childminder AND nursey for 10mth old baby?

[gd1976]

We are currently going around in circles trying to sort out childcare. Would it be unsettling for a baby to have 2 sessions in nursey per week and 2 ish days with a childminder? Or would it be better to be with just the childminder for all childcare? I want my ds to be settled and I am wary that it may be too many different places for him, I just want him to be happy.
I think the nursey would be good for him with all that goes on, and for him to interact with other babies (he has no cousins or anything and although I try to get him to see lots of other children his age, he doesn't get a huge amount of time with other babies) However, i think the childminders is a bit more personal, and he'll have a cot to sleep in in his own room etc.
It is not an option to be will soley the nursey due to work times and logistics.
I would be grateful to hear your views and advice......

Many thanks

I'm still at home with my DS (7 mo) this isn't from experience or anything, but I would lean towards keeping him at the CM the whole time rather than splitting up the week. Does the CM have any other mindees? Or does she attend any 1 o'clock clubs or music classes or anything? If so, I think he would get some of the interaction you are looking for and if not, maybe she would be willing to. Ask her about your concerns and see what she says...

I'd stick with just a CM. Too confusing to have too many carers. Choose a good one and they'll have other kids and will probably go to playgroups and drop in sessions to meet other kids.

Have you found a childminder who would have your DS for 2 days a week... or a childminder who will have DS for the entire week?

Think that would be the starting point... seeing what is available - as some childminders may prefer filling a full-time space, rather than a part-time one.

With a CM your DS will get more attention I would have thought, plus get to interact with other children (older children, so more like a family environment - they are like substitute bothers & sisters). Plus the CM may well take your DS to local groups where he will get to interact with other children of similar age, plus your CM may meet up with other CM's who also care for children of similar age.

Keep both options open for now while you investigate what your local Childminders are able to do, plus who you gel with. You may find that the CM you get on best with only has a full-time space... thus that is what you end up using.

Also consider your hassle factor in remembering which place your DS goes each day. What needs to be taken each day (if only using one form of childcare, it may be possible for some of his things to stay at the carers location).

I have used both a nursery and a cm (dd2 is almost 2 and has been settled with her cm for almost 6 months)

She gets loads of interaction with other dcs, and the cm only has one other little mindee. (plus her own child out of school hours) They go to various groups etc.

Overall I think she is more settled with the cm than my dd1 was at nursery.

Personally, I don't think it does any harm to use 2 sources of care as long as there is a structure about which days they go where. However, I think that a good cm can provide all those things you want anyway. My daughter went to nursery from 8 months old (has no cousins either) and I am now a childminder so I see both sides. In hindsight, although she was happy at nursery, I actually wish I had put her with a cm. As it was, I had to take lots of time off work because she was ALWAYS ill due to the number of children in close proximity. She was also ravenous when she came home because nursery staff didn't have the time to make sure she ate all her food (rather than dropping it all over her!!) and she refused to sleep there because there was too much going on so my days off were spent with an overtired, screaming baby. With a cm she could have mixed with other children in smaller groups, as others have said a good cm will care for other small children and will take them out to playgroups a few times a week and other outings where they get to socialise.

Good luck whatever you choose.

Thank you all for your advice. We have a childminder set up who is luckily flexible. She has 4 children to look after on an average day, but she dosn't leave the house so playgroups etc aren't an option during the day. However I won't be working full time every week so there will be oportunity for me to take my ds to toddler groups sometimes....... Do you still think cm is the better option?

Thanks

She doesn't leave the house - what about trips to the park or the library, etc? What ages are the other children? I think it really depends on what you feel is important for your child. She may well do lots of really great activities at home (I assume she has a garden so they get plenty of time for outdoor play) and she allows them to do messy play like painting, etc at home. However, just from my own pov I would choose a cm who does have a balance between going out and staying in because this provides the children with more of a varied learning experience. But as you say, you'll be with your baby 3 days of the week so you can do outings, etc if you want to. Is the issue that you are not entirely happy with the set up of this particular cm? I am not at all trying to be patronising so hope it doesn't come across that way but have you met with other cms to make a comparison?

i am a cm and i agree with claireodon maybe you should meet some other cms to compare them.i currently look after two children and we go to library,music group,playgroup,farm,most weeks. we do all the messy play etc at home but they get to meet other children at groups then we normally go out for lunch once a week.i do have a garden with trampoline,slides and lots of toys but i choose to go out as have two boys who need lots of physical exercise.

As a cm I couldn't do my job if I never left the house through the day. We go to the park, library, shops, other cms homes, even onto the field opposite to play football and 'tag'. Feeding the ducks/swans, playgroup, softplay - all part of the service I provide.

Shared care can work - I shared care for a mindee with another cm a few years ago - but a nursery setting has a different structure and routine to a cm. I also think you should visit some other cms and keep your options open, assuming you still have time to look around. When I used cms in the past myself my kids were never in - they were always out and about.

Message withdrawn

Thank you for your views.... i know it's really tricky to know what to do. I live in a really rural area and there's only 3 childminders that are near enough to use, and this one has outstanding ofsted report and i didn't really like the sound of the other ones, and they didn't have the flexibility or space for my ds.....

Hate to state the obvious but a child going to a day nursery won't get out and about other than the gardens, same as at this CM yet that is acceptable to most?

I have days where I don't go out, it's not boring

that's true, and it's not like he's going to be there full time.....

Hi i a a regisered childminder in the bury/bolton area of manchester with vacancies if that is any help to you can conact me via email on [email protected]