help me out ladies..... :)

[Iwant3]

When you look for childcare and are considering a childminder over a nursery - what is important to you to make you decide which childminder to use (assuming there are more than one available with spaces )

1) cost per hour
2) qualifications and experience
3) the house, how big, what resources and equipment they have, pets, cleanliness
4) meals included or supply your own
5) whether they have their own children
6) whether they take children out regularly etc
7) how you get on with the childminder and how your child like them
8) their opening hours and flexibility

hit me with what you would like to see

 

[kumber]

I was debating a childminder vs nursery. I went for a nursery cus he has a severe speech delay and being around more children would help with that. I was worried about how he would settle as he's very clingy but he's only cried once, he absolutely LOVES it. For me, it was seeing how the staff interacted with the children and with us. I also went on gut feeling, it felt "right".

 

[kumber]

I've just realised my experience is totally irrelevant to your question, I'm so sorry

 

[Papermoon]

When you look for childcare and are considering a childminder over a nursery - what is important to you to make you decide which childminder to use (assuming there are more than one available with spaces )

1) cost per hour
2) qualifications and experience
3) the house, how big, what resources and equipment they have, pets, cleanliness
4) meals included or supply your own
5) whether they have their own children
6) whether they take children out regularly etc
7) how you get on with the childminder and how your child like them
8) their opening hours and flexibility

hit me with what you would like to see

That's what I was wondering about too. I plan for me and OH to watch him in shifts but I also want to plan for a back up plan in case something happens or hours get changed at work. I was wondering about daycare/nursery verses a babysitter/childminder. I would like people's experience so I have an idea which may be better for me. It's funny how we use different words for the same thing. LOL. Nursery=daycare for me and childminder=babysitter for me. Hahaha.

 

[MrsS15]

My mum and 2 sisters are childminders, are you looking into doing it and want to see what people look for?

Everything you've said plus policies and procedures you have in place. What are your rules on discipline (my son has behavioural problems so this is something relevant to me, others might be the same). Have you done any courses i.e. First aid or child protection? I'd want my childminder to know first aid. What activities you'll do with the children and if you'll take them to any outside activities etc. I'll let you know if I think of any others xx

 

[Papermoon]

Oh okay cool those are good questions! Yes that's what I mean.

 

[ShowingPromise]

We cheated a little bit as we use the same childminder that my sil used for her boys, so we knew how fantastic she was, but I still looked into other options just in case.
Personally, I'm not keen on nurseries. I like the homely feeling of a childminder for young children, especially if they are going to be there from early morning to late evening. She works to his schedule not the other way around, gets taken on day trips regularly, interacts with children that are both younger and older than him, even helps with her pets. We have a daily diary, home cooked food, parents evenings etc etc. She is honestly wonderful. I just didn't feel that he would get the same quality of care from a nursery, but each to their own!

 

[Holi]

The other biggy for me was if they did pick ups/drop offs to local schools. My eldest started out at a nursery, then when we realised that they don't do pick ups/drop offs to the primary school we wanted to send her too we moved her to a childminder that did. She's been there for about 4 months now and my god I wish I had done a childminder from the beginning. It's lovely! She's out every day to wonderful places, they do big meet ups with other childminders so she mixes with lots of children. I get so much more feedback and I feel like she gets more one on one time than in a nursery. They've taught her to write her own name, get dressed etc it's brilliant! X