One of the downsides of being a work at home mum is finding the time to actually work! Nap times and evenings only go so far, and so last year we made the decision to put Piglet in to nursery for a few hours a week. Working out that he (and I) would benefit from some time in childcare was easy – but finding the right place was a whole different ball game.
Trusting someone with your child feels very bizarre at first. Piglet had only ever been with us or our extended family. Knowing that you’re going to be handing them over to a stranger for hours at a time can make you feel a bit squirmy, so it’s important to find the right place. Each child is different and there’s no one size fits all childcare set up that will suit every child. But where do you start looking?
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Related Post: Childcare.co.uk is a one stop shop fo finding childcare near you. They have a database of childcare options, be it nurseries, childminders, nanny’s or after school clubs. From the homepage you just select what it is you are looking for and the area you live in and they bring up a list of options for you.
I was surprised to find 21 childminders within 2 miles of my house. I would never have dreamed that there would be so many to choose from, never mind know where to look for them. You can read reviews of each childminder and see their qualifications and availability, plus an idea of price. Each childminder can also upload documentation as evidence of their qualifications. This was a huge plus for me as it means I can make a shortlist early on before I have even started arranging visits.
In the end we chose a private nursery for Piglet. I had a look at the options for daycare near me and I was able to find one that differed from you usual nursery set up. It only runs for 3 hours a day and with a single playroom, with no meals served on site (only snacks). It was the perfect setting for Piglet to flourish and he settled happily there from day one. This year he is heading to his school nursery, getting all his preschool education ready for when the time comes to start school.
Going forward, I plan to eventually return to a “normal” job. When the boys are in school I want to be able to do something for me, but I also want to be there for them at least a few days before or after school. I do love the idea of in-home child care, and so I think we’ll be going down the childminder route. I know that childcare.co.uk will be able to help me find a safe and secure place where my boys will be happy, making the decision a lot less stressful for us all.
This post was sponsored by childcare.co.uk
It is truly nerve wracking sending children to childcare. I work in childcare myself and was really nervous when mine started with a childminder last year! But they love it and have come on so much!
I think my eldest has improved developmentally from his time in nursery for sure – it was definitely the right decision
When Erin started nursery she had only ever been with us, not even family, so finding the right childcare for her was so important. This sounds like a great tool!
oh wow that would have been hard! Glad she’s in a place she enjoys now though
its fantastic as to how the technology can help us finding right type of childcare for instance ! and i am a bit gutted that it wasnt available when my daughter started nursery
Its so hard to find child care that you trust and has availability. This sounds a great service.
ehat an informative article u have here, i will make sure to share this article
I have to say I’ve never used a childminder or babysitter before as luckily I’ve had my mother on hand to help me but I know so many people are not in that position so using something like this is massively helpful
Laura x
I’ve never used a childminder or babysitter before, but it did take us two years on the waiting list to get a space at after school club. I’m so glad they love it there.