To not contact this child minder again if she can't spell

[Mummyofonesofar]

I am expecting twins in March, I wanted to get in touch with a few childminders to find out what people are charging at the moment and maybe set up some viewings (haven't used one in years). I saw someone posted online recommending a childminder who has space now the poster's children were going to school and she passed me her mobile number.

I text and asked for some info about her. Got a reply and the first line is "I have bin childminding for 25 yrs".

You would think someone looking for work looking after children would bother to spell properly by text, so can only assume she thinks "bin" is the same as "been". AIBU to ignore the recommendation?

Poor spelling is suggestive of poor general education but I don't think poor spelling per se should be your only reason for rejecting a potential CM.

I would attach greater importance to how articulate a potential CM's speech was, and whether they were good at and keen on reading stories aloud, than to written English skills.

If the CM isn't fit to look after your children then neither are you, at least till you learn that the past tense of "text" is "texted".

I have heard that the word "text" has become accepted as a (new) irregular past tense form in standard English. So OP is not unreasonable in using "I text" in the past tense. She could have said I text messaged her & then all confusion might be avoided.

No it hasn't. Text is just wrong as the past tense and I don't care how many people think its ok.

Good luck with the twins Mummyofonesofar (faints with the thought of it)

Hmm. "Messaged" could be considered a neologism. Safest to go with "I sent her a communication via the telephonic network using the Short Message Service protocol".

Mintyy just clocked that.

OP shouldn't you look at the content of what she says rather than the odd spelling mistake? You could be disregarding one of the best childminders around. Sigh.

And I've heard that 'bin' is the new OED accepted form of 'been' just in case people are getting pissed off with double e's.

If she has been childminding for 25 years she's older and a lot of older people don't really txt well from experience. Also you chose to txt her? Surely ringing would be more appropriate and actually speaking to a person that you may end up trusting your children with! Ripple txt speak I don't think it was predictive as "bin" is how been is actually pronounced in my local (common) accent.

I'm a stickler for spelling and grammar. I can guarantee I am the last person who is suitable as a childminder. Can't stand most of the little blighters.

So on that basis, I would say that spelling ability does not equal good childminding abilities.