29/08/2025
This morning before work I dropped Edie to her childminders.
It's the normal routine; I've dropped her to her childminders three days a week for the past three and a half years...only today is the last day I will be dropping her to her childminder, because she begins primary school now.
I often sit and torture myself as to how my girls would cope if my mum died, or my sister...how they would recover from the broken heart of losing their nan or Aunt, but it's too painful to think about so I don't...but it's normal for our children to leave their childminder, to just one day go home & never return again, it's part of the 'growing up' process, yet a lot of the time they spend more time with their childminder than they do any of their family members.
Edie idolises her childminder. She's just given birth to a baby boy that Edie announces to anyone she sees is her baby cousin & she constantly asks me if it's Tuesday because she knows that's the day she goes to Sammie.
I chose her childminder because I knew she would love her. I'd met many others and they didn't feel quite right...it's a huge thing leaving another person to care for the one thing you'd die and kill for without question.
For three days a week since Edie was nine months old she has been cared for by her childminder.
Her childminder has comforted her in the mornings when she doesn't want me to leave, she's put plasters on her cut knees & she's soothed her when she's feeling unwell.
She's got her through teething & toilet training, she's fed her three meals a day, ensured she's eaten healthy snacks and drunk enough juice. She's taught her the letters of the alphabet and her number chart.
She's amazing.
She's reassured me I'm amazing when I've struggled & she's written the best, detailed diaries which are a beautiful keepsake for my baby girl.
So now that's it.
We've promised to 'stay in touch' but the reality of busy lives, school & work means we probably won't & I'm just expecting Edie to move on & cope...but that childminder has been a huge piece of her little life for most of it & tonight I feel a little broken-hearted that with her growing up comes losing people that have brought so much to her.
So, to all the childminders out there right now saying Goodbye to the tiny humans starting school that they've spent years helping to raise I salute you.
What a sh*tty part of your amazing career to deal with...
Us working mums couldn't cope without you hardworking, dedicated, loving people.
Thank you, for helping us raise our babies, you're simply amazing 💜
