School run/sick child ad-hoc assistance

No one gets childcare through a village ad - well I hope not as I would be making comment about their judgement around safeguarding.

OP your husband is going to have to take leave or work extra and negotiate leaving early. I have to do that and my ex always said he couldn't possibly do that, but it wasn't true as he could leave early when he wanted to do something.

Juggling school, sickness and holidays is tough but there are holiday clubs, childminders etc Don't listen when your husband says he can't possibly be flexible, he's going to have to be and it isn't all on you to solve - what are his ideas?

I missed that you were specifically asking what people do when their child is sick - the only option is parents (unless you have a willing grandparent on hand). If you are away then it would have to be your husband. Sorry but no random person will want to look after a poorly child, a childminder has policies over sickness too as it is their home and they won't to get ill themselves and school would be sending a poorly child home so an after-school club wouldn't be an option either. Also no matter how good a friend you might possibly make, they also won't want to pick up and care for your ill child either. Other parents are also likely to work too.
As someone suggested you need to check any work policies you have regarding time off.

You can use holiday clubs in the school holidays. The most practical way to fix this is to get your husband to use those half days of holiday and then pay for one or two extra days if holiday club in the school holidays. When she is a bit older and has some school friends. Maybe you could ask someone if they could go for a play date on one or both days. Unfortunately most parents now work so most people don't do after school play dates now but you might get lucky.

What are you doing for after school care when you are working from home? Can you flex and do the remaining time once she is in bed?

Omg is this a joke?! DO NOT put a poster in a newsagent asking for childcare! You don’t trust a village created like that!! I didn’t see the thread you mention - theres a kernel of a point there, that it’s good to build up your networks so you have back up help in emergencies, but advertising like this is NOT a safe way to do it. In my experience you are unlikely to make friends so good that they will take a really sick and/or contagious child though - you just need to stay off work.

Is there a way he could talk to his manager to build any flexi time for these twice a year occurrences? For child sick days I’d be checking the policies both of your employers have in place.

A poster in the newsagent wtf, no one does that 🤣 and the ‘village’ is handy for when you want to liftshare to a party or something but no one wants your sick kid, except maybe Grandma if you’re lucky enough to have that (we don’t). You just have to share that between you, muddle through and utilise WFH where you can so you don’t use up your holiday days.

If you travel for work, DH works until 5 then I personally wouldn’t pick a school without wrap around care, it’s absolutely vital for us, unless you have a childminder/after school nanny or something else reliable.

During the holidays we book camps.

I would be looking at a school with a better after school provision. Ours has quite a large capacity and you just book them in as and when. There have been some days when it is full, but if you know in advance your travel dates then if you booked as soon as they opened bookings then you would likely to be able to get a space in my kids school.

I haven't seen the post where people suggested putting up posters for a helper and to me this does sound concerning if they meant just someone wanting to do it as lonely, wanting company, to keep busy. I would want someone with DBS and I assume they would want paying....so basically a childminder.

I also think you can't really rely on other parents for childcare. Especially in the first term people are getting to know each other and going to someone's house to play is often with the parent accompanying them. You would also need to make it clear that it could be a reciprocal arrangement else you will come across as a CF looking for free childcare rather than wanting to make friends.

If you regularly work away book a childminder for those days
Or check out local babyysitter sites