which childminder to choose?

[bluechameleon]

All else being equal, would you choose

• a solo childminder who would be looking after your child and two (sometimes only one) of her own

or

• a wife-husband team looking after possibly up to 10 children, including 2 of their own after school only?

Have narrowed down our choice to these two but finding it hard to decide which would be better. DH and I are leaning towards different options.

If they were exactly the same otherwise I would go for the smaller group.

How old is your DC?

My DS will be almost 1 when he starts.

You have to go with what feels right. Each person can have up to 6 children, so same ratios with either. If the couple do school runs and the solo minder doesn't, would this affect your forward planning for when your child starts school. A solo minder may have to leave the children when making lunch, changing nappies, using the toilet etc. The couple with the larger group may be noisy depending on the set up.

I have done both. Minded on my own for 10 years and with DH for the last 5. There are advantages and disadvantages to the children both ways. I do find the children get more 1:1 time with two of us.

First option without a doubt for me. As close to one-on-one as possible for the early years I think.

I think the solo minder for this young age but the larger group of children might be great for developing speech and stimulation

I like the bigger group scenario. But only if you'd def get that school. The social aspect to child's development is great.
Mine are in a big mixed group, now 8 & 5 but little and bigger kids around. Makes them more confident.

I'd probably go for the bigger group, I like the sound of the dynamic there.