It’s really normal for childminders (or anyone working in early years) to sometimes feel like they’ve “lost the love” for it. The work is rewarding, but it’s also emotionally and physically demanding. Here are some gentle steps you could take to explore those feelings:
🌱 Reflect and Reconnect
- Ask yourself why: Is it the paperwork, the hours, isolation, behaviour challenges, Ofsted pressure, or maybe just burnout? (If it’s burnout, read my burnout blog)
- Reconnect with your “why”: Think back to what first drew you to childminding — nurturing children, offering a homely setting, supporting families. Sometimes remembering your original motivation helps.
🧘♀️ Care for Yourself
- Rest and reset: Burnout can make you feel like you don’t enjoy something anymore, when in fact you just need time off.
- Boundaries: Are you overworking? Too many long hours, too many children, or too much admin outside of working time can quickly sap joy.
👩👩👧 Find Support
- Talk with other childminders: Online groups or local networks can remind you you’re not alone.
- Share with parents (carefully): Sometimes adjusting contracts, hours, or expectations makes things feel more manageable.
🌟 Reignite Joy
- Change things up: Introduce new activities that excite you as well as the children (nature walks, gardening, cooking, local trips).
- Professional development: A short course or new qualification can give fresh purpose.
- Inspiration boards: Create a folder or board with children’s drawings, thank you notes, or special memories to remind you of your impact.
🔄 Explore Options
- Consider scaling back: Maybe fewer children or shorter hours is enough to bring back balance.
- Think about the future: If you realise you no longer want to childmind long-term, it’s okay to start exploring what comes next. Skills from childminding (organisation, safeguarding, creativity, communication) are valuable in many other careers.
👉 Losing the love doesn’t always mean it’s the end. Sometimes it’s a signal that something needs to shift.