make do and mend for tougher times

greenbee

Byatt wrote: »

Fuddle, you can tell me to mind my own business, and I don't know the going rate for child minders but I think charging a lot less than others can undermine those already in business as well as undervalue the job you are doing which is being a professional child minder. You will have to put in place a lot of legislated rules as well as training. It's not a hobby but a real, creditable business. What you use the money for is entirely up to you, getting more educational toys or just normal every day things including feeding them.

I also think if people think something is cheap they can take advantage. You have to set the bar to a height that benefits you and the mums/children.

That's just my opinion of course.

Good points Byatt.

fuddle - you also need to remember that what you charge for the mnding hours covers your costs for your admin time. It might be worth having a chat to some of the other CMs locally - chances are there is a shortage of places locally and not only will they may able to give you tips, work with you on group activities, but also tip you off as to the potentially problematic kids/parents...

elona

Mardatha

I think you hit the nail on the head when you said family would mess fuddle around, ensure she failed or gave up then say they knew that would happen.

DD phoned to say she would not be home at 12 , had just eaten breakfast and was going shopping so only three for lunch.

Picked peas from garden and going to experiment with them as mange toute with carrots jullienne, mew HG potatoes and lamb casseroled joint. Sun has finally come out after a very overcast morning so feel more cheerful.

After lunch going to load dishwasher, tidy kitchen and then pop out for YS stuff and gentle walk. If sun comes out properly would enjoy sitting in garden and reading book in peace.

Quiet without two youngest but good prep for uni in September I suppose.

Hug to all

Mrs_Chip

Afternoon All

Well what a lovely day, hope it is the same for everyone - GQ looks like it is going to be hot, hot, HOT in your neck of the woods next week, that'll teach those slimy blighters!

Spent a nice morning by the river scrubbing off the kayaks that have been languishing in the yard for the last two years, if we are going to get some decent weather at last we must use them. So OK, the sight of a middle aged dumpy woman paddling furiously against the tide does raise a titter or two, but it is great fun and I don't care! If the wind drops a bit tonight it would be perfect for an evening paddle.

I would like to be sitting in the garden now, but the bloke who has the garden next to us is down for a break and he spends the first three days strimming.... oh how I hate the noise of a strimmer. It was the bloke the other side all last weekend - honestly I could commit murder sometimes!

Mrs OG is furious. Some one or thing has stripped her gooseberry bush of all the lovely goosegogs - does anyone know if birds would do this? Every single one taken and it was laden a week ago. The gardens are up a flight of stone steps, tucked behind the cottages, but no locks or anything so people can just go up there. Would have to be a bit brazen though.

Right, decided I am not going to be beaten by the mad strimming person, I will take my mp3 player up and listen to the radio or some music.

Enjoy the day playmates!

mardatha

We have dull pewter skies and a very gusty wind. I am not happy.

fuddle

Us too Mar, the girls are playing in the garden and getting tetchy because everything is blowing around, ruining their games. It's not at all warm either.

There's a lot for me to think about and I now have it confirmed that my medication for anxiety etc may prevent me from going ahead with childminding. I need to talk to the doctor. So my aim is to take things really slowly, build up a resource and get my equipment/play area/dogs fencing all done in the time it takes me to get off my medication.

Life is a booooogar sometimes huh?

Thanks for all your suggestions. So much to think about but hopefully everything will fall into place. I'm in control

greenbee

Well at least that gives you an immediate answer for your sister Fuddle you can tell her that you can't look after her nephew due to your medication as you wouldn't be insured.

There is a bright side to EVERY situation if you can find it.

And you can work towards your goal while dealing with the issues and/or finding alternative medication, secure in the knowledge that you sister won't be asking you any favours...

kidcat

Its a bright sunny day here and I have already got one load if washing dry, three more out at the moment and I am hopeful I will get last two loads washed today as well.

Me and DD have blitzed this morning and the house is ok - well as ok as it can be with wet walls and ceilings, not to mention the holes! But at least its tidy, DD6 out playing again which is the whole point of us living here, but keeping DS8 in is a nightmare, so much so that I am planning on taking them out for a few hours tomorrow.
Managed a roast dinner too so all have been fed, which means a snack meal later, have mixed up a batch of Mrs Cs bread and am waiting on it resting.

