Kate Ferguson is more than a childminder. Or maybe child minding just doesn’t mean what a lot of people think it means. She is not just ‘minding’ my children. She’s giving them experiences that they would not get in any other childcare provision. She’s giving them the attention one can usually only expect from a close relative. Like a trusted aunt, who just so happens to be brilliant, funny, intuitive, emotionally intelligent, resourceful and a fountain of knowledge. One that enhances your life in infinite, immeasurable ways.

I feel more confident in the learning experiences my children have with Kate than I would in the experiences they would inevitably have in a formal learning environment. And I have a good idea about those, as both my husband and I are primary school teachers.

They bake; they create, they practice all sorts of skills; they walk in the Forest with Frank (Kate’s dog); they go to Kate’s allotment; they dine out; they celebrate and learn about important and diverse festivals and current events, and such a variety of excursions that I can’t even begin to remember a fraction of them. She keeps them so busy, engaged and entertained they don’t have time to miss me.

That in itself is worth its weight in gold. Especially as my son was so attached to me before he started at Kate’s (at about 14 months old) that I was a very stressed out parent, wondering how on Earth I was going to cope with going to work. He was not happy at all with a previous childminder, becoming almost a different child. And that childminder told me I should stop breastfeeding him cos his attachment to me made her job more difficult. I knew that would only make matters worse. Needless to say I moved him to Kate’s as soon as I could and I’ve counted my blessings every day since. And strangely enough he thrived at Kate’s from day one, despite my still breastfeeding him!)

He is now my 4 year old and has just started reception, only going to Kate’s before and after school. After his first few days he lamented that his younger sister (who has just turned two and loves it as much as he does) would be having more fun at Kate’s than he would at school because Kate has more toys, and at school they only have four. 😂

She also teaches them loads. And I find it compliments perfectly my own ethos on teaching children. They have fun, they do amazing activities and they learn without even realising it. She’s a natural teacher with boundless energy. And thankfully fills the holes in my own abilities as a parent. (I do not have boundless energy, or know much about cooking or growing things. One quick example: My son came home telling me the recipe for mayonnaise. He would likely never learn something like that from me.)

But I don’t need to stress about my shortcomings cos, although they say “It takes a village to raise a child,” Kate embodies all of the villagers rolled into one. She literally has that impact. And for someone with no real help around, I now don’t feel that my child is massively missing out on that side of things.

I can’t really do justice to the effect Kate’s super human child knowledge, understanding and connection has had on our family. But suffice it to say that coming from someone who would move the earth for the happiness of her children, I know I couldn’t get a better ‘mummy number two’ than Kate Ferguson. (My son’s own words.)

I will continue to count my lucky stars that I found someone outside of my family (which I was convinced was impossible) who I now would choose to look after my children over and above my own family, simply because I have more trust and faith in her than I do anyone.

Even my own mother - who I originally really wanted to look after my children when I went to work, has said to me she couldn’t possibly give them all the experiences that Kate has. And I can only agree and thank the universe for working in mysterious ways.

She’s another level of educator. And does THE most important job in the world. I recognise it and I hope others will.

She’s beyond outstanding because there really is no one out there like her.

For me it’s about so many of her qualities. But I suppose if I had to encapsulate how I feel in one word it would be ‘Trust’. I trust that my children are safe; happy; engaged; socialising; thriving and learning the coolest things.

And that is literally priceless.

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