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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

Would a childminder do this?

26 replies

bobbycock79 · 24/08/2019 12:03

Hi all, just looking for some advice as to whether this is feasible before I speak to my childminder.

I return to work in 10 days time my 10 month old twins will be with the cm twice a week. I am due to drop the twins off at 9.15am then head off to work. Currently the twins wake around 5.30 and are desperate for their nap by 8.30am. They will nap well in their cots at home for upto 2 hours. However if I have to wake them by 9 to take them to cm they will be crabby for rest of the day. (not fun for her) She only lives around the corner and has no other mindees at this time. Could I ask her to come to my house to wait til they wake up then take them back to hers for rest of the day? I am happy to give her a key . I want to keep them in their routine as much as possible for my sake and theirs. Thanks

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Choice4567 · 24/08/2019 12:11

Does she have other children to mind? I’m not sure if she’d do this but I suppose there’s no harm in asking her

Apple40 · 24/08/2019 13:27

As a childminder I would be unable to do this as I would be out and about going to groups with the other children I care for, she may not have other children at the moment but this could change at any time. could you not change your start time and drop off just before there nap? Then she can get on with her day and they are napping? But just to give you heads up I do not stay in for nap times unless it’s after lunch when they all nap, so anyone who wants a nap in the morning does so in the buggy where we are.

euro23451277 · 24/08/2019 13:32

Hmmmm if she has no other mindees then it worth a shot at asking. She can only say no! You could go for the, totally understand if you can’t, no pressure etc.
Just care in mind if she takes on more mindees then this would have to stop!

ThePhoenixRises · 24/08/2019 13:34

Could you change drop off time to 8.30 so they nap as soon as they get to childminders?

SocksRock · 24/08/2019 13:38

I would just drop them off earlier at hers so they can nap there, surely?

BackforGood · 24/08/2019 13:44

CMers are self employed, so none of us can say what she will / won't do. However, it is unlikely as - if she is going to have a couple of hours in the day when they both sleep, then she will want to have that time in her own house, when she can be getting on with other things.
I would do as SocksRock suggests and drop off earlier or work on the 5.30 getting up time.

Original poster

bobbycock79 · 24/08/2019 14:18

thanks for your replies. I will definitely ask. She has no other mindees after 9am but unfortunately I can't drop mine off any earlier as she does the school drop off for some older kids and isn't back til after 9am. I wasn't sure whether there were insurance implications or not .

OP posts:

BertieBotts · 24/08/2019 14:23

Can you put them down for their naps in a double buggy so she can leave them asleep in that?

Original poster

bobbycock79 · 24/08/2019 14:44

they sleep really well in their cots but unfortunately not so well in the buggy. I was thinking of them being upset and miserable for her if they are really tired after only having say 20 min nap but I guess that is something she will have plenty of experience managing.

OP posts:

BertieBotts · 24/08/2019 14:49

Hmm yes, what about trying to shift their whole routine an hour later, maybe using a technique like this?

takingcarababies.com/daylight-savings-babys-sleep-spring-forward/

Original poster

bobbycock79 · 24/08/2019 17:22

Thanks Bertie, will have a look at this. I would love them to sleep in til 6.30 and that would solve my problem but they've been quite resistant so far.

OP posts:

mightybuzz · 24/08/2019 17:25

You might find that if you limit their morning nap to 30 min or less that they’ll then be ready for a long nap at 12 -12:30ish. That is what mine did from 6-15 months or so. I’d wake him so he’d do a longer nap later on. He might be a bit crabby for 5 min but no more!

Drogosnextwife · 24/08/2019 17:31

Im a childminder, if I had no other mindees I would do it, but the care inspectorate wouldn't allow it as we are not allowed to mind from a different premises without their permission. They call it a variation, which you have to apply for 3 months in advance. I'm in Scotland though, rules might be different in England, if that's where you are. I would still probably do it for you though without applying for the variation. All you can do is ask her.

TyneTeas · 24/08/2019 17:37

Mine is a teen now, but iirc at about 12 months most kids at the groups we went to seemed to shift from a morning and afternoon nap to one in the middle of the day, so you might just need a short term solution

ChildminderMum · 24/08/2019 19:01

I would try to change the routine - it doesn't sound ideal! 45 minute max nap after 9 and hopefully their wake up will get later.

