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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

Childminder V Nursery

32 replies

wasaconventgirl · 13/02/2009 09:53

I am having my 2nd DC in a few weeks and I can't decide wether to use a nursery or a childminder.

My DS went to the nursery I would use and it is fantastic! Low staff turnover, very clean, great food, takes children most of the year etc - more expensive though.

But I know a wonderful childminder, she already has my DS on a adhoc basis, very good with children, good ofsted rating, flexible, kind, porbably would only want DB term time (which is ok although it would be handy to have time alone with older DS), does not include food (but I was planning to take that to nursery for 1st year anyway)

My DB will be around 5/6 months BTW. What do you think?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

FantasticMissFox · 13/02/2009 09:56

IMO, I would go for a childminder just because DC2 will be quite young, nursery may be slightly overwhelming? HTH

colie · 13/02/2009 10:21

If you think childminder is fantastic then I would go with childminder. I think a home setting is probably better for a baby than a nursery. Although in saying that my dd1 was in a nursery by 7 months old.

JenniPenni · 13/02/2009 10:38

For their first years I always think a childminder is best - and if you already have one you love, you're sorted

JemL · 13/02/2009 13:48

Having visited lots of childminders and nurseries when intially going back to work - and then again 2 years later when I had to change childminder (just becuase of circumstances!) I would recommend a childminder everytime. My son absolutely loves both the childminders he has been with, and I much prefer knowing that he is with the same person all the time - even in nurseries with low turnover, there is still change, days off, sickness, moving up to different rooms, etc - if you have already found one you love, I would definitely go with that

nomoreamover · 13/02/2009 13:51

I would go with the CM too - nothing against nusrseries at all but i think for teeny tinys CM is better

susiey · 13/02/2009 13:55

I had my DD at a cm from when she was 4 months because of the home environment that they get and she loved playing with all the kids of different ages like in a family.

I have since used a cm again for my DS and I love knowing that he has the care of 1 person.and love that he has loads of cuddles in the day and smells of the cm perfume at the end of the day.
I vote cm every time

IwishIwasmoreorganised · 13/02/2009 14:12

Well I'm going to offer a different point of view!

I prefer nurseries for younger children as I don't like the idea of babies having to go out on up to 4 school runs a day with CM's. My eldest started at 11 months at a nursery but now he's at pre-school nursery every morning he is with a childminder for 3 afternoons a week. My youngest will start off at the same nursery as his brother went to and graduate to a CM once he starts pre-school (due to logistics really).

I like the fact that at nursery they can take their naps whenever and for however long they need without being disrupted to take or collect older charges to/from school and also a good nursery with low staff turnover gives more opportunities to socialise with a wider variety of other children and adults.

tankie · 13/02/2009 15:30

Why would there be four school runs?

I think school runs are part of normal life tbh, my youngest charge loves going to school to pick up his older siblings.

HaventSleptForAYear · 13/02/2009 15:38

Another vote for childminders here.

SO much more flexible for you as a working parent and I really think babies ideally need less noise and more one on one.

Mine both went from age 3 months to our lovely cm and they love her to bits, her daughter babysits, she buys them presents etc.

Great when they are sick too!

auntyspan · 13/02/2009 15:51

Don't agree with childminders being more flexible - I have never had to not go to work because a member of staff at the nursery has been off sick - however this happens frequently with my friends who have their DC with childminders. My DD is in nursery 3 days a week and on the odd occassion I have had to book her in for an extra session there's never been a problem - again something that I don't think happens regularly with my friends' childminders.

I also agree that I was put off childminders because the school run.

I think you need to go with your instincts. I interviewed about 6 childminders and didn't warm to any of them - and then went to look at a couple of nurseries and fell in love with them all!

JenniPenni · 13/02/2009 16:17

The beauty of a CM is the kids get what they get at nursery from an OFSTED/educational point of view, with the combination of the home environment and usual goings on at home - which would include a school run with some CMs. Is no contest for me.

I am CM and do not have a school run, many don't. So don't rub out all CMs if you are totally anti your child popping out for half an hour twice a day

Re CMs being sick frequently... I have been off sick 4 days in 2 years, three of which I was in hospital for an asthma attack. The CMs I know hardly take any sick leave at all. We get no sick leave, so only take off sick if infectious and really need to!

My mum had a nursery school for over 20 years, I worked with her there for a few years.. was a super school!! I do think a CM is best for a lil one though. They do not get the attention at nursery they'd get at a CM, not in my experience of both childcare worlds.

It's crucial you go with your gut feel either way - CM or nursery. Your instinct is the best decider.

HarrietTheSpy · 13/02/2009 16:35

We considered a childminder for DD2 who could also have done the school run for DD1. In the end we went for a nursery and an after school nanny (can't afford a full-time nanny at the moment).

Re the childminders we have met over the years when weighing up our options, they might be more flexible in the sense that they would you allow to do to one morning and one afternoon and a full day, for instance, whereas a nursery I agree might want you to commit to something more regular. But the start and finish times at the beg and end of day were hard for us. Later start time and wanted to finish half an hour earlier than the nursery. This was largely because of their family commitments. There are some with demanding school run schedules although we wouldn' thave necessarily ruled them out for that reason.

