Message from childminder

Yes yabu. Fed up with this? It has been a v short relationship. It is annoying that it it inconveniences you, but she is a person, with a life outwith childminding. You have no isea what is happening there. She cannot continue to provide the service, for whatever reason. She has given plenty of notice. She is not being flakey. She is being professional.

You're being unreasonable. She doesn't owe you an explanation or permission.

I don't think fed up is the right words. Imo your fed up about something that's repeatedly happening.

You got plenty of notice. Yes you are BU

So, she has a life and is trying to better her professional prospects? Yes, how dare she?

You're being so unreasonable.

Most people are childminders to fit in around their own family life, she has done nothing wrong and given you over the standard 4 weeks notice period most people use. If you have only been with her for 3 weeks are you still within the settling period were you can leave within first 4 weeks and not have to give or pay notice? It’s funny how no one cares when the childminder is given notice but when it’s the childminder giving notice they are always the bad guy. When I gave up childminding i did speak to each family before handing them the notice letter. I am surprised you found someone to offer you just 3.5 hours as where I am no childminder offers less than 2 full days as it’s just not worth the money and lots are actively looking for other jobs due the under funding from the government for the funded hours they can no longer afford to offer those hours to families and as a result many will not be offering the new funding coming in from April next year.

God you awful person.

Good on her for being honest and professional.

You … not so much.

It's annoying when things happened which cause us inconvenience. But you're being ott to say you are fed up of this as if it's a long line of stuff. You're also being dramatic to say it means she's unreliable when she's given you plenty of notice.

People's circumstances change, what do you you want? For her to run her buisness just for you? That's quite a self absorbed approach.

Most childminders I looked at were £5-6 per hour, I'm sure that's about average.

Yes but for more hours and more children to make it worthwhile. Doing the paperwork for a dc who's only there one half-day a week isn't worth the aggro.

I think you can't afford a childminder, sorry. I'd pay a teenager babysitting more than £18 for three hours. It's not worth anyone's time who is running a business. Maybe try a crèche at a gym or something. No one who's any cop will give you one little slot like that unless it's friends or family.

Are you for real? They wouldn't get any kids to look after charging minimum wage per child. That would mean a single parent on minimum wage wages would go on childcare. Where I live average is £4.50-£6. They usually care for a few children at once.

I understand it's annoying when your baby has been there for such a short time, but really, who wants to work half a day a week?

I think you will struggle to find any childcare facility that is willing to commit to so few hours and I think it's a bit unfair to your child because that is very unsettling.

Why are you fed up? It's only been three weeks

She gave you 6 weeks notice. Sure it's shit because you've got to find someone else but again, she's given you 6 weeks notice which should be enough time to find someone.

YABU - she has given plenty of notice. No, it doesn’t show she is unreliable. Cancelling last minute would be unreliable.

In my experience of looking for childminders, most childminders wouldn’t take on a contract for half a day a week because that’s not exactly going to pay the bills… most are for 2/3 days a week minimum. Maybe she wanted to help you out but it’s not worth her while anymore.

I'm sorry what? No wonder she's quit, that's a pittance YABVU

This. Its annoying but you have plenty of notice.

Not really. Unreliable would be not turning up or giving no notice.

Probably because it’s only 3 hours a week, think she would have if full time. I once had a childminder for once a month and just one day simply told no she can’t do (date had already confirmed with her and was working) and when tried to arrange my next work date I needed she just ghosted me. The other childminders have always either spoken to me or messaged me if changing their availability. Have always stayed on good terms with them and often go back in the future when our needs match again

When you only want one afternoon you are no one's big customer and you will find you have a lot less choice.

Most settings won't take a toddler for so little time as its hard to settle a child who comes so infrequently, its hard work looking after a child that age who isn't verg familiar and comfortable with you.

Sounds like she's dealt with you very fairly and professionally.

She's new to the role so still working out what suits her and her family.

You can't expect her to arrange her life around your £18 a week.

And she has offered you a different day.

If you only needed half a day a week I'm sure you'd work something out. It's not like the child was there 50 hours a week and she's been dropped.

You can't expect someone to run their life around someone who pays them less than 20 quid a week

To be fair where I live I’d be in a world of shit if my childcare fell through as it’s so hard to come by. Would be far more than a few week (over Christmas) to remedy.

That's not how childminders work. They charge between £5-8 per hour per child, usually having more than 1 child at a time.

Sadly the government want to pay even less for these crazy free hours scheme they have. Childminders and nurseries are trying to shout loudly that they will not survive but nobody is listening.