Childminder going long distance (ish) with my son....

[Writerwannabe83]

I have a son who is 3 years old and he goes to a childminder a few mornings a week although today due to unforeseen circumstances he's spending the whole day with her.

I dropped him off this morning, I chatted with the CM as normal and then went to work. He's been going to her for about a year now and she's really lovely.

One of my colleagues also has a 3 year old son who goes to the same CM (it is this colleague who recommended the childminder to me) and when I saw her at work she passed comment about the CM having told her that she was going towards Nottingham with the children today to visit a new Children's Play Centre with attached petting zoo type thing which is supposed to be really good. Nottingham is about a 2.5 hour drive away from where we live.

I was a bit taken aback as the CM hadn't mentioned it to me and I don't know, it just made me a bit uncomfortable.

I know we put our children in the care of the Childminder so we should trust their decisions and actions etc but taking my child 2.5 hours away without even asking or mentioning it just seems a bit off?

Are CMs allowed to do this?

Surely the children should be cared for relatively close to home in case there are any emergencies?

My sister is picking him up at about 6pm tonight so I will get her to casually ask the CM what they've been up to today....

AIBU to feel this is just a bit strange?

Agree with Coddiwomple my only (slight) concern would be bedtime going to pot because of all the sleeping in the car. However, it's Friday and they're off to do something exciting.

Even if your dh knew, I would 've reminded you at drop off or yesterday's pick up. I was a CM\nanny. There would've been the need for packed lunches\drinks etc. for the car journey. There' s no way I would 've driven my mindees for all that time. It means they don't get long enough at the destination too.

I second it being hubby's bedtime tonight. Post long car-journey bedtime. Yuck!

Still think she's mad to do it....,

I think childminders have to be mad just to do their job.....I can't think of anything more draining than trying to entertain other people's children

God I'm so annoyed with DH - he's such an idiot He was apologetic though and we did have a laugh about it.

Thankfully my CM was very gracious....apparently her husband is just as hopeless

Not getting all the outrage about the distance in case there is an "emergency." You can't live your life with all the anxieties surrounding the "What ifs" in life.

Google has a function called 'google maps' where you can enter two locations and it gives you a petty accurate estimate of how long the drive would take. AA route planner will also do the same.

Are you sure it's 2.5 hours of driving to go to soft play?

I'm a childminder and have permission to take children to local agreed places.
If I'm going out of our usual area I will mention it

Can I just say that I love that the CM said she "mentioned it" and he was "fine with it" and so I thought it was mentioned in passing and he didn't really register.

But, oh no, he shelled out for it. It must have registered!

Given the information you've put in previous threads, it would be about 1hrs -1hrs 15 from your location to Nottingham...

I am a childminder and get permission for local trips.One of the good things is we can change plans if we suddenly get a sunny period lets get out, raining lets go to group.

As you have said DH knew, I wouldn't do a trip like that without forward planning.

Hope your DC has a lovely day out.

Do you get a daily diary of what he's done each day? Or does she usually tell you at pick up time? I'd get your sister to ask what he's done when she picks up and you confirm if still
Unsure when you see her. I think it's bad practice not to have been told personally.

I'm guessing that she is not normally able to do such 'adventurous' trips and your DS is normally only with the CM for half a day so she wouldn't have time to do it usually as she would have to be around for a mid day pickup. She obviously saw today as an opportunity to go somewhere different by going further afield as your DS was staying all day. It clearly isn't going to happen all the time if your DS is only on half days.

Typical that your DH forgot to mention it though. The number of times my DH talks to me about something and I haven't got a clue what he's talking about because he thinks he's mentioned it before - but hasn't!

It's a bit of a trek (if correct). When I nannied, I always told the parents if I was going anywhere outside the local area where they knew I usually went....so I was based in Ealing but once we went to The Model Village in Beaconsfield so I told them.
Plus I took them to London Zoo once and again said I was. I think they needed to be informed I was miles from home (this was before mobile phones though).
I wouldn't bother if it was a different park or pool a few miles further than normal.

I wouldn't be happy to pay for childcare and have my DC spend 5h in a car.

What play centre is it just out of interest?
We're up Nottingham way