Why did you choose a childminder or nursery?

[eastmidlandsnightnanny]

Ok I need to start looking at childcare options for baby ready for end may when he will be 9mths old going back 4days a week but for first 8-10wks I will do 3 days and then husband will have a day off for 2-3wks so for first 12wks we will need 3 days a week then up to 4days after that time. Anyway I cant decide between a childminder or nursery (nanny not an option we couldnt afford one).

Going to visit both to try and help me decide.

we need childcare for 9hrs a day either 7.30-4.30 (ideal as I prefer to work 8-4 and also would get some time with baby after work) or 8-5.

So what made you choose a childminder over a nusery or vice versa?

Does anyone mix as this was another option 3 days with one and then when we need the extra day have it with the other?

thanks

When weighing up childcare, a nursery would always be my first choice. Didnt need it with DS but would for a subsequent child should we change our minds and have another but do use an after school club which runs the same as a nursery. Pro's were

• staff cover for holidays and sickness so no paying twice or having to cover days/weeks.
• no friends/relatives visiting
• child on site at the nursery unless a rare trip so I would know where they were at all times
• lots of others of similar ages to play with and equipment to do so
• no own child to be favourite
• no school runs or shopping trips in bad weather
• more than one adult
• no dogs or pets
• staff have chosen a career in childcare rather than choosing it as an option to be home with their own children
• very low risk of being given notice if a better paid child comes along - especially if part time.

Its personal choice at the end of the day, it depends what you are looking for in a childcare provider.

I am a CM. Visit both and see how you feel. HappyMummy has some good points, so ask about all these things.

For example: If you came to me, you would not have to pay twice if you used another minder while I am on holiday (but might have to take time off work yourself), we go out nearly every day, my own DD is at Secondary School, so although she is obviously my favourite, she is hardly at home, we don't do school runs and only occasional quick trips to supermarket (to look at veg, etc and maybe buy something for lunch), I work with my DH, so there's more than one adult, we have free range hens and fish, I have chosen this as a career (having a degree in Early Years care) and we don't give notice for better prospects.

Hopefully this shows you that all CMs and nurseries are different and you need to find the one that fits your family best.

Agree with the last 2 posts, visit both and see how you feel. Those pros given by Happymumofone are great but that's personal to her. For example, a lot of those listed as reason for her NOT wanting a childminder could be turned the other way round for some people as they may want the absolute opposite so I guess it's more about you and your family's wants and needs. I'll go through that list of pros and give the other side:

• staff cover for holidays and sickness so no paying twice or having to cover days/weeks - agree with this although most childminders I know don't charge for their time off so less likely for the 2 costs thing
• no friends/relatives visiting - some people actually like the fact they socialise and become part of a big family type unit (although the people I tend to socialise with are other childminders and nannies - great for possible options when I'm off)
• child on site at the nursery unless a rare trip so I would know where they were at all times - some prefer their child to be out and about in the community and therefore wouldn't want a nursery for this reason hence my point about this being a very personal choice.
• lots of others of similar ages to play with and equipment to do so - some prefer a mix of ages.
• no own child to be favourite - hmmm, I think this is a tad unfair as if anything, my own children are not dealt with as well as the other children as I'm too busy with those I'm 'paid' to look after. And most of the childminders I know are the same. But I guess yes, SOME childminders could be like that.
• no school runs or shopping trips in bad weather - I don't do shopping trips but positives are the learning experiences they gain (if not doing full weekly shop). As for school runs - this has only been a positive thing for most of the children in my care for the last 5+ years. They are so excited when picking up the 'big kids' and often run for cuddles, also they seem to settle right into nursery/school as it's so familiar to them.
• more than one adult - some like to have that one person who knows them so well as don't have as many children to one person for the bulk of the day
• no dogs or pets - again some want the pets things, others don't
• staff have chosen a career in childcare rather than choosing it as an option to be home with their own children - I haven't chosen to do this just to be at home with my children. Again, I can see that some do but please don't presume we're all like that :)
• very low risk of being given notice if a better paid child comes along - especially if part time. - I've NEVER done this. I've suffered financially because the last thing I could do was give notice for a reason like that - very unfair to unsettle a child like that :(

So there you go, you've got some different views there :) but only you know what sounds best for your family :)

Good luck.

