Interview with a childminder.
Today we have the pleasure to interview a childminder who is working in Marseille.
Good afternoon!
First, let’s start by what’s your day like?
I’m currently looking after two young children, aged 2 and 8 months, who are brother and sister. I welcome them at around 8 o’clock in the morning, the time when their parents take them to work. I always put on some music, either “classical” or something a bit more “playful” like nursery rhymes by Anne Sylvestre, for example. The older children may finish breakfast at home. Then at around 9.45 am/10 am, we go for a long walk by the sea or up the hill!
We also sometimes meet up with other childminders and children at toy libraries or children’s educational centres. Then we go home for lunch around midday. For 30/40 minutes, I read different books to the children to get them started and to help them fall asleep. Generally speaking, at around 1.30 p.m. or 2 p.m., the children start their nap, which lasts until 4 p.m.! Then, during the last hour, they have a snack, and we do manual activities or reading, depending on what they want to do, until their parents arrive at around 5 pm!
Why did you choose this job, and what still motivates you on a daily basis?
I’ve been doing this job since 2008. I made this career choice primarily to be more involved in my children’s education than in my previous job. Of course, I love children! It’s an extremely stimulating and rewarding job. Being around children and young parents every day also keeps me ‘dynamic’ and ‘young’. My main motivation lies in the “journey” the children take with me. I see their development, their progress, the recognition in their eyes and the satisfaction of their parents.
During this crucial period of the first 1,000 days, what struck you about the children’s lives?
I specifically look after children from 0 to 3 years old, so that’s the period before they start nursery school. At this stage in a child’s life, there are changes almost every day. It’s also a complicated period because the children are also trying out lots of things, discovering the outside world and I know that I also have a lot of responsibility for their development because, at the end of the day, the children see me more than their own parents.
What importance do you attach to awakening the children’s senses? What activities do you offer to help them do this?
I attach a great deal of importance to sensory stimulation with children. As I mentioned, I do a lot of age-appropriate reading. There’s always music in my home and musical instruments adapted to children. I also offer them a wide range of manual activities including drawing, modelling clay and painting. I also take them to toy libraries to listen to musicians who come and play.
In recent years, have you noticed any changes in the children you work with?
Yes, and unfortunately it’s often negative. Even though I’m not one of the parents of these children, I try to look after them as if they were my own. In that sense, there are no screens for the children to see when they are in my home. Unfortunately, I know that sometimes when the children come home, their parents put them in front of the TV. I try to share my experience as much as possible with the parents, giving them some advice so that they in turn can, if they wish, continue to build on what the children have done at home during the day!
Do you see any of the children you’ve looked after again, and what changes have you seen in them?
Even though it’s a job, being with children inevitably creates very strong bonds of attachment. When the end of the contract comes and the children are getting ready to start nursery school, for example, I tell them that they won’t be coming home again at the start of the new school year… The end of contracts is often quite hard for both parties. I sometimes see the children again, but I try to limit these meetings so that the children can continue to develop. Nevertheless, I very often receive photos, messages, etc. from children I’ve looked after!
Finally, would you have any advice to share that might be useful to parents and childcare professionals?
Above all, it’s a job you’re passionate about! You have to love people and keep up to date with the latest developments in the world of early childhood. It’s a demanding job, but it’s never redundant. You shouldn’t expect to earn a lot of money either, but then again, you don’t do it for the money. My real advice is to be yourself, love people and stay ‘alive’ with your children!
Thank you for sharing your life story and your advice, and we wish you all the best for the future with the children you look after.