Best way to give notice to childminder?

[kayakker]

Hi. Grateful for advice from any CMs or parents who use CMs. I need to give a month's notice to our CM who's been great, but cannot accommodate new times for DCs schools.

I find these conversations a bit awkward and was going to email to explain, saying that I would also follow up with a phone call. Gives the other person time to absorb the news. DP thinks emails are rude and I should just call.

Any thoughts?!

TIA.

When I gave notice I went to see her with DH, thanked her for being so wonderful, told her our plans and handed over our letter.

Face to face with a letter setting out your intentions and reasons. Including a reference for her to use in future would be a nice touch. Presumably she knows she cannot accommodate the times, so she will not be surprised?

agree qith the above, face to face, and maybe a little gift, as she has been a good cm. Dont worry too much, cms know that mindees move on, all part of the business.

I always ask if I can give the home number of 'old' parents to serious 'new' ones as a reference, you could suggest this.

Good luck

I am a CM and i would be expecting a parent to give notice if i couldn't do a change in hours.

I am sure she will be expecting notice to be given.

Don't worry about it.

Just hand over a letter and say you hate to leave but you need new hours.

Its not nice for either party but I appreciate you are trying to do the right thing.

As others have suggested - a letter stating your intentions - ie I am giving the one month termination notice of our contract, the last date of childminding required is***

Go talk to her - it really won't be as bad as you think it might be.
Tell her you will do her a reference or has she got a end of contract questionnaire?
If you have been happy with her get her some flowers/box choccies/alcohol wouldn't go amiss on the end date. And don't forget to keep in touch with her - us minders get very attached to our charges y'no!

Definitely that last comment, people sometimes underestimate how much we miss our mindees when they go, as I am sure the mindees do too, it's lovely to see them again once in a while

Thanks for this - very helpful!

Thanks for this - very helpful!