To ask why you chose a nursery over a childminder or vv?

[mummyrunnerbean]

Just that really. Starting the great childcare hunt and feel all at sea- I'm going back to uni in September when he'll be 13 months.

Also, have already posted asking in childcare, but what in particular should I be looking for, in either case, beyond the obvious?

For us it was partly about location - we were lucky enough to find a lovely nursery right on my route to work, whereas all the CMs with space seemed to be in the opposite direction and would add a good 40 minutes to the morning. But we'd kind of already decided on nursery; various friends seem to have had a lot of issues with holidays, illness and random unavailability, and a nursery setting where that's the manager's problem, not ours, seemed preferable. Plus as a PP said most of the CMs round here seem to have school age children and we don't want to be tied to school holidays before we have to be.

My reasons for choosing a CM were the exact opposite of many PP's reasons for choosing a nursery.

I wanted him to have a close bond with ONE person. If this person was ill and unable to care for him (which only happened once in 3 years) I would rather DH and I sorted out looking after him between us than him be (potentially) passed on to a bank staff nursery nurse, or staff member from another room who he didn't know.

I wanted him to do ordinary life things like go on school runs with the bigger kids, go to the supermarket and post office. I didn't like to think of him inside the same set of walls day after day.

I don't think I've ever met a nursery worker who has said they would send their own child to a nursery under 3.

Horses for course obviously.

Op please don't think at a good nursery you dc would necessarily be 'stuck in one room all day' ....

I never found this reality dd always had trips out....not just school runs soft play etc to fit in with some Cm routines....and they played in the huge gardens attached. Weekly Zumba....french club....baking....they went outside in all weathers but I was keen for that environment.

The nursery we chose had a mature staff who had been there for many years. A couple of Key workers even sit for us occasionally still.

You need to go with your gut instinct ....we looked around a few nurseries and they appeared awful. You need to have a good feeling.

I originally looked into childminders and got a recommended list of those registered/recommended by the local council, started working through the list and none were available - although they 'had a friend who they could give the number for.
So then I went with plan B - nursery.
I have to say that since then I've seen so much bad practice by childminders out and about - and sometimes by those that run the local cm association - that I'm glad I made that choice.

I know there are good ones but it's finding them...

I'm also amazed that some people don't want their children to form attachments to a childminder. Strong, positive attachments are absolutely crucial to a small child. A child will always prefer their actual parents.

I used a childminder for ds1 as I wanted him to have strong attachments, I wanted a home from home environment and ds1 was very sensitive (asd) and would have found a nursery too stressful.

I'm now almost finished registering as a childminder myself and I have to deliver the same curriculum as a nursery, have to undergo the rigorous ofsted inspections and background checks that nurserys do. I hope to be like an aunty to the children I look after and I'm putting so much work into planning activities and getting set up to be a brilliant fun place kids love.

Same reasons as others have said. If a cm is ill and unable to look after dd I'd be screwed whereas there were always plenty of staff in the nursery. And we wanted dd to interact with other children on her own as she was always quite shy. The nursery also had cameras everywhere which put my mind at ease and they had a lot of theme days where the children could dress up and do role play

I'm reading some strange things re nurseries on here. Two of the dc at dd nursery were dc of staff. So generalisations regarding staff in nurseries not wanting their under 3's in that environment is pretty sweeping....

Perhaps they have worked at some awful settings.

Primarily because we had no-one else we could call on in the event of the CM being ill, so we decided to use a nursery. I also liked the idea of there being plenty of other children around of their own age, and a structured day with plenty of varied activities.

The thing is, there are bad nurseries and bad childminders.

Excellent childminders and excellent nurseries are just broad and long. Then it just comes down to individual children and preferences.

DS goes to a CM and loves it. Are there any local to you that work with other people? Ours has a few members of staff so illness isn't an issue, it makes it feel like a small nursery too which is quite nice.

Pro cm: Cost, closeness to home, cm was more convenient as sometimes she picked dc up from our house (I realise this is rare), for a v young dc it's good for them to have one to one relationship with a carer rather than lots of nursery staff, not as exposed to as many germs at cm, we provided lunch so no junk food (some nursery menus were awful!)

Pro nursery: more socialisation for older toddler, open all year, more toys and activities, more outside space, less time in buggy, convenience of good nursery meals provided, can get to know other parents with dc's same age, may feed into primary school, no strange adults in the house, trained staff.

Cm for us.
I felt it was a more homely environment for them. With fewer new relationships to maintain.
The cm is lovely and, imo, offers them a stable environment in a similar way to spending time with an aunt or grandmother. She has a structured week with plenty of group activities but also the down time at her home where they draw, play, have lunch and watch a bit of
Personally i am not keen on the environment in most day nurseries for very small children.
I am considerng rethink when me move as dd will be 2.5 and quite sociable and active. Ds will be at school by then.
Theyrealy like their cm.

Posters often comment on "structure" in nurseries, IMO this is not important to a 13 month old baby. If they are with a warm key person that they feels safe and secure with, they will learn and develop without the need for "structured activities" and "excellent facilities". CM all the way! But it is fair to say you will need back up for when CM is ill or on holiday. Good luck x

I've done both and as people have said there are pros and cons and it very much depends on the child.

