When I was a registered child minder, I was sometimes understandably mistaken for the children’ s mum. I was a busy child minder having lots of different children of varying ages to care for:
One day I was walking up my street with a couple of children when a lady that I recognised as living nearby said to me “Can I ask you a personal question?”
“Yes” I replied “Are you sure?” she insisted.
“Of course, if I don’t like it, I won’t reply” I told her
To which she came out with “How many children do you actually have?”
“4, but I am also a child minder” was my response. To this she went red and said “That explains it and I feel really stupid now.”
I couldn’t possibly have been the biological mother to all these children as they were too close in age!
Another time I was at a soft play centre that we often visited, I was chatting to a parent while we watched the children playing, she asked me “Where’s Felix today?” I told her “I haven’t got him today as his mum has the day off.”
“What do you mean, aren’t you his mum?” she said with surprise.
Felix was quite a little character who often got noticed and as he had the same dark hair and eyes as me I wasn’t that surprised that he was mistaken for my son.
At a toddler group session a little girl came over and said “Laura’s mummy will you read me a story please?” This time I didn’t tell her that I wasn’t Laura’s mummy as I wasn’t sure she would know what a child minder was so we just shared a book.
During the school holidays I had even more children to look after, I was walking back from the park with three children in tow when we stopped to chat to a friend who happened to be a midwife ( and was in uniform) she told me anyone driving past will think; that poor girl is pregnant again- doesn’t her husband ever give her a break. Later that evening when I mentioned the conversation to my husband he came out with “Everyone must think that I’m a real stud!”
I never minded being mistaken for the children’s mum, as I was very fond of them and I know they weren’t concerned either as two of them still refer to me as their 2nd mum 12 years after ill health forced me to give up caring for them.
However, once a Child came wearing an all-in-one snow type coat with an iron shaped burn mark on the front, I was a little embarrassed taking her out as passers by would think that I had made the mistake with my ironing.
Parents sometimes worry that their child will look towards their child minder as mum I have written about this here
Have any other child minders been mistaken for mum?
As always questions and comments are welcome.
Until next time.
Karen
x
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I had one little un (from the age of 10 weeks) who called me mum (copying my own children). No matter how much I said ‘Sharon’ to her she still called me mum and would get upset if I didn’t answer her when she did. I spoke to her Mummy who astonished me by saying ‘Well mum does look after her whilst Mummy goes to work. Dont worry about it we dont’
My little un did eventually call me Sharon and occasionally mum.
Now I know I getting old cos I get the occasional Nannie/Grandma☹ 😁
That’s lovely, thanks for taking the time to share your experience, Sharon, I appreciate it
That first one is weird – what was she going to say if you said 9? #Dreamteam
I dread to think, Lydia, thanks for your comment
and back again for #ParentPower
I often see child minders whilst I’m out with my three and I don’t know how you do it! #KCACOLS
Passers by thought I was Off my head, Helen, when I was walking along with several children, but honestly I loved every second, I was deverstated when I’ll health forced me to give it up
Mhm isn’t it a compliment at the same time also showing your dedication and rapport with the children you are minding? #dreamteamlinky
Yes,I definitely took it as a huge compliment, thanks for stopping by
Ha, I love all of these stories. I remember seeing a 6 seater push chair in town and thinking, wow that is a lot of kids. But now understand that it was a local nursery taking them out for a walk! I guess its just natural to assume the kids are with their parents?!? #KCACOLS
Thanks, Shelley, for sharing your thoughts and experiences
It does seem like a lovely compliment to be mistaken for one of the children’s mums. As it just shows how much time and energy you were putting into the children under your care. #dreamteamlinky
I did take it as a compliment, thanks for stopping by, Annette
I used to look after a little boy on a Saturday in his mum’s shop when I was about 17 and people always thought I was his mum. He is in his 30s now #DreamTeamLinky
Thanks for sharing your experience
Obviously the high level of care and attention you give to the children shows the dedication to your charges and the parents must be thrilled! Thanks for linking up with #dreamteamlinky
Absolutely, Laura, thanks for your kind words
I have a mum at our group who has baby twins, a toddler of 24 months and a 4 year old and she often gets mistaken for a childminder. She’s superwoman frankly. I have also got a childminder who has her own two plus a child she cares for and she gets mistaken for being a mum.
Funny what people think, isn’t it?
#parentpower
Yes, it is, thanks for sharing your experience, Kare
Yes, it is, thanks for sharing your experience, KareKaren
I bet this happens all the time. #KCACOLS thanks for joining us
Thanks for having me, Rachel
All the child minders I know from the school run have so many children around them it isn’t possible for them to have that many kids! Thanks for linking up with #parentpower
Thanks for sharing,
Thanks for sharing, Laura
I’ve not been a childminder, but when I was in my teens I used to babysit two little boys, and also looked after my niece a few times. Sometimes people would look at me as if they thought I seemed a bit young to be a mum (which of course I wasn’t). I love your husbands comment about being a stud, lol! Thanks so much for linking up with #KCACOLS, I hope you come back again next time x
Stranger’s are sometimes 5oo quick with their assumptions aren’t they? Thanks for sharing,Malin
When I see child minders out with with lots of children, initially I think wow they’ve got lots of children. Then I think to myself, actually they’re probably a child minder.
#ParentPower
Spot on, thanks for your input