I feel like crying...my prospective childminder has moved with no notification.

[itsblackoveryonderhill]

My DD starts full time school in September, at the moment she goes to nursery for the 4 full days that I work.

Knowing that she would be going to school and in all probability into our catchment school, I started to look for a childminder to do pick up and drop off for us (DH does alternate weeks early and late shifts, so could do alternate pick up or drop off).

I put a search into google and lo and behold a childminder, just down the road came up. I phoned her and made an appointment (granted this was around October time, so really early) and I liked her and told her that I would definately use her and I would start DD with her on Friday afternoon come the early spring so that she got used to her so the change of going to school wasn't too much. We didn't have anything in writing or anything though.

Well, today I was driving down the street and they were packing their house up - she's gone and left.....

So, I'm totally up in the air again. I could put a request into work to change to school hours so that I could do pick up and drop off, but it would mean reducing my hours and I've left it quite late to do this (I work as a lecturer).

So, I now feel all in a tiss. I was all settled and put down the catchment school as my first choice in light of having the childminder literally on my doorstep.

I don't know what to do now . I could put a school near where I work as my first choice, or try and find other childcare in the mean time, but as you all know, there is only a month or so until the school places are issued, so I'm sure DD will have already been allocated her place if I go and try and alter her form online.

What do I do???

All constructive advise welcome.

But, just so that you know, this is what I've done so far....

e-mailed her to say that I've noticed she's moved and asked if she's is still childminding and doing pick up and drop off at the school and if so, where has she moved to.

I noticed when I went to the supermarket the community centre has a school breakfast club and afterschool club, so I've e-mailed them. It means me going a bit out of my way and it seems daft to drop DD off there for them to walk her back to the school (which is opposite our house), that is if they do collect and drop off at the school.

Oh, I feel all stressed about it again!!!

had you kept in touch with her since october? did you pay her a retainer? has she replied to your email? do you knwo where she has moved to?

Maybe she's only moved locally? Did you get a response to your email?

and dont cry. it's not the end of teh world. there are questions so far unanswered that could mean nothing has changed except her address. wait until she replies to you and make a decision from there. in the meantime look for new CMers, visit them, get a feel for them and also nurseries that do pick ups and drop offs. just treat this as if you never had a Cmer in the first place and do what you did the first time round. relax, you'll get it sorted.

I don't mean this to sound harsh, but you're having a massive over reaction. Spetember is 6 months away, there is plenty of time to find a childminder or a nanny or an afterschool club. Last October was far too early to be looking.

I assume as you had nothing in writing with the childminder you hadn't paid a deposit or retainer, so she didn't really have your place confirmed?

The childminder may have moved locally and still be available. If she isn't find a different childminder.

Deep breath, calm down, don't cry!

Wow , you sound really wound up. I suggest you calm down first off....

I hope your email to her was okay as otherwise you risk alienating yourself, childminders tend to know each other and Will put the word round if you come across as very rude/pushy/controlling . She may be moving down the road gore all you know and even if she isn't as you haven't signed a contract or paid a retainer its not really your business - sorry to be blunt!!
phone your local family info service get a list of cms and chill out!!

Thanks all

Yes, I know I'm a bit of a worrier. I know DD will settle well because she is a confident girl.

I will wait and see if I get a reply to the e-mail by the end of next week and if not I'll phone her. Afterall, she may not have internet access as yet, because she has only literally moved the last few days (she was definately living in the house on Monday) because I saw her son playing on the drive.

If she has moved out of the area to do pick up and drop off, she might know of another childminder who I could phone and check out.

I think I'm more upset at the fact that my day would have been really easy because she lived over the road and about 10 houses down, so I didn't have to go out of my way or anything.

I must admit, I've had it very easy with childcare because the nursery DD goes to is on my campus, so I drop her off and walk back through the carpark to my office. In fact we're that close I can sometimes see her playing in the nursery playground from one of the room I lecture in on a Wednesday!

I'll also contact the school, along with the council to see if they have a list of childminders that do pick up and drop off. I know that when I did my visit their official breakfast club and afterschool club was run by an organisation that uses buildings the other side of town (they bus the kids in and out), which I don't really want to do, especially with the school being opposite our house.

Yes, I must stop stressing (I should make this my mantra!)

I sent the e-mail today when I noticed she'd moved. It was all very polite, as in I'm sorry to see you have moved, hopefully you are still childminding and are still doing pick up and drop off at XX school. I also asked that if she wasn't doing childminding or doing pick up and drop off at the school then could she recommend other childminders that do. I finished it with my regards etc.

I'm sad for the fact that I thought I had it sorted, sad for the fact that she was a lovely lady and my DD liked her and definately because of the convenience factor.

She may have only moved a few streets away, so I must stop worrying!!!!

Thanks for the kick up the arse ladies

you also dont know what school your daughter has got into yet

untill you know that you wont be able to plan any child care