Childminding and Dates HELP!

Bridesmaid83

Hi There,

I've organised a childminder for my baby for when I go back to work in April however looking at my work days and my partners work days we will only need a child minder about 6 - 8 days a month - at random dates... for example this is what June looks like: (Days we need a CM)

JUNE
Wk 1: Tues 7th - Thurs 9th
Wk 2: Wed 15th
Wk 3: Wed 22nd
Wk 4: Tues 28th - Wed 29th

Will a childminder be happy with this or do they need set dates per week? (i.e. A Monday to Wednesday) How will the payment work out? I'll ask them when I see them this afternoon but I was hoping someone here would be able to offer advice before I see them.

Thank you in advance.

GobbledyGook

I think you'll struggle to get a CM for different days each week. It'd be very difficult for them to find someone else whose hours matched yours to fill their days.

I think you'll find you'll have to have them set days each week (Tues, Wed & Thur to cover you) or perhaps just a Tuesday and Wednesday each week if you have someone who could help you out on the odd Thursdays.

balletshoes

hopefully your childminder will be flexible enough to work with the hours you need her .

I agree though, in my experience with 3 childminders and 3 nursery schools, only one childminder would have been okay with such a random duty, and thats because she was an emergency childminder, so didn't have the same children to mind on the same hours each week.

Threadhead

I used to be a childminder, and had a similar set up, which ended up working really well.
The parent paid me for 15 hours a week, every week, and if she needed more care, she paid the extra. If she needed less care, she still paid the 15 hours, to keep the place open.
Maybe you could figure out a workable amount and suggest this to the childminder?

Bridesmaid83

thank you for your replies already. after having read these and spoken with a friend who has had a childminder in the past we are choosing to stick to Mon - Wed on the first and last week of the month and a Tues - Wed the middle two weeks. Would that be okay? Sure we won't need her on all those dates but I think it would be best for everyone this way.

Spendless

Bridesmaid83 wrote: »

thank you for your replies already. after having read these and spoken with a friend who has had a childminder in the past we are choosing to stick to Mon - Wed on the first and last week of the month and a Tues - Wed the middle two weeks. Would that be okay? Sure we won't need her on all those dates but I think it would be best for everyone this way.

I think you need to speak to a childminder tbh to see how flexible they are able to be. The way you've said would work in a month that works like this
week 1 - Mon 7th
week 2 -Mon 14th
week 3 -mon 21st
week 4 -Mon 28th

but what when it's like this

week 1 -mon 1st month
week 2 mon 8th month
week 3 -mon 15th month
week 4 -mon 22nd month
week 5 mon 29th month

does week 5 count as the last or not, how does that work out with your working pattern? Also if someone comes along wanting every Tuesday & wednesday, will you risk losing your place to someone wanting set hours?

GobbledyGook

Bridesmaid83 wrote: »

thank you for your replies already. after having read these and spoken with a friend who has had a childminder in the past we are choosing to stick to Mon - Wed on the first and last week of the month and a Tues - Wed the middle two weeks. Would that be okay? Sure we won't need her on all those dates but I think it would be best for everyone this way.

That will probably only work if she can find someone to take on the Mondays that you do not need.

What about 5 week months? What about the Thursdays you mentioned in your OP?

rachbc

It depends how busy they are I think - our area is overrun with cm and there isn;t enough business to go round so they have tobe flexible to fill there places - however in areas with less provision then some childminders will only take children on set patterns - some I know will only offer full time places!

Counting_Pennies_2

It all depends on whether the CM wants to have her books full, if so it wont work for her.

I am amazed this close to starting that she hasn't spoken about days with you, surely you will be doing the settling in soon.

If this cannot be accommodated I would suggest speaking with nanny agencies and ask if any of their nannies have recently had a baby. Often they want to continue to earn money without going back full time, a friend found a nanny that way, as she works very sporadic hours.

This works well for them

hth

msb5262

Hi OP,
Don't forget that lots of people work shifts - nurses/doctors, paramedics, power station employees just to name a few - and many of these use childminders. I used a childminder 3 days a week for my DS2 and there were two children whose mum was a community nurse. My hours were fixed, hers changed each month but she just let the childminder know each month what hours were coming up. Then the one or two children who came on a casual basis were fitted in around this.
It might be worth asking around or putting up a postcard to enquire about childminders who work flexibly; there are lots of them! Your local childminding organisation might well be able to put you in touch with someone too.
HTH
MsB

Bridesmaid83

met with the childminder yesterday and she is VERY flexible i.e. would do all those dates i originally wanted however i will probably try and stick to a regular schedule wherever possible to keep it stable. thank you all.