Childminder and driving kids around, need advice please.

[npg1]

I am thinking in the nearish future of becoming a childminder.

My problem is my DD goes to school 17 miles away (our choice!) so the school run for me is about an hour in the morning and an hour pm. Now if kids were dropped off before I went in the morning we would probably go onto kids play centres, zoo or swimming/ socalising on our way home, then back for lunch, naps, play etc before its time to go and pick up my DD.

What are parents thoughts on this and would you want/ mind your child travelling in the car for that long?

Thanks for your help.

I wouldn't choose to use a childminder that involved my child sitting in the car for that long. My DS used to go on the school run with his childminder but it was 5/10 minutes maximum and only one end of the day.

Sorry, it would be a deal-breaker for me, even if you were absolutely the best childminder ever.

yes i agree, just wanted to see what other peoples views would be, thanks

Any chance of using a school bus for your daughter npg? I went this sort of distance, and there were children from 5 using the bus.

Hi,
I'm a childminder and a mum, with my mums hat on I would say there's no way I would place my child with a minder that involved that long in the car. As a cm I wouldn't want to do it anyway, kids get bored and an hour twice a day is too long imo.

Wouldn't worry me too much as long as I liked you in every other way and you had a clean driving licence. My school run takes an hour on foot and mindees are in the buggy in all weathers. Not sure why this is different to being in the car for that length of time.

Could you not bill parents for that hour, would that provide an incentive to parents?

Ok thanks, yes that would be an incentive to not bill them, I would be happy to do that, obviously school hours would be ideal but I know parents would want to drop off at 9.30am and pick up at 3pm so perhaps not billing for these 2 hours are a good idea.

And if any prospective parents lived on your school route (or close by) and the timings suited, you could offer them a free pick up/drop off service instead?

Two hours a day sat in the car would be dreadfully boring for a child, I'd be paying for my child to be doing painting, walks, stories, running around etc etc not sat strapped into a car half the day.
I wouldn't use you, sorry.

excellent idea!!

You don't really seem to be grasping how awful it would be for any children in your care over this time npg1. I really can't see any positives to spending 2 hours in the car each day.

Sorry, no way would I use you, free hours or not! I wouldn't want my children sitting in a car for 2 hours a day if I had any other option (e.g. another childminder).

for an occasional mind I probably would. SO long as I didn't have to drive to get child to you, so only if you were in walking distance. for an every day mind, no.

I know of a childminder who picks up children from parent at school gate when they drop off older child, and returns them to school gate at end of school day. so maybe advertise at your daughters school.

or you could look at before/after preschool care for children who do one session a day. they would only do one of your school runs. Is there a park/ playground near your daughters school to break up school run with a good run about.

You could still register as a childminder - you can work the hours that suit you. Some people only want childcare between say 10 and 3 pm. There are no rules about having to work full time. You could always offer more in the holidays to people.

I tend to agree about the long car journey - i try not to do many long journeys anyway - even in the hols (i am a CM by the way).

I wouldnt use childcare that took an hour to do the school run in a car and certainly not walking. Far too long and boring for the child.