Posts
    601
    Registered Childminder since
    pre-reg
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Point about getting the first through the door is very good too, I had lots of enquiries but no interest once I said I was newly qualified and had no mindees ywt, put people right off. Got siblinga one day a week to start, after that all serious enquiries led to a meeting and the majority signed up, makes a big difference having some children on roll even if just one day a week

  17. Likes loocyloo liked this post
  18. #13
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    Aberdeen
    Posts
    414
    Registered Childminder since
    Sept 12
    Latest Inspection Grade
    Very good
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    I like one day a weekers, means you get variation and different faces each day

  19. #14
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    South East
    Posts
    977
    Registered Childminder since
    Dec 02
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Great ideas and suggestions so far !!!

    I have always taken one or two days per week, or a single afternoons.

    One of my one day per weeks came to me after being at two different childminders who both binned him because they had 'better' children with more hours come along.

    Now several years later there is a sibling and two further days, and I fact next week they are here fulltime ( over 5 years old).

    As bunyip starts from the one day often more days are needed plus bits of overtime,

    As all my kids were part-time it took me 10 years to get my first full timer !

  20. #15
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Posts
    1,167
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    A little one that started with me 1 day a week is now 4 days a week (would be FT but I can't accommodate 1 day) and my biggest income. I agree they can take longer to settle but you can discuss this with mum if it does occur. It definitely helps to build your business when you are seen with LOs and I also like the variation of different faces throughout my week. I have 1,2,3 and 4 day contracts, after school, half days and full days they all fit like a jigsaw and I love it! Good luck :-)

  21. #16
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    By the sea
    Posts
    9,334
    Latest Inspection Grade
    Outstanding
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    I've had lots of short hour contracts - 2 hours a week, 4 hours a week, half days, single days. I currently have one child who is 1 day a month. To be honest, none of them have been any harder to settle than children doing longer hours. And most have gone on to increase their hours as more become available

  22. Likes loocyloo liked this post
  23. #17
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Posts
    84
    Registered Childminder since
    Mar 15
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Wow thank you for the replies. They have really helped. It's great to find out other people's views on this x

  24. Likes loocyloo liked this post
 

 

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

Quick Links and Advertisements

Important Information Links
Some Useful Quick Links
Advertisements

 

You can also find us on:
One day per week mindees One day per week mindees One day per week mindees

We use cookies to make this site as useful as possible. They are small text files placed in your browser to track usage of our site but they don’t tell us who you are.
By continuing to use this site you are consenting to cookies being placed on your computer. Find out more here: Cookies in Use

Childminding Help and the Childminding Forum are part of Childcare.co.uk