Why is it so difficult...?

[HappyDaddy]

Why is it so difficult to find a local childminder, who is available to do the nursery run and look after dd until dw or i get home?

All DW and I want to do is be able to work successfully. It seems impossible as ALL the childminders on the council list are a) not local b) not flexible (despite advertising as such) or c) clearly not interested in being childminders (so why advertise!?).

Our previous childminder goes to college in the evenings so no longer available, current childminder is wonderful but has fragile health.

Why is it so difficult?

HappyDaddy - I've just read through this whole thread and tbh, don't know where all the attacks and judgement came from . Anyway, sorry about your friend, sounds like you've had a bit of a stressful week

I'm a childminder and although my core hours are 8-6, I'm flexible and have worked from 6.45am-7pm even though it wasn't listed as my hours. Having said that, if someone rang asking for what you need, I just couldn't do it, reason being the 5.30pm nursery pickup. This is when a lot of childminders are feeding the children and/or having children collected.

One of my mindees (who's 3) goes to pre-school all day (8.45-2.45) and I pick her up after and have til 6pm. The only reason I took this job on is because I applied to Ofsted for a variation (i.e. to let me have 4 children under the age of 5 instead of just the 3 that we're normally allowed). The reason I wouldn't have taken it on otherwise is because it would have been hard to get a child to fill the day bit as it's just not the hours people want near me.

I agree with those who've said it would be a lot easier if you got a childminder for the day and sent your little one to the free nursery sessions and then you get the best of both worlds and are more likely to find someone who'll do those hours.

Or.....have you spoken direct to CIS and explained your needs and asked for help? In my area we occasionally get emails from CIS/FIS asking who can help with unusual situations, you never know.

Best of luck, hope you manage to sort something out that the whole family is happy with.

Some rather aggressive and unrealistic replies to HD I feel... particularly from one aptly named poster.

House prices are now approaching 11x the average wage, and any couple living in the South East are likely to struggle unless they bought many, many years ago. Providing a home is part of parenting and morgages/rent need to be paid.

Yes, compromises have to be made (HD giving up work to look after his child in the past is a big one, and I bet it's set his career back considerably) but some careers are only realistically possible in the London area.

HD, my only sugestion would be that maybe since your DW is not looking to progress her career in the long term, she could risk rocking the boat and apply for flexible working hours. That way she could tread water in her job until you're in a position to match her earning power. 'Take one for the team' as it were.

Other than that a full time CM or a Nanny share seem like your only options.

Oh HD, I'm so sorry for your loss. I hope that at least you feel physically better soon.

happy daddy - as has already been said these are very inconvienient(sp)hours for a childminder - i bet if you altered nursery hours slightly you'd be able to find a willing childminder - i know that theres just NO WAY i'd be able to do hours like that as there is the school runs and tea/pick ups to sort out.

i think it's pretty off to attack peoples choices for work and childcare - if people didn't want to work i'd have no job