For those of you who don't drive...

[helendee]

Do you ever feel inadequate, as I do, when you read of all the outings that a lot of CMs seem to take their mindees on?

I live near a lovely park which we use most days and I take the children to toddler groups, local library and we go out shopping and to visit friends but I can't compete with those with their seven and eight seaters who go to the zoo, seaside etc. Not much I can do about is as I have poor eyesight so don't drive but I hate to feel that my los are missing out on fun.

[Pedagog]

I don't drive, but we still go on outings. Just catch a bus or a train. I have had several parents say they like the fact that I don't drive as it means little one will not be stuck in a car for school runs etc. We have just as much fun if not more as children with me also get the experience of using train etc, which most don't with parents as they nearly all drive everywhere.

[jaja]

i dont think tha children miss out at all, i have a 7 seater but i tend to find places that i can walk to local park, toddlers, library, shops, or just to walk the kids love the fresh air and love it, i do go to in door play areas, seaside, days out but i find the best days are when we got out and explore whats around us whether by foot or car, mostly foot though.....

I used to go in the car all the time but decided that unless needed then i would try to walk everywhere as it does the kids some good and me its needed lol....

i am sure you are fantastic xxxxxxx

[huggableshelly]

I drive and own a 7 seater

BUT

most school holdiays I was unable to use my car due to having too many children as older sibblings came to me too. last summer I had 12 mindees most days, a trip to the zoo would be too stressful!

We walked to the local park, shops, adventure playground, library, free holiday craft sessions etc.

during term time I did use my car for lazyness more than anything else, I did not have time to go to the farm and zoo inbetween toddler groups, nursery runs and school runs.

So do not feel inadequate that you are unable to offer such wonderful trips, a bag of sand and a bucket of water is much more fun than sitting in a car full of figdity children driving to the beach.

[hayleychildcare]

I dont use a car.

I walk everywhere and when mindees 1st come they are always complaining about walking everywhere and saying "Hayley we have walked miles: normally just around the corner

There are lots of places that i cannot get to on a bus BUT there are also lots of places i can get to, it may take longer to get there but kids love being on the bus, train, ferry etc.

Tomorrow we are getting the bus to the cinema so i can have a rest

[angeldelight]

Do you ever feel inadequate, as I do, when you read of all the outings that a lot of CMs seem to take their mindees on?

I live near a lovely park which we use most days and I take the children to toddler groups, local library and we go out shopping and to visit friends but I can't compete with those with their seven and eight seaters who go to the zoo, seaside etc. Not much I can do about is as I have poor eyesight so don't drive but I hate to feel that my los are missing out on fun.

I do not drive and we go all over the place

Dont let it worry you - I can take the kids all over the place and sometimes its the local park that can be just as much fun and what they enjoy

Just enjoy what you do

Angel xx

[helendee]

Thanks for all your kind replies, I am just the kind of person who never thinks that she is good enough, lol. I would use public transport but have three under fifteen months so don't think that I could cope with just two hands, lol

[Mollymop]

I don't drive and it doesn't make me feel inadequate. If we go on a trip then I book a taxi and we go to a play centre or a farm. I only do these trips once a year though.
I think going out in the community is enough - I go to parks, library, town, feed the ducks, other minders. We never get bored.

I think most of the minders who go to the beach live quite close by to the sea. My nearest beach is over 40 miles away. Or who go out for a day at a zoo, i woudl ahev to travel quite a way to a decent zoo - I think most minders live close to them.

I know of a few parents who liked the idea that I don't drive as then they know we won't be going too far away and they won't have the worry of road accidents while they at work, etc.

Most minders here do drive but they don't go out of town much, or they don't drive when minding

[EllaBella]

i failed my test 4 times already and in weather like this , thundering and raining on school runs i do feel like a complete faliure, and it does upset me, the kids are cold and wet because i couldnt get my car round a corner ect ect on the test lol,


however i dont let not driving stop me taking the children anyhwere, it just takes longer and needs precise planning, timing for bus and trains ect ect .

carrying pic nic, nappies bottles blankets and bats and balls annoys me, id love to chuck it all in the boot and drive instead of being an octopus lol

on all trips out im loaded up like a donkey!

