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AIBU?

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Another childcare rant - how do people do it?!

283 replies

SMLSML · 20/11/2025 22:18

If you and your partner both work how do you manage childcare? My eldest started school in September and prior to this we had wraparound care in nursery. We now use after school club, however this is committee led and we've just had an email saying it's at risk of closure due to not enough volunteers. If you don't use after school club how do families make it work? Do grandparents help 5 days a week? Honestly sick of this country not helping working parents 🫠 the irony of parents needing to be on the committee to keep it open when you're already busy working and juggling a million other school bits and pieces is hilarious to me also 😅 it's something I'd love to be part of but have no idea how if find time... Any and all advice welcome!

OP posts:
Tulipsanddaffodils3 · 20/11/2025 22:26

There's no room at our wraparound and the 3 childminders in our town are permanently full. My parents do our wraparound, they live locally, are in their 60s and assure me they're happy and enjoy it but I feel guilty constantly!

Pranksters · 20/11/2025 22:25

We used a local nursery who ran a pre and after school club, a childminder and then the school wrap around care club that also ran a holiday club.

Chiseltip · 20/11/2025 22:24

There's a reason the birth rate has fallen through the floor. It's just too much hassle and too expensive to have children.

MidnightPatrol · 20/11/2025 22:23

The wraparound requiring volunteers is unusual - that seems to defeat the point slightly, given why people use wraparound care?

We pay, but it’s £35 a day, so expensive.

I agree the school day times are ridiculous when you work! The whole set up is from a different era.

Shinyandnew1 · 20/11/2025 22:22

Paid childcare. I've never heard of volunteer-led wraparound care.

Pippa12 · 20/11/2025 22:21

We work opposite shifts. We do use grandparents very occasionally but on the whole juggle child care between us.

Im impressed with how much nursery funding is available now. We had no where near the level of funding offered now. It’s a shame it doesn’t continue once they start school.

FuzzyWolf · 20/11/2025 22:20

We had to change our working hours to accommodate because we don’t have any family to help out.

It’s frustrating but our children are our responsibility and it’s not up to the country to help us out.

stichguru · 20/11/2025 22:20

Do any Childminders cover the school? This was how we did it!

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