to be bereft that my childminder is closing...

[rainbowduplo]

...in two months time!

This woman has been more like a member of the family...only one I pay monthly 😂 She's offered advice and guidance, been a sensible ear, knows my kids as well as I do, we roll our eyes at the same things, she always seems to know what's coming next with my children and warns me in a way which is just the way I'd want to hear it, still looks after my oldest on inset days and after school. She's genuinely been my rock for years, and the kids bounce up and down when it's time to go to her house.

It's completely and utterly the right thing for her family, and I don't begrudge her that at all. For her it's the right decision, which is what I managed to choke out when she told me, but for my family...I'm crushed. My youngest starts school in Sept 25, we were all so comfortable. I don't want to start over again with anyone else.

She was crying, I was crying. It's like a break up 😂

Perfect timing for your little one to get into a preschool to transition to big school

She's already going in September. She's meant to stay at the childminders the days she's already going and then do a day per week at the pre-school for precisely that reason. CM was then going to pick her up from pre-school for tea so I could work a long day. We don't have a lot of options for pre-school/nursery options near our house. I don't particularly like the pre-school, plus it's term time only, hence the plan of her only going there once a week.

One day a week at pre-school isn’t really enough for them to settle. I hope you find a new childminder who can wrap around preschool 2 or 3 days a week.

That is hard, you’ve found someone you’re comfortable with personally and leaving your kids with. That is a big emotional shock/trauma, plus you now have to find a replacement (and try not to compare them to your old CM… you know how disastrous dating is before you’re over an ex…)

I feel like this about my child minder and worry about this every day 😂 not unreasonable, I'm so sorry

Aw, take her out for a bottle of wine. I'm still friends with mine ... it's been 8 years since she's childminded for me, but now we will pay eachother in wine/chocolate to babysit x

Oh yeah I'm fully intending to be her friend forever 😂

It worked well with our other children :)

Thank you, me too! I'm pretty confident DD will get on in a new setting if we find one. There just don't seem to be many about, and the ones that are there have long waiting lists. She's been on the list for that pre-school since she was born 😩

exactly!! How will anyone else shape up?! 😜😫😖