[PixiePetal]

I don't drive - too scared!

I live in the country with infrequent buses but get by.

I am 2 bus rides from the sea, 2 bus rides from the farm park (including getting to bus stop and waiting between 2 village buses it takes 1 and half hours each way to do what would be 15 mins by car!) but we do it as the buses are fun, travel the countryside, and the days out are good.

Sometimes get a bus to town and get a lift to other places with a CM friend. Or I bus to farm park and get a lift home.

I don't take on more than 2 non walkers for this reason, next year I should have a 3 and a half yr old, 1yr old and 6 month old so we can still get out and about.

Parents don't see it as an issue.

[helendee]

Hopefully I might be in the position to choose the age of my mindees one day but my hubby has just been made redundant so have to take what I can get!! Also I never seem to get enquiries about older children these days.

[PixiePetal]

Hopefully I might be in the position to choose the age of my mindees one day but my hubby has just been made redundant so have to take what I can get!! Also I never seem to get enquiries about older children these days.

I am lucky with being in the position to pick ages to fit but I am sure yours are having a great time anyway locally. At that age everything is exciting - and parents can take then further afield at weekends/days off. I don't go to our local small zoo as it is a pain by bus, very expensive and past parents have had season tickets so go themselves.

I like the farm park, it is easy to keep track of different ages has all facilities I need and I bought myself a season ticket - under 2's are free

[Blaze]

I don't drive & look at it as a positive re the kids - if it wasn't for me most of my mindees would never have experinced being on a bus/ train/ tube!

[suzyblue]

I drive a 7 seater and the only action it sees is me off to the dump with piles of rubbish

I prefer to walk

[Pedagog]

three tinies on a bus isn't to hard, one in sling or backpack, one in pushchair one on reins. Or as hubby isn't working take him with you to help.

[charleyfarley]

Don't let it worry you about not driving, some parents prefer it and think of the money you're saving on repair bills (can you tell mine is playing up )


I have a 7 seater but most local people don't realise I drive as we walk the three school runs we do each day in all weathers. It takes me longer to load them all up in the car seats than it does to walk.

I'm lucky enough to have a park across the road from me so we use that alot I would also walk into my local town but we have no pavement along a busy/fast road so it is just too dangerous to have los walk.

I do use my car for days out but limit major days out till my hubby has his hols that way he can help with our 2.

Carol xx

[helendee]

three tinies on a bus isn't to hard, one in sling or backpack, one in pushchair one on reins. Or as hubby isn't working take him with you to help.

Well until his CRB check is back I am not sure that parents would be too happy about that tbh. My three mindees are all big, tall toddlers so no way could one go in a sling and all have only just started to walk so public transport really isn't an option for me at the moment.

[Pedagog]

Well until his CRB check is back I am not sure that parents would be too happy about that tbh. My three mindees are all big, tall toddlers so no way could one go in a sling and all have only just started to walk so public transport really isn't an option for me at the moment.

Do you have a triple pushchair, if so then long walks are great for little ones. If Hubby is at home with you when minding, then coming out on trips is no different, just no unspervised access to children and written permission from parents.

[helendee]

Hi Charlotte

Yes fortunately I do have a triple buggy, or baby bus as I affectionately refer to it, it's a tandem one not a side-by-side.

The reason I am nervous about Paul coming out with me is that I have just been reading some of the posts on ***** about Childminders and some of the mothers were almost popping with rage because their childminder had gone out on a trip with a friend/relative that weren't known to them.... anyone would think that a known sex offender had been invited along!!!

[The Juggler]

I hardly ever drive when minding. i have a few times this hols because I've had less children.

We just use the train and bus if we have long outing we want to go on.