Childminder

[Preggers101]

Hello! How do you know a good childminder when you find one? And how do you go about asking for them to change what they are doing, if you don't think it's right for your little one. Is having other children (age 10) in the house during the after school hours period a problem when they are also looking after toddlers do you think? How often do good childminders take the kids out to the park or for a little walk?

It’s very much on gut feel - check the house out, any activities they have planned and ask lots of questions
ask if you can see any testimonials
nit sure what you mean about asking them to change what you don’t like - it’s not 1-2-1 which you can be totally prescriptive about. If you want that, you’ll need a nanny

You need to look around a few local childminders and see which ones you like/ gel with , you can ask about daily routines, groups they go to activities they do.
However no childminder is going to change what they do for you, all new children have to fit in to the current set up. I used to childmind and would not change my routine for new children, all the current children I cared for knew the routine, days we went to different groups, meet up with other childminders etc and looked forward to it and would talk about them, I would have parents expected me to stay at home as there child was “too” poorly to go out that day and need to stay indoors and lay on the sofa all day and were then shocked when I said if they are too ill to take part in the day then they are too ill to be in. The only school run I did was for my own children and my little ones loved having them at home saw them as a older brother/sister.

Gut feeling and recommendations.

If she's a good childminder she will listen to your concerns but may not change how she's doing things. I'm a childminder. We are self employed so our own boss and run our settings how we feel is best. When I meet parents they are interviewing me but I'm also interviewing them. If you don't have a good relationship with the parents and on the same page it's not good for the setting. I've always got people asking if I have spaces, all my parents will recommend me to others and I have to say I'm full or don't want to work those hours etc. I wouldn't take on a family who immediately came at me with things they wanted changed. I'd listen though because no one is perfect and we can always improve. I just think if you don't feel comfortable enough to send your child without demanding changes then the setting isn't right for your child.

And childminders are home from home environments. It's pants money only having early years kids so a big chunk of our money comes from wrap around care. It can be hard to manage depending on the needs of the kids but it's fairly standard to have older kids after school and in holidays. You just have to make sure all early years education gets done is school hours and ensure the big ones don't dominate the space after school.

Do they have all the safeguarding checks, any qualifications training etc they can show you?
Who else will be in the house and do you get a good vibe from them, can they show you their DBS?
Check out the house, it is clean, safe and orderly?
Do they have many children?
Do they charge a reasonable amount and can be flexible with hours?
Do they take the children out?
What is their vehicle like?
Do they have a doorbell!? (Very annoying when they don't as you're gonna be there a lot)
Will they inform you or ask you if it's ok if they visit friends or other childminders?
How much experience do they have?
Can anyone else recommend them?
Does their approach to food, TV etc align with yours?

Then when you get rolling with them...

Are they friendly positive and you get a good vibe?
Are they sick often or have any health conditions they mention to you (without you asking)?
Do they gossip about other mums or childminders? Are you happy with this?
Do they talk about their own personal problems at drop off and pick up?
Do they let you know how your child is doing, how they interact with the other children?
Do they share photos with you and keep you up to date on how they are?

I personally would not go for anyone with tons of kids....if they don't have tons of kids I would gently ask why...as this gives you an indication of what their limitations are (e.g. health condition or other priorities) or might highlight they slightly cherry pick the kids they have and aren't greedy for the money, rather enjoy the role.

I think having older children around is a positive and much more natural environment than a nursery.
In terms of whether they are good. Just like any other provision you have to ask questions, observe them, ask to see insurances, proof of first aid etc courses . Do the other children in her care seem happy? is she responsive to their needs? Ask what an average day is for children in her care.
Is she easy to talk to? Do you like her. Ultimately you have to go with your instincts.

As others have said you need to get all the info & then go with your gut.

BUT you don’t ask the childminder to change what they are doing to suit you, they won’t and don’t do that, if there’s things you don’t like such as having older kids there then that means it’s not for you. They aren’t going to drop current clients to cater to a potential one and nor should they.

The older children I have were with me from 6 months they love the little ones and the feelings mutual. They know which activities are done away from babies reach and take care no rough housing. I'd let you visit when they are there if you were serious about the space and we had met already.
What changes are you asking for? We talk about things if I can accommodate I will but we have a duty to meet the needs of all children.
Seeing how CMS relate to the other children is a good indicator too.....although we have to consider safeguarding so I only do it if my assistant is there too. We would have met you a few times before.

I guess the main change is just that she doesn't go out with them, but my children have so much physical energy I'm not sure I like the thought of them being cooped up all day.

She isn't going to change her entire routine for you - but she never goes out for full day childcare? that seems unusual.

most good ones will be full with a long waiting list. You want one that ventures at least in to the garden each day, if not to the park etc

Do you mean the childminder doesn’t go out ?
I find this odd . Not to the park ? Soft play ? groups ?

I was a childminder , we adapted . I had school runs ( none moveable ) but we switched things around - sometimes when they all seemed run down and full of cold we stayed home , we sometimes did activities in the garden .

we cancelled a trip to a park once as one child was sick as soon as we got there .

i followed parents preference with baby led weaning or soft foods , had conversations about how we fit there child into the setting .

The 10 year old - I wouldn’t care if they were at home generally - however all the time how are they home schooling and looking at your child’s needs

Then I'd look elsewhere as that's a priority for you.....I assume she uses her garden? For me going out is important woods, parks, music groups etc.

This would be a hard no for me.

we saw ones that had no outdoor space or didn’t take them out were ruled out immediately

ours is incredible. She is an independent cm with 3 under 5 but has a childminding group she meets with a few times a week.
my child goes to see animals, music groups, gymnastics, playgrounds soft play the ducks etc in the summer they go to splashparks various local parks and woods and do a CM run Forest school and sports day

Really unlikely a childminder wouldn’t take the children out, are u sure u have that correct it’s nurseries and preschools that are unlikely to take children out.

I saw THREE separate CMs that did not take the children off the premises ever. Which I found shocking but clearly some parents are okay with as there were children there…

You can't ask your childminder to change for you. But you can move your child to a more suitable childminder. It is very unusual not to leave the house ever.

As for finding a good childminder, it is all about talking to them, viewing their setting and having a gut feeling. References from past and present parents help. And do read their Ofsted report.

I know lots of cm

None of them stay in every day

All go out least once a day whether am or pm

Same as I was when a nanny

I went out everyday with an activity

Same as I was as a mum

To be in the house all day would be my idea of hell !!!!

Does she at least have a garden they are allowed out in?

This would be a huge no for me, my DS has bundles of energy and goes loopy cooped up in the house. When I've been ill and couldn't go out he was not coping very well. At nursery they're allowed in the garden every day and he loves to run around and play in the sandpit etc., he's always coming home with sand in his shoes 😅