Am going to move into garden any minute now and soak up the warm air in the hole it helps my chest which is not clearing at all, looks like more antibiotics will be needed on Tues morning

Am quite excited as I have looked in little greenhouse this morning and found a baby pepper growing, much improved on last year when not a one grew. Purple broccolli all doing well too.

ginnyknit

Mar am sending the sun up to you for the rest of the afternoon as I don't need it. Washing is dry and Im housebound as OH is snoozing and can't be left. DS decided to paper one wall in his room to cheer it up but wouldnt pay the price of the paper so bought a small tin of emulsion and some cheap masking tape and has beautifully painted stripes on one wall instead - thats my boy

Got some sausages cooking slow in fry pan to remove all the euch form them then will pop them in the oven with mustard and hunny, plus rustled up a couple of cakes to fill the space - am trying a pepper cake, will report back when I have tasted it.

Popperwell

mardatha wrote: »

We have dull pewter skies and a very gusty wind. I am not happy.

fuddle wrote: »

Us too Mar, the girls are playing in the garden and getting tetchy because everything is blowing around, ruining their games. It's not at all warm either.

There's a lot for me to think about and I now have it confirmed that my medication for anxiety etc may prevent me from going ahead with childminding. I need to talk to the doctor. So my aim is to take things really slowly, build up a resource and get my equipment/play area/dogs fencing all done in the time it takes me to get off my medication.

Life is a booooogar sometimes huh?

Thanks for all your suggestions. So much to think about but hopefully everything will fall into place. I'm in control

Yes, I confirm similar weather here too. Of course in my situation though nice weather is welcome as I have nowhere to go and being indoors what it does outside does not affect me.

But it would be nice for those it does like Fuddles youngsters. I suppose the other advantage is that if you are indoors it helps keep the house warm and avoid having to put the heating on too early.

I'm so sleepy today so I am just laid on the bed dozing but listening to a programme on the local BBC radio Mum and myself shared (I sometimes had a song played for her)Sunday was our main day for hearing the music we liked on Sundays right up to Midnight to be honest.

I thought having slept well this morning I would be more awake by now.

I had bit of tv watching on here through the night and stuck mainly to catching up on comedy. To be honest there is not as much as I thought there might be on the BBC I-player and I realise that in many ways I would not miss TV that much if I gave uo the license(But that' just me)so I may drop the license next year.

I listen to the radio more and I would prefer if I had to pay a licence and contribute to the cost of the BBC Radio I listen to.

Will make myself have a decnt meal later using the chicken I cooked the other day(I had some chicken salad in wholemeal buns through the night)

It looks like we're going to have a downpour quite soon. So Summer hasn't arrived here just yet...

Good to hear that so many posters are having lovely weather and having a Sunday with family or doing what they want to do...

Fuddle, you may be surprisd...your Dr may say this is what you need and see that you are making progress by having a goal to reach fo and you can still do the course?

If that is so and should you find it does affect your plans all that it delays things but does not halt/stop what you want to do. It would be better to have a delay(even if a disappointment)than starting and then having to stop soon afterwards.

Popperwell

ginnyknit wrote: »

Mar am sending the sun up to you for the rest of the afternoon as I don't need it. Washing is dry and Im housebound as OH is snoozing and can't be left. DS decided to paper one wall in his room to cheer it up but wouldnt pay the price of the paper so bought a small tin of emulsion and some cheap masking tape and has beautifully painted stripes on one wall instead - thats my boy

Got some sausages cooking slow in fry pan to remove all the euch form them then will pop them in the oven with mustard and hunny, plus rustled up a couple of cakes to fill the space - am trying a pepper cake, will report back when I have tasted it.

Must do some sausages another day too and possibly try something different.

That Yum Yum spread is still on offer but when it goes back to the orginal price(it's £2 for a 500g tub)so they were selling it at half price. The 1kg tub is selling at £4.

So I'll be back to looking for an alternative.