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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

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Original poster

Childminding question from a mum

9 replies

Youngoldmum · 03/10/2016 11:18

Hi,

Currently pregnant with baby 2, I also have a 7 year old. Was very lucky with baby 1 and had family who looked after her until 3. I'm looking into a childminder for this baby for 3 days a week when I return to work when baby is around 8 months.
I met a childminder last week who we really liked but my only concern is her own children go to school out of the area so she will be driving them (and all the children in her care) to and from school each day, a 40 min round trip.
Is this something that would concern others or am I being a bit picky and overprotective given my lack of experience of handing over a baby?

Thanks for advice xx

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Clickclickclick · 03/10/2016 11:20

I think most childminders do a school run. It depends if the time in the car bothers you or not. Twenty minutes in the morning and twenty in the afternoon isn't that long.

aliceinapalace · 03/10/2016 11:28

The other thing to think about is carseats. Do you provide your own or use theirs? I was a cm and provided carseats but always showed the parents them and if they preferred let them put their own in my car.

HSMMaCM · 03/10/2016 14:00

Not all CMs do school runs, but most do. The school run is often done on the way to a toddler group or park or something. When I did school runs there was lots of singing and fun in the car. I'm sure the cm won't mind if you ask her some more questions.

yoowhoo · 03/10/2016 19:01

Is that 20 mins in the morn and 20 mins in the afternoon? Or 40 mins in the morn and 40 mins in the afternoon? I wouldn't mind per se but i think it is quite a lot overall

Rattusn · 03/10/2016 20:08

It isn't something to be worried about, but like others have said, I would just ask about the car seat situation.

Maryann1975 · 03/10/2016 22:23

I'm a cm. our school run probably takes 40 mins but we walk, so fresh air and exercise. I don't think I would want to pay someone to be looking after my children to do a 40 minute school run in the car twice a day (which is the way I've read your op). I wouldn't want my children sitting in the car for that length of time, to me it's wasted time. I know others will say they are singing/playing ispy games/listening to Audio books but to me that isn't enough, I wouldn't want them, sitting sedentary for that length of time.

NuffSaidSam · 04/10/2016 11:28

It wouldn't 'concern' me from a safety perspective as long as she had a clean driving license and properly fitted, suitable car seats.

It would put me off though, for the same reasons as Maryann. Most childminders have a school run to do, but I would much rather it was done on foot than in the car. It wouldn't be a dealbreaker, but if there are other lovely childminders with spaces in the same area who don't have the car journey to do then I'd go for one of those.

mouldycheesefan · 04/10/2016 11:33

2x 40 mins? No I wouldn't want my dcs in a car for over an hour out of their day. I would keep looking. Or try a nursery then you don't have that to worry about.

Elbekind · 04/10/2016 16:23

so to be clear OP, you mean the school is 20 mins away so at 9am 20 min drive to the school, 20 mins back home and then again 20 mins to school at 3pm and 20 min back... so 1 hour and 20 mins a day in the car? That sounds an awful lot to me and it would be a deal breaker for me personally.
I'm a childminder and my school run is 10mins each way in the car and I feel like even that is a bit much.

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