Message from childminder

[discombobulaty]

Aibu to think this is shit.

''Due to a change of circumstances I am no longer going to be working Friday pm. This unfortunately means that I need to give notice. Therefore My last day with xx will be 5th January.

Thank you''

So for context my child started with childminder 3 weeks ago, one afternoon a week, all seems to be going well, he's reluctant to go in but I get updates pretty quickly to say he's settled fine. CM newly registered and doesn't seem particularly busy.

AIBU to be fed up with this?

I'm sorry what? No wonder she's quit, that's a pittance YABVU

YABU - she has given plenty of notice. No, it doesn’t show she is unreliable. Cancelling last minute would be unreliable.

In my experience of looking for childminders, most childminders wouldn’t take on a contract for half a day a week because that’s not exactly going to pay the bills… most are for 2/3 days a week minimum. Maybe she wanted to help you out but it’s not worth her while anymore.

She gave you 6 weeks notice. Sure it's shit because you've got to find someone else but again, she's given you 6 weeks notice which should be enough time to find someone.

Why are you fed up? It's only been three weeks

I understand it's annoying when your baby has been there for such a short time, but really, who wants to work half a day a week?

I think you will struggle to find any childcare facility that is willing to commit to so few hours and I think it's a bit unfair to your child because that is very unsettling.

Are you for real? They wouldn't get any kids to look after charging minimum wage per child. That would mean a single parent on minimum wage wages would go on childcare. Where I live average is £4.50-£6. They usually care for a few children at once.

I think you can't afford a childminder, sorry. I'd pay a teenager babysitting more than £18 for three hours. It's not worth anyone's time who is running a business. Maybe try a crèche at a gym or something. No one who's any cop will give you one little slot like that unless it's friends or family.

Most childminders I looked at were £5-6 per hour, I'm sure that's about average.

Yes but for more hours and more children to make it worthwhile. Doing the paperwork for a dc who's only there one half-day a week isn't worth the aggro.

It's annoying when things happened which cause us inconvenience. But you're being ott to say you are fed up of this as if it's a long line of stuff. You're also being dramatic to say it means she's unreliable when she's given you plenty of notice.

People's circumstances change, what do you you want? For her to run her buisness just for you? That's quite a self absorbed approach.

God you awful person.

Good on her for being honest and professional.

You … not so much.

Most people are childminders to fit in around their own family life, she has done nothing wrong and given you over the standard 4 weeks notice period most people use. If you have only been with her for 3 weeks are you still within the settling period were you can leave within first 4 weeks and not have to give or pay notice? It’s funny how no one cares when the childminder is given notice but when it’s the childminder giving notice they are always the bad guy. When I gave up childminding i did speak to each family before handing them the notice letter. I am surprised you found someone to offer you just 3.5 hours as where I am no childminder offers less than 2 full days as it’s just not worth the money and lots are actively looking for other jobs due the under funding from the government for the funded hours they can no longer afford to offer those hours to families and as a result many will not be offering the new funding coming in from April next year.

So, she has a life and is trying to better her professional prospects? Yes, how dare she?

You're being so unreasonable.

I don't think fed up is the right words. Imo your fed up about something that's repeatedly happening.

You got plenty of notice. Yes you are BU

You're being unreasonable. She doesn't owe you an explanation or permission.

Yes yabu. Fed up with this? It has been a v short relationship. It is annoying that it it inconveniences you, but she is a person, with a life outwith childminding. You have no isea what is happening there. She cannot continue to provide the service, for whatever reason. She has given plenty of notice. She is not being flakey. She is being professional.

Sounds perfectly reasonable.

You say you didn't know she was at college, and this comes across over the internet as if you disapprove. Of course it may be my assumptions that are wrong. But if I am right, really it isn't any business of yours what she does when she is not working for you. Are you implying that she is younger than you thought? She certainly seems well put together and professional, to me, for giving you good notice.

On the other hand, you are asking AIBU? Yes, I think you are, but all credit to you for asking, and considering that your point of view might be wrong. (So might mine)

It's good to hear that the childminder goes to college.

Hopefully, it will lead not only to a job with better pay and conditions but also one where she is dealing with more reasonable people.

Fair enough, hadn’t really tied it together that it was 3/4 hours a week.

Round here a new childminder would fill up in a matter of days, shame she’s not busier than it sounds from what OP has said.

Also the OP says that her child is reluctant to go in, so I doubt he'll be bothered at all at the prospect of not going.

He's prob reluctant to go in as once a week

Really needs to be least twice a week so gets used

Literally none of your business what her life involves. She's given you notice, deal with it.

It is nice when someone works around whatever you want, with no conflicting needs of their own, but on this occasion the childminder can't do that. I don't understand what you're annoyed about, as she's given plenty of notice, can you articulate what you think she did wrong please?

It isn't your business to know that she's in college.

@discombobulaty I assume you aren't working as dc is only in for 3/3.5hrs a week

So why can't you do the Monday she has offered if you don't want to change cm