Ambydex · 25/08/2019 00:44

Could you ask to drop them off 15 or 30 mins early for the first couple of weeks and keep them up until then? You'd need to offer to pay for the extra time or pick them up early.

Their routine will adapt over time anyway, you'd just be helping it along a bit. After a few days with the childminder they may well be more tired and sleep in a bit anyway.

itsaboojum · 25/08/2019 09:30

You could ask.

I expect the main problem is that the arrangement will severely limit her prospects of taking on other children, and so limit her earning potential.

She’ll need to check with her insurers, but they’ll probably just ask her to conduct a risk assessment of your home. She may need to inform Ofsted that she’s providing childcare for part of the day away from her registered premises.

Ideally this might’ve been addressed earlier by getting the little ones into a routine more suited to your working day. It’s a common problem and results in a lot of those "my baby isn’t settling" threads. Often childcare providers don’t help the situation, because they sometimes make out it only takes a bit of experience and a couple of pre-settling visits and everything will be wonderful. It’s something we all need to be a lot more realistic about.

Original poster

bobbycock79 · 25/08/2019 09:44

Thank you for all your thoughts and advice. I am going to try and stretch the time out in the morning before the nap, this morning they managed til 8.45 :) Hopefully by the time they start they'll be able to last til 9.15 when i drop them off. I know they will probably transition to just one nap in the next few months anyway. Going back to work albeit only part time is getting real now.

OP posts:

Maryann1975 · 25/08/2019 21:14

I’m a cm and would say no to this for several reasons, including that in the future I’d likely have another child to care for as well as yours, if the children I’m looking after are all asleep, I want to be at home and getting stuff done (meal prep/organising the next activity/paperwork). I also go to childminders groups in the mornings three times a week and I wouldn’t want to change that as they are really good for both me and your dc. I’d also consider that the routine will likely change soon anyway, but you would be used to me coming to your house and might resist the change to bring them to me in the future because it is easier for you to have your dc collected from home.
The just turned one year old I look after has a very short nap (10-15min) as we go to group, another very short nap (10min max) on the way home, then lunch, then a 2.5 or nap in the afternoon and it works for him. If we stay at home, he has probably an hour mid morning and an hour and a half after lunch, so they do work things out depending on what’s going on around them.

Hobsbawm · 25/08/2019 21:19

Can you drop them off before she goes on the school run? They may well fall asleep in the buggy on the school run...or be distracted by the other children so that they last until she gets back.

PrincessScarlett · 27/08/2019 15:30

I'm not sure a CM would be allowed as they are insured to provide childcare at an Ofsted registered address and Ofsted need to be informed of any other premises so they can be inspected. Plus at your own home she would be classed as a nanny rather than a CM.

Best thing IMO is to change their routine. It's not always possible to maintain your routine when using childcare.

Dandelion1993 · 27/08/2019 15:32

You may find after a couple of weeks of doing it, they'll fall into a new routine and nap more conveniently x

Blondeshavemorefun · 27/08/2019 22:20

A cm won’t Be able to do this - mainly as Insurnace means she cares from Her own registered premises

Also unlikely to want to stay in all am While they sleep

Most like to go out and lunch then sleep

530 (as I’m sure you know) is a horrible time to wake. Why do get up then? Hunger? Bad habits ? Light

I would work on changing routine - make sure not waking as hungry

What do you do at 530am with them?

itsaboojum · 28/08/2019 09:11

Can we drop this misinformation about the insurance (the second most-use day nonsense excuse in childcare). The two biggest insurers of childminders, Michel Morton and Royal & Sun Alliance (through Pacey) each cover childcare in the client’s home on their basis childminder policies.

It’s there to cover precisely this sort of situation, as well as babysitting. It just requires a few extra details, such as a risk assessment (possibly with parents complying with some recommendations), parental consent and contact details. Anyone considering this needs to check the policy for details.

Blondeshavemorefun · 28/08/2019 18:16

Sorry. I thought that was the main diff between nanny and cm

Cm at own house

And obv se

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