childminder opinion wanted

[Oldbrownowl]

Hi all

Tomorrow is the dead line for us to accept ds place in pre school, it is a nusery/pre school year. so will be there from 8.30 - 5.

He is currently with a cm full time, she is fab, he loves her and is getting on really well but he is the oldest of the 3 children there by about 2 years.

Do you think as a cm yourself that children benefit more from going to pre school?

I am unsure whether to move him or not but think my own nerves on him moving is clouding my judgement.

Any advice please

What about holidays and insets? Could you retain the cm? (Nb am not a childminder)

It's a day nursery so it is open all year from 8-6 but they have a specific pre school class room and curriculum they follow, so more structured and school like and large group of children etc.

I actually think a mixture is best once they get to 3. There are things my mindees can experience better at preschool and there are also things I can do better in my setting. I'm an outstanding graded CM and would obviously say any good / outstanding setting is better than a RI or inadequate one regardless of what type of setting they are.

Thanks, unfortunately my cm doesn't do pick ups or drop offs so it has to be one or the other as don't want to settle him in a new cm either. Both cm and nursery are graded good.

Unclear why you'd move him and settle him in a new preschool but against it for a cm but anyway. I'm your situation I would leave him with the cm.

*in

I definitely wouldn't pull a child out of a setting where he is thriving.
A mixture of pre school and childminder has some benefits- one of my mindees also attends a preschool and he is thriving in both settings. My other two mindees both attend my setting full time (I'm a childminder) and have no plans to go to preschool (they are currently 2.10 years and 2.11 years) and are also thriving, and 100% on track developmentally, just like the preschool child.
I would never risk your child not settling well for the minimal benefit of a preschool (if there even is one).

A lot of the childminders I visited last year recommended that once a child turns three, nursery offers more stimulation and they would be better with a nursery than a childminder.

Snap I wouldn't want to move pre school and cm as that would be even more unsettling trying to get used to 2 new places. So either stays with current cm or goes full time at pre school.

Leaning towards leaving him with cm, he's happy where he is and where he should be educationally

Only thing is the social aspect and the prep for school

Why don't you split the time? Eg if he normally goes to cm 4 full days, drop to 2 full days with cm and do 2 full days at pre school? Best of both worlds!

My mindees all stay with me until they start school. You need to weigh up the pros and cons in your particular circumstances to see what would be best for you.

My DS is the same age as yours and currently splits his week between CM (1 day) and private nursery (3 days). I'm tempted to move him to nursery full time however I like that he gets everyday life activities with the child minder - trips to the library, outside parks, soft play, eating at cafe etc.

But I also know the groups they attend and am aware that he's probably getting too old and the CM has to tailor her days to the majority, who are 2 and under.

I'm going to discuss it with CM soon and see what she thinks. What does yours say?

Today 17:39 roses2

A lot of the childminders I visited last year recommended that once a child turns three, nursery offers more stimulation and they would be better with a nursery than a childminder.

Oh my goodness! I can't even fathom a childminder near me even suggesting that!
All three of my mindees are turning 3 next month (one the month after) and I can assure you they are getting the absolute best care, with the best experiences.
This morning we went to the local youth club where the childminder's held a craft morning with all different Easter crafts, making 'nests' for the birds, icing cupcakes, trying to break spring flowers out of ice using various tools. There were about 20 children having an absolutely fantastic time. So far this week we have been to the zoo, spent a few mornings learning nursery rhymes in Makaton (I went on a training course last week), the animal farm where the children got to play on the play area and feed the animals, we have been for a fairy hunt in the woods where we made some 'fairy soup' using sticks, daffodils and glitter. We have been on numerous walks with my dog, looking out for certain birds. We spent Monday at my allotment, sowing rows of carrots and parsnips and weeding the strawberry bed.
I am appalled that any childminder would even suggest that their own setting isn't 'stimulating' enough and they would be better at a nursery!
I honestly believe that a nursery, nanny, childminder, pre school are all somewhat equal well it comes to pleasing different parents and their ideals but to hear childminders supposedly saying makes me feel ashamed.

Oh and I had a 4 year old little boy start with me last month. His mum was concerned that I didn't have enough 'boys toys' and that I only had one other male mindee. She was only using a childminder because his nursery could not do the extra day she needed, but currently attended the nursery 4 days a week.
That mum got in contact with me yesterday evening to ask if I could take her child full time starting from next week as he no longer wants to go to nursery and wants to join me full time. This is ideal for her, as I live closer and will be taking him to school and picking up in September.

It depends on how the cm works. I network with 4 other cm's and plan my time so that every child has children at their developmental stage at least 50% of the time. I also think its good for children to get confidence by being the eldest and helping others learn they flower at this time and really come into their own, the younger children benefit from language wise and other skills.

I would leave him where he is. She may get a different mixture of ages as things can change drastically when you're a CM! X