In 2016, Kirsty was enjoying maternity leave with her second child when faced with the terrifying possibility of losing her husband to cancer.
Suddenly, her priorities became very clear.
She knew she wanted a career that allowed her to be home with her children, and used what was left of her maternity leave to qualify as a childminder and set up a business.
Kirsty shares how she built Little Robins when facing some of life’s biggest challenges.
Kirsty often toyed with the idea of being a childminder. Her mum had been a childminder, so a career with children was something that just “felt right”.
Despite this, Kirsty initially chose a career teaching 11-16 year-olds. She wanted to share her love of books and film, and thought that was her future mapped out.
But Kirsty had a firm reality check when her husband, Marc, was diagnosed with cancer in 2016.
Cancer makes you think differently. When faced with the possibility of losing Marc, I re-evaluated what I wanted from my own life.
Giving up teaching hadn’t felt like a realistic option before. Leaving a secure, well-paid job to set up your own business is a big risk. But Kirsty decided “life’s too short” – she took a chance, and built a career that would allow her to spend more time with her children.
She swapped Shakespeare for early years development, and qualified as a childminder. She also registered as a business and took on her first “Little Robins” – two babies who she could care for alongside her daughter.
Since then, the business has grown and Kirsty now employs three childminding assistants, each offering their own unique skill-sets, including outdoor learning, sensory play and phonics.
Kirsty’s decision to move into childminding was personal. It wasn’t some promise of being a high-flying, high-earning business-owner that inspired Kirsty to leave teaching. It was having her own children and experiencing a profound need to be at home with them.
In fact, it took four years for Kirsty to build her salary back up to what she earned as a teacher.
The jump from teenagers to babies might seem like a big one, but Kirsty brings a lot of her teaching experience to Little Robins.
Although not required to, Kirsty keeps written progress records for all the children she cares for and creates learning journals to share with parents.
We’re with them for such a big part of their life. It’s nice for the parents to see what they’ve been up to and who their friends are.
Like in school, they keep to a daily routine, which helps the children settle and understand what to expect each day. Around this, Kirsty plans themed activities for the children to learn through and makes sure she still finds time to share her love of books – whether that’s celebrating World Book Day, or feeding The Very Hungry Caterpillar through outdoor learning.
While Kirsty “never in a million years” saw herself leaving teaching to look after babies, it’s her background in education that shapes how she runs her business and makes Little Robins unique.
Kirsty found her biggest challenge when starting Little Robins was to believe she was capable – to instil confidence in parents while still finding her feet.
I had to find a lot of courage to put myself out there. I had to dig deep!
Putting on a brave smile at the door and introducing yourself as an oh-so-experienced childminder is one thing. But closing the door and knowing you’re responsible for the welfare of another person’s baby is another entirely.
There were moments at the beginning when I questioned if I’d made the right decision. You get that feeling in any job, but it’s hard when you’re on your own… and it’s not your baby crying!
Lots of people who set up small businesses experience imposter syndrome. It’s a challenge to have conviction in your business and your own abilities, while trying to establish good relationships with your earliest clients.
It’s easy to get taken for a ride.
Kirsty’s biggest learning was to prioritise policies over people-pleasing – especially important when you’re dealing with the welfare of children. Kirsty had to be strict with sick policies and safety measures, and learned to prioritise those over meeting parents’ every need.
But Kirsty’s confidence in herself and her business grew. And it was often the children who reminded her that she absolutely has what it takes.
I love it when they fall asleep on you. You know then that they feel safe and secure.
But Kirsty has gone far beyond simply balancing meeting parents’ needs and running a successful business. She has built a community of “Big Robins” – the Little Robins parents, who’ve formed friendships and offer valuable support to one another.
Kirsty understood the importance of building a community around her business, after experiencing the benefits first-hand. When Marc was having cancer treatment, Kirsty was frequently offered a place to sit, take a moment and have a cup of tea, when picking her eldest up from nursery.
She knew she wanted Little Robins to be a place for parents, as much as for the children. Kirsty prioritises open communication – creating learning journals, and videos of the children’s day. She hosts Christmas parties and summer barbeques, and has even set up a WhatsApp group for parents to exchange advice and offer support.
Kirsty strives to give parents the opportunity to get to know the people who their children spend their time with.
The thing I’m most proud of is the family of Robins created by the business.
When talking to Kirsty, it’s clear that Little Robins was created from the heart. It was started as a way for Kirsty to spend more time with her children, after life had shown her it wasn’t guaranteed.
And she’s continued to roll with life’s punches since then. The outbreak of coronavirus inspired Kirsty to build a cabin, separate to her home, which has given the children a designated space for learning and play.
By being consistent in her goal, Kirsty has adapted to overcome some of life’s biggest challenges. But, more than that, it’s helped her exceed what she set out to do.
She wanted a business she could run from home. But, by keeping “home” at the core, she’s created a valued community: a home-from-home for many people, Little and Big.