Child kinder or nursery?

[CrispsAddict]

Hi ladies, it's still a long way off but I wondered, those of you who went back to work full time after mat leave, did you prefer a childminder or nursery, and why?

If nursery, when did you get the ball rolling on enrolment and how long does the process take? So if going back to work next July, when would you apply?

If with childminder, does it work out cheaper or about the same as nursery?

Sorry that should say child minder not kinder! It seems there's no edit option.

I wanted a childminder for my clingy DD, is was good, the childminder has her in a carrier a lot and it wasn't constantly busy busy busy buuuuut CV happened AND there was a serious problem which meant we dropped the childminder and signed her up for a nursery.

The nursery she's starting is one I looked at for when she was a bit older and I was excited for her to go one day. One day is a lot sooner than I planned but it looks like she'll be happy there. Normally places fill up fast near me (like over a year wait lists) but CV meant they were desperate and will even take her a bit younger than usual.

Childminder was from 13 months and nursery from 21 months. I think that age difference is important for DD

My son has gone to a nursery at 5 months. Its right for him because he seems to REALLY like people and not much seems to phase him, I imagine for a child thats nervous it wouldnt suit so much. I also chose this nursery because the baby room is from 3 - 12 months. Most others ive seen have baby rooms up to 18 months, and I think theres a big difference between 12 and 18 months.

I enrolled him very soon after he was born, so I was very lucky it ended up suiting him. I had one settling in session, then my son went for one day a week for a couple of weeks, then two days a week, then eventually full time.

I didn't need childcare but I would have gone for a childminder. It's a much more 'at home' environment. My daughter then started school nursery class at age 3 (3 hours in the morning). Several of the children in the nursery class were dropped off and collected by theirs childminder - spending the rest of the day with them. Some of the childminders would also do an afternoon session for Reception age children onwards. Basically being a 3pm - 6 or 7pm childminder.

I looked at both options but felt nursery was best for my son. He went from 11 months and was quite 'scared' around other children initially especially older so a childminder with children of various ages wasn't ideal. I also didn't like the idea of my son being taken to and from school drop offs as part of his day. Childminders were cheaper I found but not sure if this is usual or differs by area. . I enrolled him around six months before he was due to start as the nursery we went for is quite popular.

We used a childminder from 8 months - we actually had a nursery place booked, we'd reserved it when I was still pregnant, but when it came to it it didn't feel like the right option. The childminder was also cheaper, though that wasn't part of the decision. We were very happy with the childminder but we moved house recently and couldn't find a childminder with space where we now live so he started at nursery in June (aged nearly two) and that's gone really well, he loves it there, but I don't know if that's because he's older now.

I tried both options with my DS. I initially used a childminder from 11 months old. I looked at every option but as a single parent on a good salary I couldn't afford the nursery without cutting back on everything. Childminders were cheaper but I refused to send him to the first two I visited as it didn't seem a good fit. I felt that the 3rd one was perfect. It was a team of two so they could split the children during the day and do age appropriate activities. Unfortunately after 6 months one of them quit and we lost our place. I only had one weeks notice despite the contract. Thankfully my headteacher was understanding and allowed me leave during free lessons that week to search for new options. I found an amazing nursery in the village I work. I'm now totally skint but at least I know DS won't lose his place there. My only concern with the nursery is that the baby room is 6-24 months so quite a difference in ages but he will be moving to the next room in September/October as he is now 23 months.

We chose a nursery partly because there are no childminders close to where we live or work, and partly because the nursery she goes to is lovely: small, community run (not for profit) and based on heuristic play principles. The right values were really important to us. It was also relatively cheap, on my way to work and walking distance to the house.

She started at 6 months and settled really well, even after the 3 month lockdown hiatus. The bond she has with her key worker is genuinely lovely. It's a very special nursery and we feel so lucky to have it on our doorstep.

Both mine went to nursery full time aged 4 and 5 months. Both were booked in when I was around 20 weeks pregnant.

There are excellent nurseries and excellent childminders. So long as you get a good one I don’t think it much matters. Round here nursery did an earlier start than any of the childminders so that swung it for us.

I wanted a nursery for DD so there were more people around looking after her and so she didn't develop a strong bond with one adult same as with me

@omg35

I wanted a nursery for DD so there were more people around looking after her and so she didn't develop a strong bond with one adult same as with me

I'm trying and failing not be judgemental - I think that's really sad that you deliberately wanted your DC not to have a strong relationship with their caregiver. That's such a prioritisation of your own feelings over hers.

Nursery because there's more accountability, he also really really loves people and being busy.

Plus I don't have to work around someone else's sick days or someone else's holidays. The nursery is always open.

We went with nursery as I’d only be comfortable with a childminder on personal recommendation and couldn’t find anyone who’d recommend one! Been happy with nursery from starting at 11 months to now nearly 3 so made the right decision for us. Obviously pros and cons to each.

I picked a Childminder and she is the reason I am here today. She not only take incredible care of my child she helped me navigate treatment and recovery for PND and PTSD.

She looked after my child all through lockdown she let me increase the days with no notice and has been incredibly flexible.

My child went to her at 3 months so I was keen to have a home atmosphere.

Dd went to nursery because it offered so much more than the childminders I saw could. They have a forest school attached where the children can go in and out as they please (always supervised of course!) sensory areas, messy play, reading corners, quiet corners, she adores it.

I know I’ll probably be flamed for this, but I was always against paying for dd to be doing school runs rather than playing all day.

I know I’ll probably be flamed for this, but I was always against paying for dd to be doing school runs rather than playing all day.

I don't know why you'd be flamed for that, it's a very common and perfectly reasonable view? I personally liked that DS sort of did 'normal life' with the childminder - I liked that he went on the school run (though it was a walk, I would have been more ambivalent if it had meant a lot of time in the car), to the supermarket, etc. but I can see why people wouldn't. I think maybe it also depends on days/hours - I thought nursery didn't feel like the right environment for four days a week for DS and the 'homeyness' of a childminder felt better, but now we've changed working patterns he only has two days of childcare a week and so nursery - which he loves but comes home shattered from - feels like a better mix, if that makes sense?

I'd have preferred a childminder but none of them could tell me what their availability would be like 10 months down the line.

There's only two nurseries where I live that take under 2's so had no choice other than to book a place at nursery.

As it happens it's completely the right thing for him, he's so sociable and loves being around loads of people...I just didn't know that when he was 8 weeks old!

Thanks everyone who's replied. Some good info to think about. Bit panicky though that some of you arranged a nursery place at 20 weeks pregnant! My daughter is 10 weeks old and I still haven't seriously considered what I'll do or even when I'll go back to work, yikes.

My dd is 10 weeks old and we have just booked a nursery place for next June. Looked around 3 or 4 last week who all said we needed to get a move on. I've booked 4 days as our mums are going to have dd one day a fortnight each. I want to drop a day but need to negotiate that with work after Christmas. If I get to drop a day nursery will happily have her 3 days

Childminder for sure so my kid doesn't have to deal with lots of change and can stay in the home environment. But either way we have this fab portable blackout blind from daydreamer blinds, so the kid can pretty much sleep anywhere!