childminders who don't drive ....

[nappyaddict]

i am looking at a childminder for ds but she doesn't drive. i don't have a problem with that but she will have a 5 year old, a 2 year old, a 14 month old and a newborn and am worried it might be a bit stressful for her getting on buses and stuff. does anyone else not drive and have 3 of similar ages?

I wouldn't use a non driving c/minder.

What happens if some of them needs to go to the hospital? Plus I know what a handful my ds is & there's no way anyone could handle him & 3/4 others!!!!

[I meant handle him on public transport, not in general, he's not that bad]

If one of them needed to go to hospital she would call 999

She would be unsafe to drive with a child ill enough to need immediate treatment in the car

I do drive, but don't normally have access to a car. Have taken a 4yo, 3yo and 2.5yo on the bus no problems.
Having said all that, all my amenities are within walking distance, going on a bus is a treat.

My cm is non-driving. However, we live in a village and the children walk everywhere with here. It's really good exercise for them, and a very positive precedent to set. She rarely takes them out of the village on the bus, and only does so when she either has 3 or fewer children, or when she has an assistant.
Regarding going to hospital, I don't think I'd see that as a problem. If it's that urgent, call an ambulance, as my cm did when my dd had an accident at her house. This was totally the right decision (dd was fine, btw)

the hospital thing wouldn't bother me at all. in fact it hadn't even crossed my mind. i'm just worried she might find 3 under 2 a handful getting on and off public transport, waiting for buses by main roads etc.

Baby in sling
children in double buggy
5yo walking

Seems OK to me

2yo will be walking soon

I do have a policy for using reins. It's a deal-breaker for me for the under-twos. Three on a bus - no prob - one for each hand and one on my back.

you have to fold up the buggy though to get on the bus. that's the bit i'm worried about.

Best thing is to discuss these things with her. It may be that buses in your area are the kind you can roll a pushchair onto, I don't know how familiar you or she is with them. Does she need to be on public transport much at all? If she's prepared to take on this number and age of children then she presumably has a plan (in her head at least) of how to manage them all.

i use the buses a lot and you have to fold the pushchair up most of the time.

My childminder doesn't drive and has 3 under 3 but did have 3 under 2. She uses reins and buggy board and double buggy. I must say, I really like it that she doesn't drive in some ways. I don't have to worry about what car seat she uses or her level of driving.

does she use the buses though or do they walk most places?

I don't think she ever goes on buses with them, everything is within walking distance.

Will she need to use buses?

My cm doesn't drive either. I like the fact that it means the dds get exercise every day, and that they learn that going out in the rain doesn't actually kill you! It has never been a problem. If one of them needed to go to hospital or something she'd call a taxi or, if urgent, an ambulance.

well the swimming pool is a bus drive away and so is the play centre so i assume she would be using buses with them.

I doubt she will be swimming with 4 children

Really, just have a chat to her about it. I'd certainly go on a bus with this many children, and to the play centre.
You wouldn't catch me going swimming with that many kids though!!

she said she would take them when her eldest is at school and she would leave the youngest at home with her dp.

Then she will only have 2 on the bus?

(Presuming the youngest is her own child), that's only two to take on the bus. Sorted!

Don't most pools insist on a 1:1 ratio for pre-schoolers?

No Ellbell - only some

Some are 1:2

Depends on the pool and the area. My pool will allow 2 2-5yo's.