My DH is considering giving up his job and becoming a childminder...

[mum2phoebs]

We are due to have our second child in April and are not going to be able to use our current childminder when I go back to work as she has a new job.

After considering lots of options we think we have come up with the perfect solution! I currently earn more than my husband so we are looking at my husband setting himself up as a childminder over the next few months whilst I am on maternity leave and then quitting his job.

He has always been the "hands-on" one in the relationship and is always doing crafty things, cooking, painting etc with our daughter. He is very domesticated and prides himslef on a clean home. He is perfectly suited to being a childminder. Oou only concern is would he get the business, what with being "MALE". I personaly would't hesitate using a male childminder but just wondered what others thoughts were! Plenty of people know him in the village, he's lived here all his life, he is seen most days collecting our daughter from our childminder / playgroup and everyone knows him as a very loving caring father.

Thoughts please....so we can make our decision!

I have a husband and wife team as my childminder. They are ofsted outstanding, very popular and fab. The husband does the picking up and dd loves him.

When DD1 and DD2 were little my childminder were a husband and wife team. Like Rainbow they were OFSTED outstanding. I wouldn't hesitate for a second using a fully qualified childminder, male or female. I say Go for it.

Thanks for the positive feedback so far!! I'm so keen for him to do this as I know it's the perfect job for him I've even started cleaning up the house getting it "very" organised which will shock him when he comes home as that's "his" job....well he takes over!!

I work with DH, didn't initially but got so busy after the first couple of months minding that I was looking for an assistant, got fed up of trying to find the right person and it suddenly occured to me that DH would be ideal, so he cut his work down and started minding too.

I wish a lot more men were in childcare, I've never encounted a problem from a perspective parent pov, but then we always fill up with recommendations anyway so people are aware that we work together before they come to visit. It's great that your DH is a regular at playgroup he can do a lot of networking their and might even get some clients through it.

The only thing that bothers my DH is that on courses he's the only bloke in a room full of women. I'd say go for it and start soonish as registration can take months.

I think he should give it a go - he sounds fab and I would 'use him'. I think it would be especially good for children living apart (with little contact) from their fathers to have a good male role model - so it could work out well... however, I suspect there will be other people who wouldn't leave their child with a man - but hopefully it would balance out.

How many children would he need to make this work for you?

I work with my DH and he was worried that parents would stress about him being 'a man', but they have all been lovely and not worried about it at all. If your 2 dcs are under 5 (obviously 1 will be), then he will only be able to take on 1 more under 5.

Tell him to start registering asap, because the registration process (getting on a course, getting CRB check processed) can take AGES.

I am fully supportive of male childminders - my hubby was registered for a time. I understand your concerns and the only thing i would say is that male childminders working as a team with their partner are very well received but i have come across male minders working alone who have found it more difficult to get business. I would suggest that you get some good advertising going and get hubby to be proactive attending playgroups etc and talking to mums at school to get himself known as a person rather than just a name on a list.

I really hope it works out for you both - its a sensible solution to your own childcare needs as well as getting some male blood in to the system which in my opinion is desperately needed.

AS Gluggy really, I know of H&W teams with no problems but also know of lone male CMs and afraid to say they struggle

HSMM - Good point about we'd only be allowed 1 more under 5. Whilst our daughter is at school 9-3 would she still be counted in our numbers? Or would she only be counted during the time she is actually at home? Before 9am and after 3pm?

If not we should be allowed to have

1. Our baby (under 1)
2. A full-time under 5
3. An under 5 between 9-3
4. 3 aged 5 and over before and after school.

Sorry how old is your daughter? & is she in nursery or reception?

Our daughter is 4 in June, starts school in September.

Well until she starts school (reception) full-time (so either in September or most likely sometime during that term)you will be allowed a second child between 1 & 5

HTH

But you wouldn't be allowed a child between 9-3 if she is at Nursery atm

That's good, that's what we thought, we don't plan to start up until October, when I return to work after the birth of the new baby.

so

your baby
2 under 5
your dd
2 over 5 under 8

Plus over 8's (within reason)

Thanks

I know several male childminders, some working with wives and others working by themselves. The ones I know who work by themselves have not found it a major problem, although have a higher than average number of parents who do not call back after visitng - a real shame as they are great carers. One bit of advice that can help is to ensure your husband gets himself known in the community by attending plenty of groups, both childminder only (so he gets known professionally and hopefully will have name passed on to parents by cms who get enquiries they cannot fill) and general groups - so he is seen out and about being great with the kids.

hth

Heresa great websitefor childminders has its own forum too..
Has male and female minders on there..

www.childmindinghelp.co.uk