I'm a nanny so may be a bit biased. I've also worked in nurseries. I would always, always, always choose a childminder/nanny/nanny-share over a nursery.

I wouldn't use a nursery for a lot of the reasons listed above!

1. staff cover for holidays and sickness so no paying twice or having to cover days/weeks.....This is true and a nursery may be more convinient for you, but childcare should really be chosen on what is best for the child and not what is least hassle for the parent IMO. Also nurseries can be very, very fussy with regards to sick children i.e.sending them home for 48hrs for a slight temperature or upset tummy. So you would still need to cover days when your child is ill.

2. no friends/relatives visiting .....I would want my child to see their friends/relatives and can't see a problem with them meeting other people's friends/relatives. A professional childminder will not be holding a family reunion during working hours. It would only ever be people who are appropriate to be around children i.e. friends with young children so they can play together.

3. child on site at the nursery unless a rare trip so I would know where they were at all times ..... would you want to be stuck in one room all day, 4 days a week? I wouldn't (which is one the reasons I don't work in a nursery anymore). It is great for kids to go to different places (softplay, playgroup, the park, the library, the zoo etc.) and also for them to be looked after within their own community, not in an artifical and isolated environment.

4)lots of others of similar ages to play with and equipment to do so ....childminders will have appropraite equipment and will provide socialisation (playgroup, playdates etc.)

5. no own child to be favourite ...I've worked in nurseries where staff have had their own children there as well. Not all childminders have their own children there (often they are older).I think it's unlikely to be a problem.

6. no school runs or shopping trips in bad weather ... there's nothing wrong with kids going out in the rain or snow as long as they're appropriately dressed! You will find in some nurseries they find it to much hassle to dress them all and so just don't go outside when the weather is bad. It's fun to splash in puddles and play in the snow!

7. more than one adult ....With a childminder your child is able to form a close bond with one other adult, rather than a series of staff (staff turnover can be very high in nurseries). It's much easier to ensure the right person has the right information. This was a problem in the nurseries I worked in i.e. parent would tell one member of staff something who would then go off to work in another room/go to lunch/the loo and the staff dealing with the child would not have been told the information etc. Particularly a problem when we had cover staff for holidays/sickness or when we had students in.

8. no dogs or pets .... choose a childminder who doesn't have pets if this worries you.

9. staff have chosen a career in childcare rather than choosing it as an option to be home with their own children ... childminder's are often as qualified or more qualified than nursery staff, dedicated and motivated. Childminders work really hard. It's offensive and often untrue to say they do it simply to be at home with their own children.

10. very low risk of being given notice if a better paid child comes along - especially if part time. ... not sure about this one, but I can't imagine that it happens that often, particularly if you're doing 4 full days.

There are good nurseries and good childminders. There are bad nurseries and bad childminders. I think it is much easier to differentiate a good childminder from a bad one, than it is to tell a good nursery from a bad one. IMO a good or average childminder is preferable to a great nursery. If you find a great childminder then you're laughing!

Have you considered a nanny-share? This would cut costs and make it more affordable. They can be tricky to set-up initially, but once they get going can work really well.

That's a looonngg post...

Can add to point 9 as well? Staff may have chosen a career in childcare but that does not mean they have chosen one in nursery nursing. Most nurseries are staffed by young, newly quailfied girls who are using it as a stepping stone, to gain experience, and move onto what they actually want to do (for me this was childminding ). There is a really high staff turnover which for early years children is unsettling. I would say having one adult, who they really bond with and is consistent is much better for little ones.

I am also offended by the "choosing it as an option to be home with their own children" comment. I chose this career before I had DS. It has postivies and negatives for him. That comment is akin to saying that we are babysitters, that put them in front of the telly and do our ironing!

