Some general questions. (Childminder asking) Thanks!!

[MUM2BLESS]

1. I would like to hear from those who use their cars for cm

Approx how much do you pay for insurance and petrol?
Is it easy to work out how much you can claim for expenses?
Anything else you have experienced

1. Should a child age 5 be able to write their name correctly or does it depend on the child? if the child is learning more than one language does the writing of their name take longer. It is written, but some of the letters are the wrong way round. How can I help or is this up to his parents? not worrying but just wanted to get some advice on this.

1. Where do you advertise your business?

Thank you so much.

Car insurance can very a lot, depending on make and model of your car. Mine is £800 a year, it went up when changed my car even though the engine size went down, but the value of my car is £50K.

I was spending £500 on fuel but now down to £300 as less school runs.
and Pacey ( NCMA) account book makes it easy to manage and calculate or Lisa Finleys Childsplay accounts is brilliant computer based and dead easy and cheap.

i have a 3 year old who can write very well and read fluently and do a 100 piece puzzle in 5 minutes and a 5 year old who can't spell her name and 3 of the letters are the same, or do a 12 piece puzzle!

I don't advertise, business comes word of mouth, though I do have a childcare.co.uk profile, lots of people have made contact, but not actually signed anyone through it!

My insurance is £270 on a 1.4 small car (5 seats) I have just sold my 7 seater as was not using it much. Petrol depends on where we go each week. I have a diary in the car & note down the mileage to claim off tax at 45p per mile.
I use the pacey (ncma) accounts book & find it very easy.

Writing depends on the child - they need to want to do it!! Try tracing the name or using an aquadraw. Try making the shapes of they letters into pictures like an "n" is a bridge.
My DD is 12 & still she sometimes gets her b's & d's around they wrong way.

I advertise on childcare.co.uk (have had 1 family through there) & with my local Family information service. Lots is done by word of mouth.

Thanks mindingalongtime nice one, thanks for the comments, very useful indeed. I did not realise it was that much to run a car whilst cm.

mumlove thanks also. I think I will ask Mum if we can work together to solve this situation.

Yes word of mouth is the best. Do you drive because of the distance or because you need to go onto somewhere else?

I walk all the time with the cm kids. I have been thinking about getting a car in the future. Will give it some thought. from observation I find that some people drive places that are within walking distance, not a criticism but rather what I have observed.

Don't know if this helps or not but as a nanny I do around 3000 miles a year, so I expect childminders are going to be similar - though obviously depends on distances involved in doing things like the school runs.

Motor insurance £379 once all the bits added together, you know how insurance works, there is the legal cover, the car seat cover, keycare, loan car, etc.

We used to walk to and from school, so much better than driving. Alas once eldest went to junior school it meant we had to drive, walking was not an option as there is no path and it's too far, plus had to be at infant school in time to do the drop off. So it will depend on the children you childmind, if you are just going to one school walking is an option for you but if you are doing multiple drops, it's harder. Then there are the outings... if you are town based and within easy walk of places, or a bus ride, then that means you won't need a car but if you are in a small rural village, miles from anywhere, it's a different matter. Going swimming is a 22 mile round trip for us! Even the school run is 4 miles each time.

thank you so much nannynick your comments are very helpful.

I drive if I need to like if a parent drops off to late for me to walk the 1 mile school run (takes 20mins to walk with mindees) have left sometimes & parents weren't happy, further away playgrounds or parks. Also I used to do 2 different school pick ups 3 miles apart.

I have had a car since I was 18, but not using so much now hence why I have got a smaller car - I don't feel ready to give up the car completely just yet but might try in a couple of years!!

thanks mumlove

My school run is within walking distance. Hate rushing and hate being late.