Extra-Curriculars and working full-time

[CardiffUniversityNetballTeam]

I work full-time, as does DS dad (we're not together anymore and have shared residency). DS currently does Beavers and a martial arts class. He's shown some interest in a couple of other clubs and I just don't see how, logistically, he would be able to do them.
How do other full-time working parents manage their children's activities, or do they just not do them?

[Kitella]

We manage them between us.

I finish earlier on some days, so I can pick the DC up from school and work later other days. DH works from home one day a week, so he can help. My parents collect one day a week, and I swap lifts with other parents, so that helps too.

[Barbeasty]

At the moment DD does most of them at the weekend. So on a Saturday she has swimming at 8.30 am, straight from there to ballet. Sometimes she has riding in the afternoon. She does piano at school and this term is doing gymnastics as an after school club, before going to the actual after school club until I pick her up.

I did look at rainbows, but I'd have to finish work at 2pm to get her there. Brownies is no better.

[Devonicity]

We chose a nanny partly for this reason (and because we're out of the house for 12 hours and we couldn't get any other childcare which covered that). Expensive, but one of the upsides is that she takes them to clubs etc.

[Luna9]

Some people pay the teacher assistants to pick their kids up a couple of days per week or more and take them to the clubs or a university student who wants extra cash. Have you asked in his school if there is anybody willing to do this? There is always people looking for extra cash. Or a mother from the school whose some does the same club

[Flomple]

Are there any clubs run by school that he can do then go to after school club? It gets easier as they get older - DD is 8 and all her activities start at 6pm or later now. But it is a balance with over-scheduling - I always think of after school club as an activity in itself.

[Mistigri]

We choose clubs close to home or school, and lift-share with other parents. DD has moved to a music school 5 mins walk from her new school this year, and DS gets picked up for BMX training by the trainer or another parent (in return we quite often do the driving to weekend competitions or training days).

[Gruach]

Boarding school.

[lljkk]

mmmm with 2 parents to 1 child I'm surprised this is so hard logistically. Are your hours very fixed & the timings of the group only during work hours? It's when you have 1 parent to several children that many clubs may turn impossible. Who does your childcare now, though?

At age 6-7 it may be more exhausting for your son than he thinks, too.

[goblinhat]

I wouldn't be able to do it. DD has too many classes. She has to be at dance for 5pm 4 nights a week ( with a meal straight after school) and by 2pm on a Friday.

[attheendoftheday]

Dp and I have both compressed full-time hours so the dds are only with our lovely childminder 2 days a week. We do swimming and ballet on two of those nights, and riding at the weekend.