Does anyone use two Childminders?

[PennyHasNoSurname]

My lovely DM is a CM and when we had our dc agreed to mind them. We pay her a set amount and use her part time term time only. I work shifts so some weeks she may have the dc 16 hours, other weeks up to 32 hours. This week it is 6. We keep the direvt debit the same. It all works very amicably and we only send the kids there when we are both at work.

Due to the contracts she has with her other mindees she is part time herself, and often says how much she enjoys it.

I have started looking for a new job, and whilst I only work four days, everything I can find that is a logical next step or in a similar field is mom-fri full time.

This will drastically increase the amout of time my dcs will.be with a CM and because I know DM likes PT I want to look for a second CM for maybe two set days a week, and she do the three other days.

Come septemeber dd will be in Reception full time, but it will be another year before ds starts preschool. It would only be for the years before he starts preschool as once they are both at school 9-3 I know she would do after school every day (what she constitutes PT).

Is it too much change and fuss for such little kids?

Gosh sorry that was long!

Could you use a nursery for two days rather than have 2 childminders ?

Given the circumstances I think it is better to have two Childminders rather than stop using their grandma to only have one. I would think about what type of Childminder would complement your DM's care, so that they like both carers, rather than much preferring one over the other. Is there anything your DCs would enjoy that your DM doesn't do much?

I would ask your DM her opinion first though, if it is only for a year she may want to do this, but reassure you are happy to look for a second CM.

Also I think it is pretty common for a child to be cared for by a grandparent part time and professional childcare the other days,

Honestly my DM is a superb CM. She has been doing it since I was about five, so ive now seen both sides of it as a child and as a customer. Nursery makes sense - at least for DS. I would be really hesitant to tale dd out of her Preschool class two days a weel to attend a Nursery (Preschool is attached to a school so either 9-12 or 12.30-3 slots five days a week).