Want poncey organic childminder-your thoughts?

[Fillyjonk]

I want some childcare. Am looking at various options.

A childminder really appeals. But also, am fussy, as you will see below.

I want:

fresh, vegetarian food. No frigging angel delight. No trans fats. Home baking with butter not marg is great. Am not fussy re sugar.

And I don't want anyone telling my kids to "finish whats on their plate" or "try everything".

Daily walking. And not to some huge soft play place where the CM sits with a coffee and chats to other CM and ignores the kids (this is what happens at the local soft play and it is really putting me off using any local CMs, tbh).

No dogs or smoking

Lots of reading and no tv

No overt attempt to teach reading or anything

Oh and I only want maybe 3 mornings a week, but have a lot of flexibiliyt as to which. A weekend day would also be fine.

Ok basically I am a ponce and a yummy mummy. But I am prepared to pay for this. I need some childcare right now and Cardiff has bllx all choice, all the nurseries are pretty much the same.

I kind of just want to know if CMs like this exist. Basially I want someone else to be a yummy mummy to my kids. I will pay for this. Is this possible? Are any of you guys such CMs? (this will give me hope)

I had a childminder who satisfied all your criteria (except she did have a dog).

I don't think it's that fussy really - you just need to find a like minded person. And you may need to send the food with your child (my childminder warmed up food I provided but provided nice healthy snacks herself).

of course, I think its reasonable

just can't find one though

Sorry I dont think i would fit your description but im sure others would.

I could offer fresh vegetarian food no angel delight, use butter not marg in baking anyhow but dont think i could garantee no trans fats.

In my house you do try everything and if you dont then it will be offered again as how would i know if they really dont like it or not. If something is obviously tried and not liked it will not be offered again. But under no circumstances do i insist on a totally clear plate. We dont do puddings either its fruit/yoghurt for after.

I do a mixture of walks, local parent/toddler groups and soft play throughout my week so maybe not what you would want.

Dont have a dog or smoke but do have a cat

I do lots of reading with my ds and mindees but do have tv/dvd/videos in a limited way.

I am not a teacher so would not teach but realise that through everyday chat and interest children learn their numbers, letters etc (ds 2.7 recognises his name just because when artwork is displayed i always name them)

Most childminders are quite flexible and as long as their numbers are right 3 mornings wouldnt be a problem.

Just remember nobody is going to be a clone of you and may have some different ways of doing things but as long as you feel they dont comprimise you ideals then go for it

I know a fantastic Childminder in Radyr as she is a family friend and had my DS when I was working. She is out and about with the kids regularly and takes them to toddlers which I think is different from the rest. It is run by Childminders and they sing songs/play games/read stories etc and my ds come on no end there and I say he is rather forward for his age just from going to that CM. If you have specific requirements you tell the childminder what you want and they work with you to provide that level of care and if they cant then we say!
What area of Cardiff are you looking for? U will just need to visit lots and lots and have a feel.There is another CM in Radyr that work as husband and wife and both registered but dont know them personally but have heard they are good.

Why not just look after DC yourself? It sounds like you will be very wary of leaving them with anyone and unless you have total trust you will not relax while they are there

so what are you willing to pay for this long list of things filly?

round here c/minders get £2.50-3 an hour.

you sound like you need a nanny

you need a nanny

£8 per hour but you have total control

agree with enid

i couldn't get what i wanted so i work evenings, dh works days and we do our poncey parenting between us. dd does go to nursery 2 afternoons (when is start work a little earlier) but i just try to see it as a playgroup. she's there 3 hours, plays with the other kids, has some food, daddy picks her up. so no dogs, no tv, and when the food is crap (sometimes it is) i figure it's only 2 light meals a week. they're also on board with BLW, which was a struggle to explain at other nurseries.

Don't know what part of Cardiff you're in but DD used to go to a poncey organic, TV free nursery near the hospital (Heathfield Road). I know it's changed hands since then so maybe it's all different now?

It is possible but need to hunt for a childminder like that. Agree about needing a nanny.

Yep, I'm thinking nanny too (especially as you say you are willing to pay for it). And pay for it you will.

I'd say your cost is morelikely to be around £12/hour when you workin the various expenses of activities and being an employer.

You might even try looking round for a mother's help then seeing if she can graduate into nanny after a while. I find younger employees (in any profession) are more willing to be molded to your desires.

fillyjonk i really think a nanny may be a better option for you,tbh it sounds like you dont have very high opinion of cms?
a cm has to consider the needs of every child in her care, for instance many parents like their children doing varied activities,i.e nature walks,soft play etc and dont mind half an hour of tv to unwind after a busy day.
many parents also understand that most cms are not accredited to teach nursery education so wouldnt make an "overt attempt" to teach reading.
and i personally dont see anything wrong in asking a child to try what is their plate? as nzshar says how would you know if a child likes the food or not if they dont try it?
i had a mindee who had NEVER eaten fresh fruit or veg untill he came to me and was still eating pots of pureed fruit at 3 yrs old as his parents "thought" he wouldnt like it,after being with me for 2 years he now eats any kind of fruit or veg i put infront of him because i asked that he try it before deciding if he liked it or not!

i dont think what you are asking for is unreasonable atall,after all you want what you think is best for your child, but i do think you need to look realistically at what a cm offers and understand that you may be looking for a while to find a cm that meets ALL your criteria.

maybe you should try looking after your own ds?

I understand why you want these things but if you can not compromise then maybe childcare isn't an option for you atm

I'd say that if parents altering working pattern doesn't work, then you want a nanny-share tbh! but probably best that you are the employer and find somebody else who will get up every morning and thank Almighty Gard that they found you to be their nanny-share partner (that's what I do, no joke).

(I pay £243 a month to ds's nanny via vouchers and now £119 to her employers, so £362 a month, for 20 hrs a week childcare. used to be £400 a month for about 23 hours. Max 30 mins tv a day, 1 other child except in school holidays when there are 4 of them, i haven't specifically asked for org veg but in fact that's what he gets a lot of the time and they would if i wanted them to. i don't have to cook it either).

nb i would also say that if you find a cm or nanny that you really like, you might find the odd bending of the rules a lot easier to take - it's all a lot more awful in the abstract.

Maybe Taylorsmummy and Flowertot would like to retract their very unhelpful comments?

The first sentence of the OP is "I want some childcare." It does not say "Please come on and insult me for a parental choice that I have already made."

fillyjonk, you do need a nanny - I know overrun has got a p/t nanny for her DCs and she is in Cardiff too - maybe there's a chance of a share there? I will point her your way!

Message withdrawn

Hi Filly, you know about what arrangement I have, not sure whether its what you are looking for though.
There are quite a few CMs at a music group that I go to, and also a toddler group, so obviously they dont' just do soft play.
I take it you want a cm because you want to take your ds there, rather than have some one in the home.

My aunt found a childminder in Nottingham who met all your criteria.

(she has since stopped minding tho)

so they do (or at least did) exist

sorry she wouldnt have met your 'not trying everything' criteria

(why would you not want your children to try foods?

NannyL - I nearly wet myself with excitement when I read your post - I live in Nottingham - and was about to speed dial - but then read they no longer CM.

Re the OP - the idea of a nannyshare does sound like the best option. My dd's go to a nursery (the best I could find) but I still have to compromise a bit on what I would ideally want. Am now considering other options.