We have just celebrated our first year of Dawn being our 20 month old son's childminder and I can safely say it is one of the best decisions we have made. I was very anxious at going back to work and finding a suitable childminder to look after our then nearly 8 month old on a full time basis as he seemed so tiny but from the word go it has only been a success. I can honestly say I have never ever worried whether my son will 'be alright' and it is such a relief to head off to work without worrying about him in the slightest knowing he is in the safest of hands.

Dawn has made every effort to provide a caring, supportive and loving environment for the children. Our son has never been reluctant to go to Dawn's house in the mornings, I am so lucky that we have never had any tears when I say goodbye, he races up to her front door and in fact now he is starting to talk even asks about Dawn at the weekends. It eases the 'mum guilt' of needing to work full time as he clearly has a whale of a time with Dawn and is extremely fond of her, yet is still happy to come home - truly the best of both worlds.

Our little boy has a Cow's Milk Protein Allergy and Dawn and I have worked very closely together on this. We are currently attempting the milk ladder challenge and Dawn has been extremely understanding and supportive of these tricky circumstances, working in tandem with us at home. Our son is always catered for with the most delicious sounding meals and Dawn has always been willing to accommodate his allergy with no fuss or bother.

Our son is an energetic toddler and enjoys his time outside but Dawn takes the children for a walk just about every day and has the perfect safe enclosed garden for the little ones to play in with lots to keep them busy so he has a chance to let off some steam. There are plenty of different toys and books to keep little hands and minds occupied. Dawn keeps her house in lovely order and it is a wonderfully clean space for the children to play in.

One of the best things personally is the chance to have a quick chat every morning - we have worked through the first hints of toddler 'tantrums' together, teething, crawling and learning to walk, the aforementioned allergy and many other stages and challenges of being a first time parent. Dawn offers fantastic support to us as parents and I truly feel we work together to bring our son up with a fair and consistent yet loving approach. With all her experience Dawn has plenty of hints and tips, all of which seem to magically work and I would have never have thought of! With no grandparents or close family nearby Dawn provides this type of friendly and caring support yet backed up with her professional experience which is invaluable to us.

I would not hesitate to recommend Dawn to anyone who is looking for a childminder or babysitter, you really can't go wrong!

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