To be worried about filthy childminders house?

[tennispros]

Signed up in the summer and all seemed fine. Today had a settling in session and was really shocked at the state of the house. Not just kids mess but tbh really dirty

I don’t really have a choice re childcare and she’s only there a couple of hours a day so part of me thinks leave it another part thinks I’m being really neglectful sending her there!

Plates and dishes lying around isn't 'dirty'.
They could have had a particularly busy day and washing up wasn't a priority.
Also, childminder's homes need to be be inspected and vetted by the local authority.
Likely that you are overreacting OP.

If it was dirty dishes from the day in the kitchen that doesn’t sound bad. If she is caring for multiple children she probably hasn’t had the chance to sort them? If the house overall is actually filthy I’d look for something else.

A childminder is just one person looking after 3 small children, and when you have ones settling in you often can't put them down - so normal for breakfast/lunch plates to be left on the side sometimes until you get a chance to sort them (usually during nap time).
You can't just put the TV on and ignore the children to do housework.

It’s hard to explain as I could describe it and people would say ‘oh but my house is like that!’ and maybe that’s true, but just had this general sense of, well, grime I suppose, the dishes are something tangible but it all looked very unclean!

but I don’t really have an alternative! It’s only for two hours a day …

Thanks I do know what a childminder is 👍🏻

Was the floor dirty?

That sounds like 'busy looking after small children instead of loading the dishwasher', rather than filthy.

You are a bit defensive OP.

While I don't think anyone should leave their child in a 'filthy' house, I'm not sure used dishes on the sides in the kitchen are it.

I did spend many, many years in frontline social services and saw things that could only be described as 'filthy' so maybe I'm adjusted differently.

But you weren’t running a childminding business.

YANBU. Our childminders home was always clean. Messy sometimes kids toys obv - but never dirty.

I would give it a week or two to see if anything changes. But if it’s really consistently unclean you’re going to have find an alternative option.

Sorry, I’m not meaning to be. It’s just really hard to explain exactly what I mean - I’m sure some of you have gone somewhere and felt it’s just not clean at all, and the kitchen really was pretty disgusting tbh, but actually providing a description is hard. So for instance I could say toys everywhere and that’s a good thing but not in a ‘oh how nice the children have been playing ’ way - more like someone dumped the contents of a charity shop somewhere!

There was some specific stuff but I won’t describe that as don’t want to be outing.

So hard as I do feel bad sending her but on the other hand I have no choice and I’m sure she’ll be fine.

Dishes in the sink wouldn’t bother me. Dirty floor and toys/equipment would.

It would be neglectful of you to send your DD somewhere really filthy.

Why be so rude?

Is it dirtier than forest school?

You need to add more detail.

There was some specific stuff but I won’t describe that as don’t want to be outing.

Dog poo amongst the toys?

This rings alarm bells. What kind of mess? Maybe ask to use the loo next time you drop off. If that’s dirty I’d find an alternative setting. Your daughter could get food poisoning and be really ill and dirtiness may indicate a mental health problem or someone who doesn’t cope.

There was some specific stuff but I won’t describe that as don’t want to be outing.

How in the world could it be outing? 😳

If the childminder was on MN? Quite a few are.

If you truly think it's disgusting, you surely wouldn't send your kid there. You'd have to find an alternative or not go to work. Otherwise you'd be neglectful.

From what you've mentioned - dishes in the kitchen and toys dumped on the floor - I think a lot of childminder's homes will look similar in the middle of the day.
If the last time you were there it was clean and tidy then I'd put it down to a busy day/week.

If the floor was dirty, nappies or old food on the floor, animal hair everywhere, then I'd be more concerned.

But work are unlikely to take that as an excuse so it’s a massive decision. Part of me is a bit ‘yuck’ about it; another part is trying to think it’s only a couple of hours a day twice a week so to grin and bear it.

Honestly, it was a bit gross though.

Hopefully it was a one off.

@maggisimpson I think it’s one of those where you’ll just have to kind of accept what I’m saying or not accept it. I’m honestly not being rude or defensive there but it’s one of those where people will just keep jumping ‘there were toys on the floor’ totally but it was more like a load of random junk emptied all over the floor than children playing by IYSWIM. The specific stuff I’d rather not get into. It was dirty, really dirty. Maybe a one off and maybe not. Just worried.

My mum sent me to a childminder when I was in year 4, 5 and 6 at primary. It was so gross! I can still smell the exact smell of the house - it stank of stale milk.

I remember never being offered a drink after school and the occasion I did end up in the kitchen I found it revolting. I was only young; so it must have been truly minging!

I'd see how you find the house in a few days time. Maybe it was a one off.

Does it smell??? Thats usually the sign of dirty house rather than untidy.

It's hard to know from your description, but generally I'd think if it's todays dirt then I don't think there's anything wrong, you've just caught her before she's got around to it. If it's ingrained grime or if things are mouldy, etc. then it's a big problem.