Mumsnet Talk

I'm lookin for a childminder that starts at 6.45 - 7am from next July/Sept 2012 for 3 sessions a week as I need to start work at 7.30am. I also need the eldest dropping off at school but won't find out which school he has got into until next year so preferably need a childminder with a car in the LS19 area.

Hi, I live in Ls21 and start at 6.50. I wasn't planning to but on meeting the family I thought we'd work well together so was happy to compromise.

If pm me with the area you are in I'll try and dig out my list of Leeds Cm group coordinators for you. Also, if you call Family Hub they will provide you with a list of all the minders in your area. Good luck x

When I first started I was going to do 8 til 6,but a family approached me and asked me if I would do 7 til 7 3 days a week and I did. It's worth asking, even if the hours aren't advertised.

i start at 7.30am but would do 7am if asked

You might find it tricky, because you are actually trying to deal with 3 different issues.

1 - Early starts - as others have said, you can but ask. Some CMs might not mind an early start for 1 family, but probably won't do it for all of the families because it would be too difficult to get their own household up and running.

2 - Not knowing the school - until you know the school you won't know if the CM is ABLE to drop off and pick up. If they already have DC and/or mindees at different schools they may not be able to fit in all the drop offs. (I have sadly had to stop using my wonderful CM regularly because of this.)

3 - Start date of July - September - until your DC1 starts school FULL TIME they are included in the under 5s numbers. So you are utilising a full time space for a very short period of time, a space which may not be available until another of their mindees starts full time. If you could leave starting your DC with a CM until late September you may find it easier - if they are a summer born child then it could be even worse. Although the new rules require the school to allow your DC to start full time earlier than January if you wish, some schools can make it very difficult for you to ask without sounding totally unreasonable.

Thanks for your advice. Think I will wait to see what school my son gets into, then will try and organise something, I appreciate it's a very difficult situation. xx

I used to start at 6.30! I was accommodating, because the mum was lovely and she knew I was doing something above and beyond.

She was the most wonderful parent I had! I never, ever in the 6 years I looked after one or the other of her kids, gave me problems.

It is definately worth asking. 6.45am, isn't that early for lots of mums/childminders.

I have done 7 am and really hated it. Too much into family time.

I used to start at 7 am for a friend and her hubby as they had to bring the boys over from an area in Manchester 3 miles from us and I used to drop them both off for Mum as he was a teacher and finished late most evenings. It was a long day but as I loved the boys as my own I didn't really mind.

I usually say I will start from 7.30am ( must be getting old) nowadays. Not had anyone asking for an early start for a while.

It got me up at 6.30 (zzzzzzzzzz ) but I was in a good routine by about 2nd week

i have done 6am starts, but that was a short term arrangement for a mum who was studying at uni. I currently do 6.45am starts possibly 2 - 3 times a week depending on this family's time table. It is certainly easier to start that early if the children are a little older! I would be very loathe to take on a baby under the age of 2ish with a 6am start!!!

But it is possible and there are childminders that do it. Of course, you will pay for the early starts!