However, happymummyofone is right int hat she has weighed up the facts and her preferences and decided on what is best for her child. It's really up to you.

I chose to send DS to nursery because...

1. I wanted to give him a very gentle introduction to the idea of a school setting, rather than him suddenly having to go every day at the age of 4.

1. I didn't want him to have a mother/son type relationship with any other adult.

1. I wanted him to learn to socialise with groups of lots of different children without me being there, rather than the same one or two every day.

1. Nurseries are less affected by staff illness, holidays etc.

"I wanted him to learn to socialise with groups of lots of different children without me being there, rather than the same one or two every day"

This is a completely fair point and a really popular reason for choosing a nursery BUT a good childminder will make sure your DC has lots of opportunities to meet other children.

Fir example, this morning, we went to the playgroup across the road so lots of children there.

Tomorrow we will go to another childminder's house to play, so that we be another 3 children.

Last week we went to soft play...and so on.

There are LOADS of opportunities to mix with other children and it's a little unfair to assume that childminders don't bother with that.

I also feel that the close friendships with the children and the childminder, as well as a bigger age range and meeting other people in the community offer more social interaction than being in one room with the same people all day in a nursery.

I've worked in nurseries and the children tend to bounce of each other. There are so many that to each other, they sort of become "part of the wallpaper", IYKWIM.

Whereas a (good) childminder would offer a more varied level of social interaction. There are times when we are out with loads of the kids. There are time when it's just me and one child at home.

There are a lot of little social interactions that happen everyday that don't seem important but all add up. For example, getting on the bus and asking for ticket, or the bloke who runs the fruit and veg shop who always smiles and says hello. Children in nurseries miss out on a lot of that.

I chose a childminder for DD2 (and would have for DD1 if I could have found one where we were living then) because I prefer her to be in a home-based setting and to form a strong bond with one carer. She started with her CM when she was 5 months.

Good points princess - to be honest I was less bothered about my points 3 and 4. Point 1 was my main reason for choosing a nursery setting, with point 2 being my main reason for not choosing a childminder.

I should probably add that DS goes to nursery for 10.5 hours a week. Were I choosing where to send him full time, I would probably have chosen both options. As he's with me for the rest of the time, we do all the things that childminders/mindees do, but we don't do the noisy/messy/busy/school stuff that nurseries do so well. That's why I chose nursery to get the balance.

I agree CuppaTea that in smaller doses, nurseries can be great.

It's more the ones that are there full time that I worry about.

Thanks for the views and some ar so similar to mine which makes my decision so hard!!

Part of me is thinking childminder until about 2yrs old then nursery

oohhh its soooo hard to decide!

Does anyone know or recommend a childminder in thorpe astley/leicester forest east area of leicester as would rather go off recommendation

going to look at a montesorri nursery next week

With your working hours, I think finding a good CM would be best, then see how you feel when DC is 2.

Look at both and see what feels right for you. No matter what anyone posts on here, you will only truly know from seeing the different settings. I went to see a fantastic nursery when I was looking when DS was a baby, but I came out and cried in the car, purely because they each had their own name 'hooks' to put their coats on and it seemed so grown up for a baby. I wanted a more homely environment for him then.

So, I put DS at 16 months in with a CM and he's been there for over 2 years. I am now putting him in a nursery, as I feel he is at the age where he would benefit from a more structured environment, with a wider mix of children to get along with. However, I wanted him to have a one-on-one bond with one person when he was younger (when I think that relationship was more important to him than mixing with other children).

I also think it is worth seeing more than 1 CM and more than 1 nursery. There are crap and good ones of both (so as to avoid seeing a crap CM and attributing all CMs as crap). Good CMs are, in my experience, worth their weight in gold. That said, at 3 years old now, he is really excited to have just started at nursery. For him, and also for me, it seems like a really nice transition.

