What do teachers do for childcare?

[Supermum222]

Hi,

I am hoping to apply for teacher training later this year but have started to think about childcare for my 2 children (boy aged 10.5, girl aged 6). I work in the health service at the moment and have to find childcare at ridiculous times (anti-social at times). Hubby can be working late in his job as he works a mix of early shifts and late shifts. I am fully aware that teachers work at home but what time would you say you get home most evenings?
We have a lovely childminder who we have been with since my youngest was a baby. We are very happy with her and, as she lives across from their school, we hope to carry on with her.
My eldest will start secondary school in Sept 2015 and the childminder has already said that she usually doesn't have them once they start secondary school (although she wouldn't leave us stuck). He is getting to an age where he is finding it boring as she tends to have more younger children so I am hoping to get away with not needing the childminder for him. The school he will attend is a bus ride away and he wouldn't get home until 4.20pm. He would leave at 8am in the morning. I do know they have after school clubs so I guess I could use those. I believe they finish at 5.30pm. A few parents from school are teachers and they seem to manage fine (especially the secondary teachers).
The younger child would carry on going to the childminder after school and the wonderful breakfast club at school in the mornings (8am start). Childminder could have her from 7.30am if needed. Her dad can sometimes take her to school/pick her up depending on what shift he is on.
I have put off teacher training for a number of years due to the ages of my children but I now feel that the time is right! I am still undecided about secondary and primary. I come from a strong science background but more biology and I know that there are very few vacancies in that area. I have helped out in 3 local primary schools over the last 3 years on my days off. Oh, and 10 years experience as a STEM ambassador in schools (mainly secondary though).
Any tips on childcare would be great!

[Springcleanish]

Secondary here and I'm in work from 7.30 - 5ish most days, but I could bring more work home and shorten those hours if it suited me. DS at secondary walks home and lets himself in and DD starting year 7 will do the same. Previously we used childminder and breakfast / after school clubs. I tend to have a later meeting / parent evenings until 9 or 10 several times a term, so DH needs my calendar ASAP to juggle those. He books annual leave for my INSET days so he can look after children then also. It works fine, but does need careful planning.

[PotteringAlong]

My DS is only 2 but he goes to nursery - it's open 7.30-5.30 and he's always dropped off at 7.30 (DH is also a teacher) but we aim to have 1 of us pick him up by 4.45 every day. That doesn't always work!

Will your secondary school age child be ok with a house key and in the house by themselves for a bit?

[singaporeswing]

DParents are both teachers and growing up, we were never allowed to be ill

We went to a combination of childminder when very young, then a neighbour in the morning and after school club. We would normally be picked up by one parent at 6pm.

Starting secondary, I was allowed to walk home on my own etc.

Sounds like you have quite a few options and have really considered it.

[Littleturkish]

We have a childminder who is flexible and can do 7-7 (and will come and put DD to bed and stay and babysit if we have a very late day like parents eve) or also is happy for us to scurry out at 3:30 and get her as soon as she is back from doing school run.

I think it's important to find someone who can be flexible as no two days seem the same.

[ravenAK]

I have a pt nanny - dc at same school as mine. She picks them up & has them all at my house until I get in.

I can be home by 5pm most evenings, as a large chunk of my work is marking/planning which I then do in the evenings & at weekends.

[Supermum222]

Thanks.

I am not keen on letting him in the house on his own just yet. he is a bright boy but acts verysilly at times (hoping secondary will mature him a bit). Perhaps at 14+ he will be ok. I think, when hubby isn't available, I will get him to walk to the childminders house as she lives close to the bus stop. Even if it is just for half an hour and he can watch tv in the other room if needed. There is a girl in his class who also goes to the same childminder. I will have to ask other parents what they plan on doing.
Oh, the school has after school clubs. I could use those if needed.
I have an excess of childcare vouchers that I can use for the year. About £1.5k. I still got them when I was on maternity leave years ago.

[DownByTheRiverside]

I was out from 7.30 til 5.30ish, but I'm primary.
The tricky bit is if they get sick, you need to have people who can step in as you have no flexibility about being able to take a day off.

[MezleyM]

We have an au pair, takes DSs to school, picks them up etc. Works very well for us.

[Tommy]

mine go to breakfast club and the older 2 walk home on their own now. DS3 is a combination of sharing with a friend and me finishing early on some days. I was a bit unsure about letting them come home alone but I did at that age!
One of the the good things about teaching is that you can manage your own time outside of school hours to a certain extent.

[Nonie241419]

I'm primary and work 2 days a week. I leave home at 7.15 (half hour commute) and get back at 6.30. Last year, my two primary aged children did before and after club, but DH had to do the drop offs as it only ran from 7.45-5.30. If I had to do drop offs and pick ups, it would mean me struggling to get what I needed to do whilst at work. My youngest went to a childminder 7.30-5.30, again dropped off by DH.
DH almost always has to have time off if they are ill on my work days in term time. Thankfully, he has a very understanding boss.

[Happy36]

Our daughter turned 3 in June and our son 6 in the same month so she has just finished "pre-nursery" and he has just finished Year 1.

In the previous academic year our daughter was at nursery from 9.30am until 1.30pm and our son was at school (9.15am to 4.30pm). I am a teacher and our son goes to the school I teach at.

In the mornings I would leave at 8am to go to school then my husband would take the children to their schools. At 12pm our nanny/housekeeper came to clean, etc. At 1.30pm she picked up our daughter and takes her home for lunch and looks after her until they picked up our son at 4.30pm. She would take them to their afternoon/after school activities such as swimming or play dates. I get home between 6.30pm and 7pm most weekdays. Then I supervise our son while he does his homework. The housekeeper makes dinner for us then leaves at 8pm when my husband gets home and we sit down to eat. Then the kids have baths and bed. On Fridays the housekeeper doesn´t come and my husband stops work at 1pm to pick up our daughter and spend the afternoon with her then I leave school asap after 4.30pm with our son. At the weekends we look after them ourselves, most of the time all together. Luckily our in-laws live really close by and can babysit if my husband and I want to go out which we sometimes do on a Wednesday night (although our housekeeper will stay late then) or at the weekend. Also we are lucky in that my husband is self-employed so he, as well as the nanny and the in-laws, is on hand for picking them up if they´re sick or going to odd daytime appointments like concerts or the dentist.

From September we will have a slightly different routine as our daughter will also be at (my) school full-time, with our son. Therefore our nanny will come all 5 days of the week but starting later, at 2.30pm, so she does the cleaning before picking up both kids at 4.30pm, then the same routine as usual.

It works well for us now and the kids love their nanny however I appreciate this isn´t viable for every family for all sorts of reasons.

[eltsihT]

Mine are 3 and 1

I am not working but plan on my eldest going to wrap around care at the school (7.15 till 4.30 can be there till 6) and the youngest with a childminder 7.30 till 4.30. This has worked for me in previous jobs.

I leave basically 10 minutes after the bell goes (let's me check the room and update my planner for what I covered that day) and take loads home to do when the kids are in bed. I work through breaks but always stop for lunch

[Mrsgrumble]

Really flexible childminder who wants term time only.. Perfect for us. Took a long time to find, but very happy.

[mrz]

I had a great childminder when mine were younger. Home from home and still a good friend.

[PowderMum]

Not a teacher but my SIL is a childminder who loves term time only contracts. At 11 neither of my DD would have gone to a childminder after school, they saw coming home alone as part of growing up and I was very happy with this, as were my friends with their DC.