Working as a childminder..

[fabiennec]

Do you manage to have a good leaving in a terms of money ?
Obviously the main reason I want to do this job is because I want to stay with my children and I think it's going to give us a better quality of life but I was wondering if you found childming to be rewarding ! Thank you for your answers !!!!

[mel]

childminding is incredibly rewarding if it is a job you really want to do. It can be hard at times and the hours can be long and even though you are at home with your own children you have to share your attention.
For me it was worth being able to pick the children up at the end of the day and not send them to a daycare setting.

Mel x

[angela234]

Hi i look after my grandchildren as well as others i love my job money wise i don't earn what i could because grandchildren taking some places but if full can still earn a good wage there are quite times but they don't last long. If you need a guarenteed set income it might be hard at times.

Its the best thing i have done

Angela

[sarahnev707]

I find the income can ebb and flow a bit..... but tax credits top me up (being a single mum and all that!)

It's hard when a parent grinds you down on price (cos you're doing someone else a favour) then takes the mickey, pulling the child out at the last minute cos someone free will pick him up, paying in bits and bobs, ignoring bills etc and you're thinking - the child is lovely, but I have bills to pay.....

note to self - must address that one soon!

It's the only job I have really loved (except teaching but that's too much like hard work nowadays!)

Sarahx

[Pauline]

It's the best job in the world if you love children, don't mind your home being taken over by children/toys/equipment and mess!!

I've never once regretted it in all the years I've been registered, so much so that I now work full time with my husband as my assistant and we love it.

Very tiring at times, parents can be a pain like Sarah says, children can try your patience to the limit, but it only take one pair of little arms around your neck saying 'I love you' to make every problem disappear!

and yes, we are making a living.

[nat1664]

Hi all

Its really good to hear that Sarah is also a single mother and a childminder....as I'm sure that there are others, its just I was a my dhc course last night and every one was talking about there home life etc, it go to me and I was asked what my husband done for a living.....when I replied that I was a single mother the gasps and faces said it all , I felt really embarrassed and just wanted to run out of the room, after 5 minutes I finally calmed down a bit and and actually stood up and gave a massive speech about being a single mother and that people shouldn't look down at me just because i didn't have a husband or partner .. I'm a good mum actually I must be brilliant because my son is perfect ...lol, and I'm proud to be a single mother.

Well I'm really really sorry for the rant and Ive probably put this in the wrong section ( sorry) Just had to get it off my chest

Nathalie

x x

[banana]

Its rewarding as long as its something you genuinely want to do.

If its a job you just want to do solely to be at home with your own kids and earn money then its not the best reason to get into the job. You have to be willing to have your home taken over byt other children, paperwork coming out your ears and at times stress levels which are at boiling point.

If you can get passed that and its something you feel like you really want to do becuase you atre passionate about working with children then yes, its ideal. And yes, if you fill your spaces then it can be financially very good.

x

[lauralou]

Hi Nathalie, just want to say that i agree with you hun, people should'nt look down on you because you are a single mum.....and good for you giving the speach hun......i bet you felt better afterwards.....


Laura xxx

[theresa]

hi Nathalie, wow what utter moo bags, don't take any notice of what others say, you're a brill mum and that's what matters, just because a child has two parents doesn't mean that those parents are good at it!!

Hugs to you and don't let the moos get you down

xx

[jennifer]

hi
thought i would reply in this thread to say i am a mum of 2 who are 12, 15. i have a husband who is a full time wheelchair user and i want to be a childminder because i love kids. im not doing it just because of the money. we all chose to do this job because we are all caring people and want what is best for our family, ourselfs and children.
jenn
xx

[rubybubbles]

nat1664 said:

Hi all

Its really good to hear that Sarah is also a single mother and a childminder....as I'm sure that there are others, its just I was a my dhc course last night and every one was talking about there home life etc, it go to me and I was asked what my husband done for a living.....when I replied that I was a single mother the gasps and faces said it all , I felt really embarrassed and just wanted to run out of the room, after 5 minutes I finally calmed down a bit and and actually stood up and gave a massive speech about being a single mother and that people shouldn't look down at me just because i didn't have a husband or partner .. I'm a good mum actually I must be brilliant because my son is perfect ...lol, and I'm proud to be a single mother.

Well I'm really really sorry for the rant and Ive probably put this in the wrong section ( sorry) Just had to get it off my chest

Nathalie

x x

rant away good for you

[lizzy]

hi thought i'd join in. i love being a childminder (most of the time) i earn a good living, are here for my kids and can decide on what we're going todo through the day.i've been lucky enough to have cared for lot's of lovely children and their families. on the down side house is not my own (10 0ther families live here mon -fri. ) kids have to share their mum and i have attitude from 8year olds.
can be lonely sometimes but at least i can have a moan here know. oh and i hate the paper work i just want to play.
jane

[applejacks]

I went into childminding after having my second child for two reasons I wanted to be at home with my kids and alos my childminder wanted to go back to work. I was initially going to finish childminding when my youngest went to high school which will be in 2 years and in all honesty I will be remaining childminding indefinitely now because over the years it has given me more satisfaction than doing a mundane 9-5 job which I did previously. As the others have said it is very hard work but the rewards when one of the children overcome an obstacle, smile at you or eventually settle in are worth more than you could imagine. Good luck and I really hope it works out for you

[fabiennec]

Thank you everybody for your lovely answers !!! Well I'm really motivated and I hope it's going to work out for me as well ! I gave my notice yesterday and it felt so right !!! Even if it takes a while before being registred, I'm going ot have time to put everything into place !!!

