Nursery v. childminder?

[Hughsie]

I have two boys 11 months and almost 3 and they are currently attending a private nursery with hefty fees. Oldest is very happy and seems to have lots of fun although we do have discipline problems with him. Youngest has only been going for two months but doesn't seem to like it - doesn't sleep well there and is always looking sad when I go to collect him. With ds1 ready for state nursery in September I would really like him to be able to go and no private nursery in our area seems to offer a drop off or collect service to help. i work Weds-Fri and would like to continue so have decided to search for a childminder. i have to admit that I am really anxious as i worry whether an individual would be ok rather than the support of a nursery and more regulations?? You can never know another person well wnough to trust them with your children alone surely - am I being silly? The childminder I am considering has a 7 month old of her own and we are due to visit her at the weekend for a chat. i am not sure I am comfortable at all as how would it be if both babies needed her at the same time and my toddler can be demanding.

Has anyone gone through these dilemmas and could offer adice or solutions. i have no local family to help out with nursery runs and the hours are not convenient to say the least.

Please help ??!!!

Hullo alibubbles,

Sent you a regular old email, so hopefully you'll have gotten that one.

Thanks again for all your help. I really appreciate it!

Hi Hughsie,

it's only natural to worry but in my opinion a childminder - as long as it's the right one - beats a nursery every time. Your kids benefit enormously from a one-to-one relationship with someone they know and trust, and will most likely grow to love. I think kids benefit too from a home environment instead of an institutional one. Activities can be tailored to their needs and will most likely be more varied and involve more outings. Routines can be adapted to suit the children, not the other way round. My eldest went to a childminder and formed a really strong bond - not just with the childminder but with the other little girl that she looked after and with her own son. I now consider the child-minder a friend and although dd doesn't go to her regularly it's wonderful to know that there's now someone on my doorstep who knows dd incredibly well, who adores her and who I would trust in every way. It was certainly the right decision for us.

Interestingly enough I worried at first - not about the neighbourhood - but about the house itself. But it soon became very clear that I was looking at the house through adult eyes and if I refocused for a minute it was actually a household utterly geared to kids (it was full, and I mean FULL, of toys) where children really feel at home and secure and where they have lots of fun.

On the area thing - the important thing is the person not the area. If you like and trust her the other stuff will fall into place. In any case you can't judge a playgroup by its location. I have taken both dds to a play group on an estate near me considered v. "rough" and it is the best playgroup around. It is well- structured, extremely friendly - has a good mix of people who all speak to everyone - none of the clique-iness you sometimes get. I don't think it's an accident either - it's cheap and works on the principle that everyone mucks in. Everyone is very attentive to all the children (not just their own) and I - and both dds - love it. I've been to plenty of playgroups in posher areas where you pay more, then pay extra for a capuccino and where all the carers sit around in little cliques talking about interior design and paying absolutely no attention to Jemima or Archie....(apologies to any Js or As...)Don't fall into the trap of judging parents/children/or playgroups by the area.

Does anyone know - How does one register as ofsted childminder? might this be a way to stay at home and get paid to look after own child?