You Are Not My Competition (And I Am Not Yours)
I wish I could get inside every childminder’s head and explain something. The family that looked around your setting and then picked mine did not do it because something was wrong with yours. And the…
-
-
Burn it All Down!
I’m reading Jenny Blake’s Free Time for the second time. and if you’ve ever felt proper childminder burnout, you’ll know exactly why I picked it back up. There’s a bit in it about wanting to…
-
The Tired You Can’t Explain: Why You Might Need Mental Rest
Would you know you needed Mental Rest? I was yawning before I’d even got out of Thirsk. It was still early. I’d had a normal night’s sleep, got up at my normal time and had…
-
Childminder Settling In: Finding the Glimmers in the Noisy Middle
My inbox has been full of it this week. Worries, Tears. Tantrums and then some. Everyone’s version of the same problem. Know you are not alone and we are all hear to listen, support and…
-
The September Nobody Posts About: When Your Childminder Spaces Haven’t Filled
There have been many times this has been my setting, but the very first time was the worst. I genuinely worried about the rent, the bills and what it meant for my business. I thought…
-
When the First Week Back Doesn’t Go to Plan
There’s a version of the first week back that does the rounds online. A beautifully arranged autumn invitation table, a freshly reset playroom, and a handful of cheerful children who apparently walked in, waved their…
-
How Not to Burn Out Over the Summer Holidays
There is a pressure that arrives with summer and nobody ever quite says it out loud, this expectation that because the sun is out and the children are here and you have all of this…
-
The Ultimate Beach Bag Checklist for Childminders
What to Actually Pack for a Day at the Seaside If you childmind, you already know that a day at the beach with little ones is never a case of grabbing a bag and heading…
-
Why I Don’t Celebrate World Book Day in My Setting
A few of you messaged me last week asking why I didn’t acknowledge World Book Day in my setting. There were plenty of links to free book vouchers for parents and settings, but you didn’t…
-
Celebrate Childminders The Women Who Hold Everything Together
Today is International Women’s Day, and I don’t think childminders shout about their brilliance nearly enough. When we talk about women holding communities together, we rarely picture the woman in her living room who has…