I used a CM and then a mix of CM and preschool once funding kicked in. This covers off the point of socialising (actually my CM has different children every day and after school so not an issue for me) and getting them used to a more formal setting

CuppaTeaJanice - i find your point 2 quite . I LOVE the fact that my two adore their CM and want her at birthday parties etc

im slightly biased as my ds broke his leg at nursery so im all for child minders ive found an amazing one but i think what you need to do is shop about my ds child minder is at a different toddler group every morning then they go to places like the zoo and sealife centres or wacky warehouses or play centres in the afternoon my ds absolutely loves it.

Thanks again - have always been more for a childminder so will contact a few local ones have actually had info for 2 localish ones so will ring them and go and visit them.

I chose nursery, and mine stayed at the same nursery from 10 months till they started school.

As others have mentioned, I liked having a variety of adults around as for me this felt safer and more reliable.

I liked having lots of kids around, both same age in their own classrooms, but they also had mixed play or other classroom vists, older children 'helping' the younger ones.

I felt that going through nursery would be better preparation for starting school and make this transition easier.

For me, I liked the organisation of the nursery--they had a plan for materials in the classrooms, themes, etc., meal plans and so on.

For me in my area these things were easier to find at a nursery.

I chose a nursery, because there is an excellent Sure Start nursery on my street. Only 6 under 2s in the baby unit with three staff members, brilliant facilites, well trained and well paid staff. Plus it is only for two 4 hour sessions a week - I wouldn't have chosen nursery for longer hours/full time.

There is a shortage of childminders near me anyway, and of the three I contacted none got back to me

I am a CM - I take the kids out every day, we go to soft plays, Children's centres, toddler groups, parks, farms, libraries. Every day they get to socialise with a large amount of children of various ages and with adults. In my opinion a nursery isn't the only way to introduce your kids to others.

I think it's easier to tailor a CMs day to cater better to each child, I can't see how a nursery can possibly individually cater for so many children at once, resource wise it must be a nightmare.

Saying that, now that DD is 2 I am looking to put her into a playgroup for a couple of hours a week just so that she can start to learn in a different environment - variety is key IMO.

I would say that nursery will always be more reliable, lots of staff so won't close for illness, but next door neighbours nursery closed for snow when obv I didn't have to, some parents do absolutely everything to get to work, even if the whole county is at a standstill due to snow, so in that respect a CM may be better.

I am a cm..here are some points on my setting..

1 I choose to be a childminder because I love kids, I was a district nurse and could earn far more money but choose not to. my own are older so dont count into my numbers.

2 I do one nursery run.. littlies love it..

3 never have a day off sick.. dont charge parents for holidays either..( saved flu for christmas week!!)

4 I have a huge 4x4 and in the recent snow I didnt close like the nursery up the road I picked up and dropped off all the children.. and then we went sledging..

1. I dont close my gates at a set time.. I understand that parents can be late to pick up sometimes..

today our theme of the week was 'bears'.. we went to the library to look out books on different types,

we went on a bear hunt in the woods and spotted lots!!! we also had a picnic by the swings in the sunshine all wrapped up..

we made bear biscits and painted pictures of bears,

we made a bear cave in the playroom with a blanket, clothes horse and a torch...

baby room in a nursery and boring four walls for a toddler... not on your nelly..

We chose a nursery over CMs for the following reasons

1. The nursery is open all year round (bar a few public holidays) - as we don't have family close by that can help with childcare, that was a big issue
2. Safety - totally irrational, I know, but we felt that it was perhaps less likely that there would be an issue with this at a nursery
3. We wanted the DCs to have lots of children of their own age to play with - the CMs we looked at had a small number of mixed ages
4. We wanted as wide a variety of play opportunities as possible
5. We wanted there to be a structured transition to the local primary school
6. We didn't want to be solely reliant on one person for childcare - if they were off sick, or decided to give up CM then we would have been stuck.

Very glad we made the choice we did.

I sent my DD to really good local nursery for 2 mornings a week - for many of the reasons listed here.
However, I often had a nagging feeling that she would have been happier in a CM environment, she is a very home loving girl and whilst she seemed to like some staff, others she obviously had little time for.
Interestingly she started at our local school in their nursery in September and is noticeably more content - she told me that while she 'liked' her old nursery, she 'loves' school.