If I'm to return to work, I need help. Would a childminder be the solution?

[ShowOfHands]

The career I trained for doesn't really exist anymore and I need to think of retraining. I'd be doing this from September 2014. DS will be 3yo and isn't such a problem as nursery/preschool provision locally will cover the hours I need for him. My problem is DD who will be 7. She has to be at school for 8.40am and collected at 3.15pm. While training (in teaching), I'd obviously need to be starting earlier than 8.40 and finishing later than 3.15. There are some afterschool clubs which would provide a solution but there's nothing in a morning.

What do people do? Will childminders take on this sort of thing? I suppose I'm only talking about an hour at most, probably less in a morning and then dropping dd at school. It doesn't sound like it'd be worth their while. I've no idea how much this sort of thing would cost either. Is there some sort of obvious answer I've missed? How do you get your child to school and be at work at the same time?

DH is a copper and can be relied upon for precisely no drop offs or pick ups.

a lot of childminders do the school run. costs vary between area and childminders. Some minders do a minimum of 2 hours after school.

contact your school or local authority xx

This is a before and after school care contract...and I do these. Looks like you will want a term time only contract too-now many cms might not accept a non retainer term time contract ( where no money is paid during hols to keep place open)

But there are some cms who do....I do term time only with no holiday retainer contracts. I can't bring myself to charge when folk dont need me. Some may say I am daft but I am full, children stay with me for years and I am we'll loved.

Hope this helps

Oh that's useful thanks, both of you. A couple of hours after school might be quite good anyway if I'm training. I'll need the time to do other stuff.

ElectricalBanana, you don't sound daft at all, you sound lovely and human. I like that in a childminder. So good to know there is a way of doing it. I am going to see the school secretary tomorrow because she knows Everything about Everything. I bet she has some recommendations.

Can I ask another really stupid question which I'm almost ashamed of? We're umming and aahing about nursery vs childminder and I'm almost put off the idea of a childminder because I- probably pathetically- worry about ds being closer to another person than me. The idea of farming out his care fulltime kills me anyway (I managed to stay at home with dd until she started school) and the idea of another person wiping his tears and giving him cuddles makes me feel sad. Is that normal? Do other Mums feel the same way? Is he going to completely reject me when I collect him?

I think it's normal to feel that way but a) it's good for children to have a secure attachment to one person and b) a CM is never going to replace you. They'll become more like a lovely aunt!

The big advantage of a CM is the continuity of care, assuming you get a teaching job, when DS goes to school.

your child will never love anyone like he loves you. Yes he might love being at someone elses house and he may cry because he doesn't want to leave but it's not about the person looking after him - it's about the fun he is having in the house and all the interesting things he is doing.
my children have been to nurseries but on hindsight I wish I would have sent them to a good minder mainly for the experience they get of the world x