New job next week - need to ask for time off already...

[featherwitch]

Posting for suggestions/thoughts. And I guess to see if you were my line manager what you'd think.

I start a new job on Monday. We're new to the area (less than a week) and have no local connections yet. DH is in the Army and being sent away for three weeks on a course, starting the week after I start my new job. We've been given two weeks notice for this. This puts me in the position of be unable to collect DD from nursery on time.

I've tried local childminders who have no availability for what we need at the moment, the nursery wont have her any later than 5:30 (I was told it was 6:30 for an additional fee, but now they're denying any knowledge of saying that) and we don't know anyone locally to leave her with. I've run out of options. Unless anyone has any suggestions?

I feel awful about this, but I think my only option is to ask my line manager if I can finish 40 minutes early for three weeks so I can get DD. This is the only time DH will be away this year, so it's not a regular thing. I've got DD on a waiting list with a couple of CM's that offer later collection, so hopefully this issue won't come up again, but I just feel like I'm walking into a new job and taking the piss, like it'll look like I'm not committed. I really am, it's the next step up for my and my absolute dream job, I'm going to look like an absolute flake, aren't I?

Any help in wording an email to my manager would be appreciated! I've never actually met her in person though. So would it be best to just wait till Monday?

Thanks in advance.

[bumblingbovine49]

Poor you, this does sound a nightmare

Is your husband as involved as you in trying to sort this out? I appreciate he can't do anything about the event he has to go to but he could expend some time and thought into a solution to cover that childcare that I assume he would otherwise be responsible for.

When DS was small , if I was unable to collect/drop at a time that was usually mine I had to find a solution, but if it was DH's usual time, he found the solution. We made suggestions to each other but it was our respective responsibility to actually sort it out/book it.

It may sound nitpicking but it really isn't. He needs to take the responsibility for covering it. Obviously if you can think of a solution mention it to him but let him sort it out/book it. Start as you mean to go on, otherwise there will be lots of these problems in the future (sick days etc) and you will always be stuck with being responsible for solving the problem

If your husband is in the army, surely they teach really good problem solving skills there!

Right - lecture over!! I appreciate at the moment you have a problem so I will make some suggestions in the probably vain hope that it will be your DH who actually decides if they are viable and who implements them if they are

• As if anyone at the nursery is looking for extra work. They might be willing for an hourly fee to bring your DD home to your house and wait there with them for you (particularly if your home is close). Nursery workers are often poorly paid so do extra babysitting to help with this. The advantage here is they are already people you will be trusting your DD with

- Emergency childminders/baby sitters agencies are available though they are expensive - e.g
sitters . I appreciate you might worry about this but as you have some time, maybe they could send someone tomorrow or Friday so they can spend time with your DD and you to get to know here a bit beforehand.

• Apologies if this is not at ball possible but - Is there anyone at all in your family who would be able to come and stay, even for a week (Mon-Fri) to pick up your DD. You may have to collect them and deliver them home or pay travel etc. A family teenager who you know well and is looking for a way to earn money might be willing to do it (for a fee of course) or anyone at all really, just as a favour. You have the advantage that teenagers are likely to be off school at the moment

I personally would not ask for 40 mins of leave for three weeks in a brand new job, though maybe asking for one week (the third week) might be ok and it would reduce the cost of using an emergency childminder/baby sitter

[MrsXyzAbc]

I would say pretty much what you've written there... maybe a slightly shorter version. You've explained it very well, you know how inconvenient and unprofessional it might look, etc...
Can you work through lunch? Come in a bit earlier? Take your laptop home and log back on in the evenings? I have to do all 3 as I do the drop off and pick up every day, and commute 3 hrs too

[HMArsey]

Yep, it’s for your DH to sort out, as it’s his work that has caused the problem.

Do any of those babysitting agencies operate in your area?

[hopefulhalf]

What a nightmare. Being new to the area makes it tricky.Agree with babysitter/ local teen try sitters.com