Childminder - is this normal practice?

[JackGrealishsHair]

Just started looking round at childminders locally and it's the first time I've done this. A genuine AIBU to be surprised / shocked by these practices?

For context children are aged from 12 months up to 5 years.

• children sleep on a plastic crashmat on the floor all piled in together. No blankets, no cots for tiny ones, no curtains in the room. This room is also used for soft play. Is this normal practice?

• meals are always dahl and bread. Always vegetarian and lentil based, some variation on the dahl recipe. This is because so many children have different dietary requirements, so its easier. If parents wish child to eat something else eg chicken or vegetables they have to provide those already prepared.

• there are no high chairs available for very young children at meals. They eat in the floor or if they can manage sitting in a small chair.

• nap time is the same for every child regardless of age or routine at home.

• childminder says she will often tell children that they love them and this is healthy because of how close she is with the children.

AIBU to be surprised by these or is it normal?

@Notdoingthis

I don't understand all the angst about daal. The most days mine ever did a week in childcare was 4, but that was term time only. I gave them breakfast and tea. So 4 meals a week out of 21 meals being daal, a really healthy food, seems fine to me.

If it actually is just dahl and bread it is shitty due to the lack of variety.

There are plenty of vegan/vegetarian meals you can make, and I find it tends to be older people who make a decent variety of vegetarian/vegan meals.

My LO was in childcare 3 days a week and is now in 5 days across 2 settings. One out of 3 days and now 5 days is meat eating in the settings and the rest is vegetarian/vegan. The menu at each setting is varied and it makes it easier to cater to allergies and other dietary requirements.

@JackGrealishsHair

I'm surprised this childminder was awarded Good by Ofsted. I am following my gut instincts.

Ofsted looks at things like safeguarding practises, how children develop and learn with the childminder, interactions between childminder and kids.

If the food is age appropriate and nutritious = good
If the beds are safe = good
If the children are well looked after = good

You might find it weird but things like serving lentils for lunch every day isn't dangerous or detrimental the child's development so ofsted aren't going to have an issue with it.

I used to see a group of childminders out and about weekly. Lunch was a tin of cold spaghetti or macaroni cheese plonked in front of them. She didn't respond if they cried and minimal interaction. Think I prefer your childminder.

Oh and my kids love dhal and I have a book with about 100s of varieties of it in. Healthy stuff.

Nurseries have the crash mats.
Mine was from 12 months old on them and babies from 12 months old were also in chairs but with straps, so they couldnt fall out

Everyone eating the same is easier and bringing in the food is pretty standard i think

How old is your child?
How many days a week?

A child starting nursery even in the baby room has to adapt to the nursery routine

You don't employ a Childminder.

My kid loves dhal as much as the next kid but I don't think serving the same thing everyday is appropriate for a childminder due to lack of diversity of foods.

@ItsAUserNameThing

My kid loves dhal as much as the next kid but I don't think serving the same thing everyday is appropriate for a childminder due to lack of diversity of foods.

But the CM has said OP is free to provide her own food if she wants - that's pretty normal for most childcare settings.

Because for me, the childminder is just that, a childminder. They're there to provide short term childcare. My child is only in childcare a couple of days a week to start, and we intend it to end after two years. It's not a lifelong bond kind of a situation. I don't want her to get overly attached and then perceive that the person who was supposed to love her abandoned her. Which is why I chose a nursery setting rather than a small-group CM.

I've childminded over 80 children. I have children who have been coming to my house for 15yrs! The average length of care is about 6yrs. Once they start school I provide before and after school care. I have a 15yr old who comes here most days 'because she likes it' and because I feed her! The final child I have now just started secondary school and he's been here since he was a baby. The children I minded who are now at university, own their own home, or are at secondary still come round to visit and keep in touch. I am friends with their parents and I absolutely love these children. They are like family members. They also have a strong bond with DH and my own (now grown) children.

And, as they are local, I still see and know the majority of the children I've looked after.

If you don't want that bond for your child then that's fine but not everyone wants childcare that's so detached.

They sleep on the floor and eat lentils on the floor?

No, sounds lazy. I've only had two normal childminders who do things, well, normally. Eating at tables, for example. No naps.

Sounds a bit odd. Keep looking.

@Llouisa1980L

You don't employ a Childminder.

... yeah, you do?

@Thadhiya you really don't. You use their services. They are self employed.