Childcare options - considerations

Gmail

All, hoping to draw on people's experiences here.

I will be returning full time to work in October when my daughter will be almost 11 months old.
I work mon - fri 7:00 - 15:30 (2on Fridays)
Husband works shift, has quite a bit of time off but works long 10 or 12 hour days/nights when he's on.

Looking at our options at the moment and a crèche or childminder are what we will look at.
There is a crèche a couple of minutes where we live & ive enquired there about enrolling her for October. They are currently full but are hopeful to find a spot for her. Only downside to this is crèche does not open until 7:45 so I would need approval from work to move my start time. I'd be spending ALOT more time in traffic because of this both morning & evening.

Considering a child minder then....well this is my question for those in the know - how do they operate? Could I pay a daily rate and just send daughter on the days both my husband and I are working? He only works 5 days 1 week in 5 and is off for a full week 1 week of 5. The other weeks he's in for 3 or 4 days.
Would this be too disruptive for my daughter? Is she better off in a crèche with a fixed routine?
I will pay childminder for holidays but certainaly couldn't pay for the 1 week in 5 when my daughter isn't there.

Sorry for the long post - just asking for people's opinions of crèche vs childminder. My mind is racing with all this lately.
Thanks!

lazygal

Every child minder will have their own policies. Your best bet is to ask them about your arrangements before you commit to anything. I've non standard working hours and a minder comes to our home, before this mine went to a minder in her home.

LegacyUser

To be honest, you'd have to sound out the childminders in the area and see what they think. They all operate differently. I find it's better to keep a similar routine for the child each week, myself.

Could you consider sending your child to the childminders 2/3 days every week, with your husband taking her the other 2/3 days - and then agree with the childminder that there will be one week in five where it will be a 5 day week, but all other weeks would be the same 2-3 days? That way, it would might balance out money-wise better for you??

You're looking at it from the point of view of managing your time off as parents, rather than continuity of time on for her, if that makes sense, and what I've discovered is that childminders can be quite flexible but what they do often want is continuity of income. Secondly, you actually have an early finish time in the afternoon yourself, which is very handy. Could your husband drop the child in the mornings for you, which would mean you could still start at 7, and then do the afternoon pick up yourself (or vice versa)??

Why would the creche be better? You'd still have to do drop off and pick up, and your husband would still be on and off the same days and the money would still be the same (possible even more) than a childminder?

To be honest, until you start asking around the different childminders, you probably won't find an immediate answer. Also they can suggest other arrangements themselves, which might help, maybe something that you're not thinking of? It's tricky, I know but you will find a solution - you're starting to think about it nice and early

GalwayGrrrrrl

I think whichever option you choose will end up with you paying for every week, even if you are not using them one week in 5. No creche or childminder will keep a spot empty for that week without being paid. They have to pay staff or the bills every week. I used crèches for my children as I liked the fact that they were always open (some childminders take holidays or are sick them selves with no back up plan). I imagine it could be hard to get a childminder that starts at 7am but maybe not impossible.

Millem

Gmail if you start at 7 what time would your baby need to be dropped off at? Or would your OH drop off later?

So for me it would break my heart getting my child out of bed so early (if you have to drop before work) . I also think it would be very hard to find a minder who starts that early? Would you consider getting an au pair? Your baby could stay in bed till 8 etc?
I know they only work a certain number of hours per week but you could pay extra, or more time off etc.

My friend was in a similar situation, couldn't get minder to start so early or flexibility with days and crèche started too late. She had the two sets of grandparents coming over and sleeping (one night each so baby could stay in bed) and minded for the day. Then OH reorganised shifts to weekend and then friend had parental leave one day a week.

I have a term time minder who also minds a child who's mum is job sharing primary school teacher. She works one week on and one week off. We only pay Agreed days during school term

If OH starts later you could try and get minder near his work, get him to drop off and you could collect. You could ask about flexibility of week off etc or maybe send daughter part time that week? It may suit?

mirrorwall14

You just need to find a childminder that's needs suit you. My child minder has my lad during school term only and has a second baby who she has on the days that his dad has work. The dad is a landscaper so work is very intermittent particularly during the winter but busier during the summer which suits our lady because my lad isn't there. Both sets of parents only pay for the days we are there. Works for her and us

Gmail

Thanks so much all for your replies & sorry it's taken so long to get back! We have the 4 month sleep regression in full effect here at the moment!

I think in an ideal world a childminder who worked around my husbands shift and was happy to have one week in 5 free would be a dream come true. Maybe someone who doesn't want to be full time ....

Millem my hubby starts work at 8 when he's working, but needs to leave at 7:10 to make it to work for 8. lazygal someone coming into our home would be ideal as baby could stay in bed if she was still asleep.
Swooshty as you say I've got a great early finish time but I won't be able to utilise it unless I make it to work for 7.

God it's a mine field....unfortunately my workplace only allows parental leave to be taken in blocks so 1 day per week isn't an option for me.
I'm sure we will get there in the end!

Couchkitten

I work 3 or 4 days alternate weeks and our minder is fine with that. She takes a little girl whose parents work in retail and their hours are all over the place. She likes having quiet days and busy days.

My Aunt is a minder and she Looks after a child whose parents work 12 hours shifts.

I know a few minders who do term time minding for teachers too. I'd say it is very easy

I think looking for a childminder is a great option when you have odd hours.