I have also met several who have quite firm views about childcare and are choosy about who they will have given the environment they want for their own children. This scared me as there are waiting lists in our area for nursery places near us and a limited number of cm's, and if it didn't work out and they gave me notice, I'd be stuffed. A nursery won't give you notice or try to change your days, which has also happened to friends who use childminders in our area. While I have really liked many cms personally and would have felt comfortable leaving my dds with them, I always had this nagging doubt about whether it was the most stable situation for my working needs.

Original poster

wasaconventgirl · 13/02/2009 20:18

Thanks for your opinions. There are some really different views there!

OP posts:

Chatkins · 13/02/2009 20:24

I'm a cm and only go on school run twice a day, usually only have mindees for the later run, and I make sure it is fun for them - we have drinks snacks books and toys with us all the time, talk and sing songs, pick up interesting objects etc...I think its nice that they are getting regular fresh air, as well as all the other things we do with them at home and out and about !
With all the eyfs cms are now on an equal footing with nurseries, we have to proove we are follwing the new framework, plus the kids get loads of one to one attention.
Also it is nice for the kids if they are to go to the school later on, they are already very familiar and used to it.
Most cms I know are hardly ever sick, we are immune to germs !

mrsgboring · 13/02/2009 20:29

I have been given notice by a nursery - it does happen.

Having used both for 11 month old DS I would never ever use a nursery for that agegroup again.

onepieceofbrusselssprout · 13/02/2009 20:29

I have recently moved my 17 month old from a nursery setting. There were some "issues" with the nursery, but predmominantly she found the busy nursery environment with lots of different staff extrememly unsettling.

This was a real shock to us as our dd1 had really thrived in the nursery environment (same nursery)

Anyway, we moved her to a local childminder and are so, so happy. I had threads of my own about it at the time and got loads of good advice from other mners. The care that she receives is absolutely fantastic, the cm has a brilliant relationship with her.

She goes on 2 school runs, between but these don't affect her sleep in any way.

onepieceofbrusselssprout · 13/02/2009 20:31

Oh yes meant to add that imo the school run is a positive benefit. Dd2 often gets to see her older sister (who goes to wraparound care) also dd2 loves the cm's ds who is in the same class as her older sister.

When I take dd out in the buggy myself she finds it boring, with the cm she is with another mindee in a double buggy and the dog. She loves it.

HarrietTheSpy · 13/02/2009 20:40

Mrsgboring
Interesting you got given notice by the nursery. On what grounds?

alibubbles · 13/02/2009 22:08

I am a c/m and I don't do any school runs, the children eat when they need, to and sleep when they want to, according to each child's own routine.

I hate doing school runs, so try not to.

hf128219 · 13/02/2009 22:16

Definitely a nusery IMO. Although every person is different in what they want for their child.

Even if I could afford a Nanny at £130 gross per day I would still pick a nursery.

Sidge · 13/02/2009 22:21

I have used both and now would choose a nursery, every time.

But not any old nursery obviously.

hf128219 · 13/02/2009 22:23

That's the thing - the right nursery!

HappyMummyOfOne · 14/02/2009 10:13

I'd choose a nursery too everytime and would view as many as possible to get a feel for the best one.

Childminders, in the main, have their own children and its human instinct to favour your own child over others. You also have no control over pets, visitors, outings etc.

Childminders are s/e so set their own rules, many ask for paid holidays which means double childcare costs at points during the year. There's also the issue of the school runs and after school activities that their other mindees or their own children attend.

Cover for sickness and holidays can also be a problem.

Theres also the added risk of being dropped for a better offer or more money from elsewhere whereas its very rare that a nursery would ever give notice unless it was actually closing down.

Its personal choice though and whats suit one person may not suit another.

Acinonyx · 14/02/2009 11:49

I switched dd (at 3) from nursery to CM. DD is much happier with CM as she is a shy child and needs continuity of care with one carer which wasn't happening at nursery. She'd be happy in one room, then not the next and so on.

Cm's children are in their 20s and independent so no conflict of interest there (that would bother me). She does the school run with dd and they also get out a lot in other ways. I like her doing the school run with CM - it's exercise, fresh air and also she is now very familiar with the school she will go to in Sep. She's a great walker now. It's a lot cheaper too.

The only drawback is that it is NOT as flexible as nursery. I had to take 2 weeks holiday to cover CM last summer and drop off and pick-up times are not flexible like they were at nursery because of going out in the morning etc. Nursery could always do an extra day if I really needed it but CM has other dc and can't. She does do an early breakfast club though whigh may be useful later - it's earlier than nursery.

I'm very pleased with the move to CM apart from that as dd is much happier there and that means so much less guilt and anxiety for me!

missymoo2411 · 14/02/2009 12:39

well 2 off my kids went to nursery and enjoyed it but i had a few problems with them not following my dd2 routine of sleep so by the end of the month he was 35 hours down on nap time he was shattered grummpy an uncontrolable just be cause of the staff change over and they didnt pass on info or couldnt be assed to get him to sleep all it took was a cuddle a book and a blanket an 10 mins and he was out and the amount of accident they had and things going missing well im a cm now and i love my job and i know im good at it i would use a nursery again but only from about 15 months and think young babys r best with a cm ..

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