To be surprised no one I know is using a childminder

[Aftermidnightstrikes]

Or a nanny, actually. They seem commonplace here but in RL everyone opts for nurseries. Has anyone else found this?

@Footprintsonthemoon1, the childminder I use now does not take my child on the school run so I loved that part. It was a mother daughter establishment so only one of them does the school run and the other one stays at home with the other kids.

@tohaveandtohold that sounds way better. My view is very minimal as its such a small rural community. Your set up sounds like a lovely team

with kids in the van waiting for siblings to finish school or parents to pick up at 3. No way I'd send my dc to someone who'd sit them in the car for that long, I was there 30mins early, maybe they'd been there 31mins or maybe 45 but in my mind that was time they could be playing or doing other things

I used to sometimes be at school pickups 30/40 mins early with 1 or 2 children in the car. Because we would have been out, or at an activity and they would have fallen asleep on the way back. No point going home and waking them. So they slept until they didn't and if they woke we sang, played games and chatted until the others came out of school. Just the same as I did with my own children.

We used a childminder for five years, she was amazing and when we had to say goodbye to her when youngest Dd started school I actually cried. I felt like my kids had a lovely home-like environment but with socialisation too. She did after school care and my kids loved playing with the big kids. She was an angel

I would have preferred a childminder, but they just don’t exist where I am, everyone uses nurseries.

When we lived in London, must people used nanny’s.

It’s so area dependent.

I agree, it's very area dependent. There were very few childminders when we lived in london zone 2. A lot of people worked very long hours in the city and therefore had to use a nanny, there were several nurseries within walking distance.
Although, DS started off a childminder, but it just didn't work from us logistically.

In the village I now live, I'd say 80% use one of the childminders, probably as they drop off at the local pre-school when the children get to 3. T

Regarding the school pick up, my son loved doing this to get othe older children with his childminder. Made is easier when started school too as was used to it. When older the little kids used to be excited to see him when collected. As previously stated l was lucky I had a good one until Ds started high school. I know she would walk them too to sch pick ups but sometimes drive.

My Granddaughter loves her Childminder and runs up to her front door. She's brilliant!

Whereabouts are you based OP? We’re in a large town in the SE and my experience is very similar. I don’t know any working parents who use a childminder - virtually everyone uses nursery. A couple of high-earning colleagues (more senior than me!) use nannies.

I honestly have no idea why that would be the case though!

I would be quite happy to use a childminder but having visited over 10 in my local area recently and being really shocked at the poor provision, we are having to go with a nursery.

Nanny is too expensive and an in home option doesn't work with wfh some days.

Childminder is about £55 a day, nursery £75-
125 a day. But frankly, it seems like, at least near me, you get what you pay for.

Yep, no one I know, friends, colleagues or otherwise, use childminders or nannies.
It’s nurseries or grandparents.

I was a childminder for 4 years.
I've never sat slagging parents.
My house was amazing I was a great childminder don't write them off

Oh I tell I lie - I know one colleague, but the childminder was closed down so she had to move to a nursery she’s not keen on!

Childminders in the majority amongst mums I know

So few childminders where i live. Amazing nurseries though.

I did a 50/50 split and it was a pain organising childcare when CM was sick or on holiday.

I chose a cm because I thought the home-from-home setting, and single attachment figure, was really important. It was the right choice: ds was in a family environment with strong family values. He still cherishes the friendships he made there.

@Janaih

Most people I know said they didn't want dc getting attached to one person. There's also the risk that cm may sometimes be ill or take a holiday.

This is a bit of a resurrected thread but this post made me feel really sad. Like pp said, one person to get attached to is exactly what infants need! Not to say nurseries are bad, but the best ones will allow children a primary attachment figure because they understand infant mental health.

I chose nursery for my two youngest because possible trigger something bad happened to my niece at a childminders that went unnoticed until she had the courage to tell her mum. I feel sick thinking about it and everything afterwards. I want more than one person around my kids now

I had a fantastic childminder for dc1+2. Healthy food, home from home, dropped them at preschool when they reached 2yo etc. She was excellent, and much cheaper than nursery. We then moved house and jobs, and I couldn't find a new childminder, so dc3 goes to nursery. She's happy but it doesn't compare.

Hi I know this is super old but I was wondering what the things were that you saw and what about it was bad? What are the things which made you feel that nurseries are safer environments?

My dd used a childminder for her 3rd, at least partly because it was cheaper. The CM was lovely, though. The 2 elder were at nurseries. Dd did wonder how the 3rd would take to the much larger and busier environment of pre school, but the transition went very well.

Precisely this. Nurseries don't get ill or take holidays meaning your child cannot attend. Of course their staff do but that's a different thing. I couldn't afford to take the risk of my child suddenly having no daycare,

I enquired into using a childminder for my second (for money reasons more than anything) and all the childminders in my area were full or had very limited availability such as only having a space 9-3 which isn't any use for me.

My eldest went to a fantastic nursery which is now where my youngest will be going. Like many people I didn't want to be using annual leave to be covering a childminders annual leave and I like the fact that there are several members of staff at our nursery and they do a wide range of activities and loads of outdoor time.

Most mums I know use nurseries. I don't know anyone who uses a nanny. Probably because no one I know earns enough to use one!

I don't have anything against people who become childminders because they want to stay at home and need the money. My mum did this when we were about 3 but she did like looking after babies and she looked after a baby full time from when he was six months old and he just became part of the family. I loved having him about and my mum and his mum are still friends 30 years later!