Nathalie - Those who looks down on you have absolutely no manners and should be ashamed of their reaction..you have nothing to feel embarrassed for...anyway you dont know what happens behind closed doors !!

xx

[angeldelight]

I agree with what everyone else says - I missed this post yesterday

Well done for giving up your job hope it all works out for you - you are going to make new friends and find heaps of information here ready to start you off

Good luck xx


Nathalie
Well done for sticking up for yourself
Unfortunatly we can all judge people without thinking about it sometimes - it is life
You are right there is nothing wrong with being a single parent and well done for telling these ignorant and rude people that

Jenn
I really admire you getting on with it when you have to care for your husband too - well done to you too

Angel xx

[buildingblocks]

Childminding is the best job in the world and at time the hardest. But I wouldn't change it for all the world. I earn more most weeks than my hubby in his factory job but I work damned hard for that money sometimes my day can be 7am-10pm other days it can be 8.30 - 3pm.


I also cannot think of any job where I can build snowmen, jump in puddles, go to the library or as this morning go and try and sort out something I messed up at the bank or on Friday not take a day off work for a delivery at some point in the day.

Nathalie good on you girl. I have this a lot of the time as a childminder with no children I am frequently questioned by parents and other childminders as to why am I a childminder when I don't have any children of my own. I shouldn't have to explain that hubby and I have just not been lucky.

love Kate

[susan]

buildingblocks said:

I shouldn't have to explain that hubby and I have just not been lucky.

love Kate

no you shouldn't Kate but for the record I think you'd make great parents ( if you are anything like hubby )

P.S Try putting honey in G's coffee !!!!!!!!

[buildingblocks]

In my books Gary deserves a medal living with me and I think he would agree with that as I am a control freak and if I was Gary I would havego trid of me years ago - don't tell me that. June will tell you he is hen pecked bless him.

Am intrigued by the honey.

I know he feels awkward at times and will tell me he feels stupid as he has no experience of working with children (rubbish as he has known me since 1984 and had all the children I nannied for living with us for weekends at a time, and always around him) and not having any of our own and I think he feels he doesn't knwo as much as Tony. My only bug bear is he is not doing his assignment nothing to do with he can't do it just never does it lol

love Kate

[susan]

Dont be hard on yourself Kate, you deserve each other in the nicest possibe way if you know what i mean. My brother and sister in law struggled and tried IVF 3 times, I did egg donation for them so they could get to the top of the egg donor list and she did concieve but only for 9 weeks. It was an emotional roller coaster for them both and a huge strain on anyone's relationship you have to be strong together to get through it. They adopted in the end and I know have a georgeous nephew who was 4 on wednesday xxx

Have you tried IVF or thought about adopting? sorry if you think i am been too personal or prying, if you dont want to discuss it then i totally understand. ( could pm me privately or we could meet up if you wanted to talk about things)

Lots Of Love Susan xxx

[buildingblocks]

Sorry haven't been on for a couple of days. IVF we did consider but having had a bad time due to the pill which caused a terrriible side effects we decided not to go down tha route plus I didn't want to go down the route of finding whose fault it was.

I did think about adoption but Gary didn't seem to want to look into that (I sent off for hte blurb but he didn't look at it).

I have said many times before we are lucky as we are surrounded by children due to my work so life could be far worse

love kate

[susan]

buildingblocks said:

Sorry haven't been on for a couple of days. IVF we did consider but having had a bad time due to the pill which caused a terrriible side effects we decided not to go down tha route plus I didn't want to go down the route of finding whose fault it was.

I did think about adoption but Gary didn't seem to want to look into that (I sent off for hte blurb but he didn't look at it).

I have said many times before we are lucky as we are surrounded by children due to my work so life could be far worse

love kate

what a wonderful woman you are Kate, i do understand how desperate some people get and it takes over their lives and ruins relationships too, I thinkit's great that you wouldnt want to point blame and are happy with you and Gary and the children you mind for. The bonus is when you've had enough of them you hand them back....lol

xxx

[june]

Well Kate, a little message from us. Carolyn had IVF (Triplet Boys) then the next year fell pregnant without IVF!!!!!!!!!!!!! And myself June had ectopic pregnancy and was told I would never have any children gave birth 11 months later to a 8lbs 4oz Son (a gift from God I think) ok I never managed anymore, but feel blessed. I went on to foster 20 children and started to Childmind whilst fostering so that I would be there for all the children. Carolyn started so she was earing whilst bringing up her 4 boys.Every now and then we say we will stop when ? starts school, but of course another child starts and that's us for another few years. x
Good Luck and enjoy your job that you are obviously very good at

[manjay]

lizzy said:

hi thought i'd join in. i love being a childminder (most of the time) i earn a good living, are here for my kids and can decide on what we're going todo through the day.i've been lucky enough to have cared for lot's of lovely children and their families. on the down side house is not my own (10 0ther families live here mon -fri. ) kids have to share their mum and i have attitude from 8year olds.
can be lonely sometimes but at least i can have a moan here know. oh and i hate the paper work i just want to play.
jane

Only just noticed this one. Think you must be a glutton for punishment as you keep inviting my 8 year old (full of attitude) back again!!

Amanda xx