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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Message from childminder

165 replies

discombobulaty · 24/11/2023 19:16

Aibu to think this is shit.

''Due to a change of circumstances I am no longer going to be working Friday pm. This unfortunately means that I need to give notice. Therefore My last day with xx will be 5th January.

Thank you''

So for context my child started with childminder 3 weeks ago, one afternoon a week, all seems to be going well, he's reluctant to go in but I get updates pretty quickly to say he's settled fine. CM newly registered and doesn't seem particularly busy.

AIBU to be fed up with this?

OP posts:
Purplebunnie · 24/11/2023 20:49

discombobulaty · 24/11/2023 20:41

All the nursery's were wanting a full day £58 or 2 half days £30 x 2. I can't afford that. I'll try some other childminders.

I wouldn't be working for that pittance - sorry that should be for the £18.00/3 hours.

viques · 24/11/2023 20:49

If she is a new, and fully registered childminder then she will have to have worked hard to get all her accreditation and ensure that her home is both a safe and stimulating environment for the children. To decide to stop childminding after all that effort is unlikely to be a decision she has taken lightly.

Scirocco · 24/11/2023 20:45

What's unreasonable or unreliable about that? 6 weeks' notice and a polite message - it's inconvenient for you but unless I'm missing something I'm not seeing anything unprofessional there.

BCBird · 24/11/2023 20:44

You are being unreasonable thinking the childminder is being unreliable

Takethehintandfuckoff · 24/11/2023 20:42

Yeah, of course you’re not unreasonable to find it annoying and a pain in the arse, but that doesn’t mean that the childminder is being unreasonable. It’s just one of those one of those things things.

Original poster
discombobulaty · 24/11/2023 20:41

All the nursery's were wanting a full day £58 or 2 half days £30 x 2. I can't afford that. I'll try some other childminders.

OP posts:
sushiburger · 24/11/2023 20:41

discombobulaty · 24/11/2023 19:41

I pay £18.38 a week so I suppose that's her only income that afternoon. Not worth her working maybe?

Yeah seems pointless her doing it then. Never mind. She gave you a lot of notice.

KateyCuckoo · 24/11/2023 20:40

Viviennemary · 24/11/2023 20:36

I sympathise. Just too annoying. Nurseries are a lot more reliable. Sadly there are too many childminders like this.

Like what?

Who stick to their contracted notice periods and are polite when messaging parents?

Do you think she she should be obligated to work until the OP deemed it time to move on?

Would you have a dim view of the OP if she'd given 6 weeks notice to the childminder?

ActDottie · 24/11/2023 20:37

Marblessolveeverything · 24/11/2023 19:33

YABU, you got notice and plenty of it. She isn't mandated is a business she obviously has to refuse money for a reason.

This

Viviennemary · 24/11/2023 20:36

I sympathise. Just too annoying. Nurseries are a lot more reliable. Sadly there are too many childminders like this.

SouthLondonMum22 · 24/11/2023 20:31

I think it's a risk you take when you decide to use a childminder.

Also, that pay is so cheap. Even for a childminder who are usually cheaper than nurseries.

Iwasafool · 24/11/2023 20:30

Cosyblankets · 24/11/2023 19:20

How much more notice do you need?

It is hard on the child to just be settling and having to start again.

TheRealLilyMunster · 24/11/2023 20:29

No work on Fridays, or having to plan your day around childminding in the afternoon for £18.38.

I'm not surprised at her decision. 6 weeks notice is not unreliable.

TeenLifeMum · 24/11/2023 20:29

We used after school club, then they closed that because the head teacher got fed up with breakfast club staff complaining afterschool club didn’t wash some mugs up on two occasions so he closed afterschool club. Parents kicked off. Two of us were governors. Eventually head teacher admitted he hadn’t realised it was that busy (40 families left with no after school care) and he let it re open. By then we’d found a cm. Cm then emailed cancelling after 2 months while we were on holiday and I spent a frantic 24 hours trying to make a plan (while jet lagged in Canada). 24 hours later she called and said she had decided she’d like to keep my twins as they’re older and it was the little ones she couldn’t manage on top of her dc.

then covid happened and dc haven’t needed childcare since thank god. It’s stressful but it’s low paid work and reliability is like gold dust.

Tereseta · 24/11/2023 20:26

That's nothing, my sisters childminder made her pay all through covid when she wasn't there, then as soon as she reopened told her there wasn't a place for my nephew

Lizzieregina · 24/11/2023 20:25

If yours is the only paying child she has, I’m sure she has decided it’s not worth committing her Fridays. She’d probably need at least one more to make it worthwhile, and even then it’s not much.

ThisIsntThe80sPat · 24/11/2023 20:21

I wouldn't look after someone else's child for 6 pound an hour either...

KrisAkabusi · 24/11/2023 20:20

Hang on! You're only paying her £18.38 for three and a half hours work?! That is ridiculously cheap. Good luck finding anyone else at that rate.

StarlightLime · 24/11/2023 20:19

discombobulaty · 24/11/2023 19:41

I pay £18.38 a week so I suppose that's her only income that afternoon. Not worth her working maybe?

For three hours?! Of course it's not worth the bother!

Thegoodbadandugly · 24/11/2023 20:15

It's not unreliable you haven't a clue why she has had to cancel, for all you know she could have a terminally ill parent or could be ill herself.

PinkArt · 24/11/2023 20:15

quizmasterr · 24/11/2023 20:02

I agree with PPs that it is not shit and does my make her unreliable

Just this past week someone in my circle was saying they're moving their child from the CM to nursery and felt bad but it worked better for them and most people said yes do what's best for you and don't feel bad.
Only a few days later someone said they were annoyed their CM could no longer do a certain day and everyone agreed it was rubbish.

Surely being able to give notice goes both ways?

The CM's circumstances may have changed and she's entitled to give notice or should she just keep working Fridays until you decide you no longer need her?

It's people consciously or unconsciously looking down on 'the help'. Similar attitudes here on threads about cleaners, supermarket staff and teachers.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 24/11/2023 20:15

I don’t think she’s doing anything wrong. Unfortunately circumstances change.

Shes given plenty of notice, and it’s a polite message so I think all fine.

Annoying to have to find someone new but these things happen.

Whattodonexts · 24/11/2023 20:14

One afternoon a week is not enough for your little one to settle, most places usually insist on at least 1 full day or 2 sessions a week for little ones so they settle better.

Gro · 24/11/2023 20:13

She's not making minimum wage. If she had 2 or 3 children in then maybe it would be worth it but not for 1.

GirrlCrush · 24/11/2023 20:10

She's not paid enough!!