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?

tbh i'm not too worried about routine. ds doesn't have a routine i just let him sleep when he wants but realise this could be a problem for a cm.

from speaking to her on the phone she takes them to toddler group twice a week which is walking distance, story time at the library (bus journey away), a play session at the local leisure centre with trampolines, bouncy castle etc (another bus journey) and to a dance session at the play centre (another bus journey) - so at least 3 bus journeys a week, 4 if she takes them swimming but she says that's more of a treat.

I am a non driver and didn't have any problems taking my DC anywhere (including mindees)

You need to chat to the CM she may not be intending on taking children to the playcentre or swimming when she has all of them together.
My soft play centre is a bus ride away but I have never taken mindees to it. We have more than enough to do in my house and my neighbourhood. (park, toddler groups etc)
I leave parents to take to soft play centre if they fancy it

Ah fair enough then.

I would ask her how she would deal with all your concerns and take it from there.

Good luck

I wouldn't take alot of children swimming even if we were able. In our area it is a 1:1 ratio of adult to under 8's and as I have 3 under 8 who are non-swimmers I cannot take them.

I am glad I can drive, we live in greater Manchester and things are not a bus drive away, they are 3 or 4 each way! I have tried using the bus with the children and it cost me more to go on one bus from my house to Ashton (2 miles one day) than go in the car and that was one day. Over 5's pay half fare (70p) and I pay £3 day saver.

In the case of an emergency, I would ring for an ambulance and would not drive to the hospital.

i don't drive i often have 3 under 5 - we walk mostly - occasionaly we use the bus - if i don't trust a childs roadsense i use reins until i've trained 'em - i don't earn enough to afford to run a car anyway and i think it's good for kids to get out in the fresh air we do loads of walking and hopefully i send them home well exercised and tired ready for bed!

I take mine swimming (it's 2-1 here) but I have a friend who has 1 child who comes with us, so I can take all three mindees, we go every week.

I do drive now, although didnt till three yeasr ago, and I used to take them on the bus then, for most it was the 1st time they had ever been on one!

the cm did mention she might get a friend to come with her which would mean she could take them every week. would her friend be CRB checked? i understood anyone who had contact with the mindees had to be checked but i could have that wrong?