A key consideration for a CM was that it meant that DD could go to the pre-school at school for her 15 hours a week and the CM could work around that. For this was the best of both worlds - structure and learning at pre-school and a home from home at other times.

That said I know I got lucky with my CM as she was recommended by loads of people and happened to have a vacancy when I needed it (a family had left the area). I wouldn't have done it without the recommendation. Oh, and she has had two days sick in 4 years so that hasn't been an issue - DD's illnesses have been a much bigger hassle!

CM for both my very different children.

I was horrified at the atmosphere in the nurseries I saw - both very good - but for my three-month old it felt as if I were sending her to a factory. (New mum hormones obvs).

Our first childminder was lovely. Nice home, in her fifties, lived locally. Took DD in her pushchair to the shops, on school pick-ups, to the park, and DD would come home smelling of her perfume. (Hard for me at first but I knew she was cuddled to bits!).

Next one had her own child the same age as DD, (fifteen yrs later they are still friends) and a baby. Happy house. Large garden. A few other local kids, (CM had an assistant so they were a team).

Both kids, (my outgoing DD and my slow, (diagnosed with many difficulties), DS), were taken care of. They loved being local. Knew the parks, the library, the shops and all sorts of places that I didn't have time to take them as I worked FT.

They learnt about "how we do things in other people's houses". Meal times were social occasions. Foods was always good. Easy to talk about my children at any point with an equal. When my DS was ill, (seriously), the CM noticed immediately and dealt with it.

Good luck with whatever you choose

My university has an excellent on-campus nursery. Brand new building, very modern, excellent staff and a good staff ratio, a wonderful sensory room, fantastic activities for the babies, they described cuddles as part of the activities for babies so I knew DD would be looked after. There's an open door policy for parents, they are excellent with security, they are happy to work to the baby's routine, I never need to worry that they'll all be ill at once so I'll have to take time off uni, DD loves socialising with all the other babies and its a minute's walk from my classrooms.

So... Yeah :)

nursery; no worries with staff being ill or going on holiday.
more resources.
different adults and children to play with.
lots of adult attention, one to one when needed.
good routine.

I chose a nursery for my children as I went to several different child minders as a child. My experiences within those environments ranged from not pleasant, to truely horrific. A nursery felt like a safer option to me.

I went with a nursery, for all the reasons above (structure, sleeping in a cot in the sleeping room.) It was small with only 9 children in the baby room, and small numbers in the toddler room too.

For those saying that CMs offer a smaller setting, not if they work with a child minding assistant. It increases the numbers and there are no rules on how many over 8's they can have. So it is possible that a CM can have 12+ children at a time with only 2 adults. You have to check.

Also some CMs take the children to soft play and ignore the children whilst they catch up with their friends. Plus dragging small children out on the school run in rain etc not only for drop off and pick up but also collecting pre-schoolers in the middle of the day too. Constantly in and out of the house.

MY kids nursery had separate rooms for the age groups, as most do. So the babies were in a quiet room where they could sleep and have peace. The woman who ran the baby room had been there for 8 years and was still there when my kids left 8 years later. I saw her a couple of years ago and she gave my dd (now a teen, blushing madly) a great big hug, saying that she never forgets her babies.

As said before there are good and bad and you have to find what is right for you. You can always change if it is not right. Go and visit you will feel what you like.

I did have a CM when DS started school, just for drop off and pick up. I did not like her very much but thought for a couple of hours a day it will be fine. I knew her as she used to teach at my school. She and DS did not get on and I had to take him out after a term. I put him in after school club, where the leader was fantastic and very warm and affectionate with the kids. He loved it there.

Oh, and yes, my DCs stayed at the childminder until they were about 9 years old. Ideal after school childcare. They had a quiet room for reading and homework, they could talk to the childminder about school, (they had known her for years!!!), they enjoyed helping set the table for tea and entertaining the little ones - it was a second home.

I also found the CM - whom I still know - a wonderful source of advice. It does depend though and it really is about what works for you.

there are no rules on how many over 8's they can have
yes there are. EYFS states that the number of over 8's mustn't impact on the care of the under 8's. In other words, you can't have more bigger ones that would take too much attention from little ones. Also, our insurance limits the number of children we can have.

It never occurred to me to look at a CM. We visited 4 nurseries and we went with one wishing suited our ethos; it's very laid back, staff are very friendly and genuinely care for the children. I feel the staff know my DD really well and she loves it there. All I can say is visit as many different organisations as you can and then go with the he one which feels right.

I am not sure if this thread will help the OP decide.

I used a CM for a school run and nursery for day care for ds1 2.5 until school age and again for ds2 11 months atm.

I wanted a nursery as I didn't want a hone from home environment. I wanted toys and activities designed for the age the children were at the time. They spend time at home with me doing boring stuff and I do feel guilty about the traipsing off on the school run and annoyed if they then fall asleep in car and buggy and that needs up bedtime. I wouldnt want that every day. i could do nursery pick up before school often but do it on reverse as boys always wanted to be at nursery for take and hated leaving home for school run (but went happily at home).

I also wanted a bond a with more than one person. A friend has an excellent CM, who sounds really fab, but is pregnant so after a year her dd will have to move. DS2 had a keyworker leave at xmas but it wasn't a huge issue as there are other members of staff he is really fond of still there.