AIBU to expect childminder to have more children?

[LifeAndSoulOfThe]

Apologies as the title may sound a little rude, I’ve been looking for a childminder for my daughter. We have found one who is lovely, the only thing is she will only have one baby (DD) then 3 other children who are between 1.5-3, now I like her a lot but I’m worried about a small group of children and none are her age.

Thoughts please?

No they have to keep within a certain ratio to provide adequate care to your dd. I'm sure you would be the first to complain if your dd wasnt being cared for correctly. You cant have it both ways.

Childminders will generally only ever have one baby with an exception for twins. It's for their ratios

If you want multiple babies then you'd need to use a nursery

I understand that, my concern is not moving with similar ages.

I’m pretty sure the ratio rules mean that they can take only one child under 1 year. What are you concerned about? You want your child to be looked after along with loads of other toddlers? If you want her to be in a bigger group then start looking at nurseries instead.

I think you've perhaps misunderstood what a child minder does! 😂

I’m asking whether this would concern you as a parent?

They have ratios they need to stick to to give quality care. Also it’s more like a home/family model where a baby would have a few older siblings at home. I expect your baby will find that environment stimulating and might help their development.

It would concern me more if they had breached the ratios allowed

If you want to guarantee similar ages you will have to go to a nursery. Even if you do find one with a similar aged child, what if they leave? They could be replaced with a child of any age. Ratios are different for different aged children because attention needed from a carer is lower, the older the child. If she had 2 other one year olds, how much attention do you think your child would actually receive?

But why does it matter if there are none her age? Babies that age don't play either each other, she'll benefit more from being around slightly older children she can watch and learn from. And it's a more home-like environment - if you look after your own kids at home it's unusual to have several babies at once! Usually a baby, a toddler, maybe a preschool / school age child. Perfectly normal

She will only be allowed one child under 12 months at a time. I think it's 6 in total, but the ratios of ages are pretty strict.

No because a child minder can only have one under one (except twins) it's the rules it's not something for parents to be concerned about if you want a childminder. I didnt want this so mine went to a nursery.

No guys. I’m simply asking whether it would concern you to not be mixing with similar aged children?

OP if you look it up CM can only have one child under one.

Good ones then want to ensure that until they think the child is up to it they don't have any others near their age and don't have more children than they can cope with in the day.

That's one of the pluses. It's more like a family. Children of different ages is very beneficial.

She can't have similar ages though....to give a baby the attention they needed most childminders would only have 1 baby then a couple of older children.

If your DD really is still a baby then she isn't going to know or care that there are no other babies. She'll have fun growing up with the older children who can actually take an interest in her.

If this doesn't suit you, find a nursery.

Um no, because it's typical of a childminders. The ratios exist so that your child has a chance to form a closer bond to their childminder and because little ones require so much attention. Its a good thing not a bad thing

No, it is standard for any childminder, they can only have 1 baby under the age of 1 unless it is twins.

I would prefer it, I couldn't imagine trying to potty train 3 or 4 toddlers at the same time.

Your baby will be fine. If you want other babies then it will have to be a nursery not a childminder, or not a single childminder, one with an assistant (not sure about the ratios once you have an assistant though)

A childminder can’t have any other babies though, so having any other kids the same age isn’t an option for you if you’re using a childminder. FYI I used one for six years and not being with kids the same age was actually a good thing. She started off as the youngest and ended up as the oldest and they all played together really well.

It wouldn’t concern me that my baby didn’t have other babies to play with. They don’t properly play together until a bit older. I think the slightly older children would be good for a baby.

Not in the slightest. Children usually find older kids more interesting and it's more "natural", like a real family, for a baby to be with older kids than a host of other babies.

She’s a baby, why does she need to mix with other babies?

It wouldn't concern me, no. But why does it concern you? Surely you knew childminders have ratios to follow. Why do you want a childminder and not a nursery?

If you want more children of her age you need a nursery

Would you rather she had four babies to look after, just so that yours had babies of a similar age?

Personally the thought of someone looking after my baby while she had three under fours to look after would worry me immensely.