Live in Childminder

[Ricah]

Hi,

I'm a single mum with a two year toddler son, I currently work full -time.
I live at Beckenham, work at Stratford, starts work at 8.30am and get home at 7.45pm. I had an aupair who'gone back home.
I'm interested in a live in childminder who will live with me from Monday To Friday. Or alternatively a reg childminder who wouldn't mind my son living with them from Monday to friday and i pick him up Friday evening.
I normally leave home at 6.30am, and I'm struggling to find a childminder at that time.
Many Thanks.

Hi,

I'm a single mum with a two year toddler son, I currently work full -time.
I live at Beckenham, work at Stratford, starts work at 8.30am and get home at 7.45pm. I had an aupair who'gone back home.
I'm interested in a live in childminder who will live with me from Monday To Friday. Or alternatively a reg childminder who wouldn't mind my son living with them from Monday to friday and i pick him up Friday evening.
I normally leave home at 6.30am, and I'm struggling to find a childminder at that time.
Many Thanks.

Can't you just get another aupair ??

I think you need another au pair as childminders mind in their own home and therefore wouldn't live in. I would doubt a CM would take a child all week to, my DH wouldn't as hes not registered for overnight care and it would impact too much on our quality of life.

I think you need a live in nanny.

You are asking for long hours for an au-pair or mothers help.

Wouldn't you rather your DS stayed at your home, so you could go and see him, even if he's asleep, or be there for him if he wakes in the night?

Those are awfully long hours. I think you need a live in nanny, but that would be costly, or a CM/au pair combination. The hours are far too long and stressful for an au pair who would be isolated and unable to make the most of what they see as a cultural exchange nthey would be tough for an inexperienced nanny, but at least they would have some idea of what FT childcare entails (if they've done a qualification) so you're probably looking for a nanny with a couple of years experience.

Is that something you can realistically afford?

OP, with a 4 hour commute everyday, is it likely that you could move closer to work or ever work closer to home?

A live in nanny would realistically set you back about £300-£400 a week plus tax but it sounds your most viable option

Have you contacted the local FIS? they should have a list of c/ms who work those hours...many do but may charge unsociable hours...give it a go

I really hope you didn't have an au pair doing those kinds of hours!

Childminders live in, and au pairs can't do anything like those hours. You need a live in nanny, and you can't really kick them out at weekends.

you need to move closer to work or find another job. Those hours are insane! In other countries it is more usual to have children living with family/friends while the parents work, but I don't think you are going to find someone here who is happy to take your child to live with them for 5 days a week. It's almost like they would be fostering him, which is a completely different arrangement.

i'm sorry if this comes across as rude - but wow, your little boy never gets to see you!! could you not cut down your hours at all? They are only young once. Realisticly, the only care you could be looking at is a full time childminder and then drop off/pick up by an au pair - but is that any good for a 2 year old? I really think you need to look at the hours you are doing and if it worth the level of stress both you and your child must be under, sorry.

(and I am a working single mum too by the way for what it's worth...)

ReetPetit - a nanny - live-in or out is another option.

This is a bit of a tangent, but 2 hours sounds a very long time to get from Beckenham to Stratford. Is it worth looking at your route?