Best time to call a CM?

[blondieminx]

What's the best time to call a CM?

In the evenings do you just not want to talk "shop" at all, or would that be better as at least their mindees will have gone home?

I want to up DD's days at preschool but need wrap around CM care to cover my working hours. She's currently at nursery but I'd like to get her settled with a good CM in place now, in plenty of time for when she starts school in 2014.

I find a text easiest as i can either call if I'm free or come back to them later in the day when children are sleeping or have gone home. Just put the basics ie - 'looking for a childminder on xx days/hours please give me a call when it's convenient if you think you can help'

I'd text or email.

Eta if you have a pre-school & school in mind I'd suggest contacting them & asking if they know any cm's as I've had enquiries from both ours in the past.

I find there never really is a 'beat time' so to speak!
Each childminder has different mindees and can be working all sorts of times for example I currently look after two children under 2yrs and we're usually busy mornings and late afternoons so a good time for me would be during sleep time say 1-2.30pm. However you can never predict how your working day will actually turn out!
If I can't answer the phone I will always respond to messages but I find it helpful if I get a text/email first which I can respond to then can arrange an appropriate time to chat on the phone!

Hope that helps

No 'best' time as such as depended on what children and had and their routines but I always preferred an email which I could reply to to start off with. My worst time was always from 4-6pm.

Thanks ladies will send out some texts then ... I wasn't sure whether sending a text would be a bit weird and kinda erm.... "hi I've never spoken to you in my life but can you look after my child?"