Visiting potential childminder

[CityDweller]

Would it be reasonable to ask to visit a potential childminder while she's looking after her mindees? I met her once while she was on her own at home, but I'd like to see how she is around children. Is that an ok thing to ask to do? Or is it inappropriate of me to visit while she's working with someone else's children?

I'm a bit clueless about all this - clearly!

Haven't ever had a childminder, but when visiting a preschool/ nursery I'd always expect to visit when the children were there, rather than just see an empty building! So I'd say its the same as that - no way really to know what someone's like with children without actually seeing them with some! Also if the children will still be there when your DC starts, it would probably be good to see what they're like/ how your DC might fit in.

I would expect to visit while CM was looking after children, don't think that's an unusual request.

When I visited DD's CM one of her mindees was being picked up. He stopped at the door and rushed back to hug and kiss the CM goodbye. I knew then that I'd found a good CM (DD was with her for yrs and still remembers her)

You need to see her in action. I get potential clients to visit while I 'm minding but if they have a lot of questions I ask them to email me or come back when I'm not working. Her relationship with the existing mindees is probably the best way to tell if she's the right CM for you.

You'd be hard pushed to find a time when I'm not surrounded by kids so I wouldn't find it an unusual request at all!

As others have pointed out, it wouldn't be a great time to ask lots of questions but it's perfectly sensible to want to see her in action.

I tend to do things the other way around - have a chat with the parent/s at a quiet time to discuss their requirements and the business side of things, then a second visit when I am working if it seems likely that they will want to join us. I try not to disrupt the children's routine by having lots of people round who are just looking if you see what I mean, but if they are serious I would expect them to want to see how it is when all the children are here.

I tend to do things the other way around - have a chat with the parent/s at a quiet time to discuss their requirements and the business side of things, then a second visit when I am working if it seems likely that they will want to join us. I try not to disrupt the children's routine by having lots of people round who are just looking if you see what I mean, but if they are serious I would expect them to want to see how it is when all the children are here.