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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

Original poster

Full-time WOHMs who can't afford nannies....

41 replies

SantaGotStuckUpTheGreensleeve · 07/12/2006 11:29

What do you do about the school holidays/inset days/half-terms/sick days?

If you both work full-time, and you can't afford a nanny, what do you do? I'm hoping for a range of different answers, rather than a fight, please - I am interested to know what solutions people on lower incomes who can't afford nannies have found to enable them to work full-time.

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wrappingpaperBOwZZAndribbons · 07/12/2006 11:52

Greeny there is more to cover than just the hols/inset days/sick days. There is also the before and after school care. Maybe you are thinking that there will be breakfast/after school club. But there isn't at ours.

Anyway I don't work full time. I work 3 days but if I did work full time I wouldn't be able to afford a nanny so would end up doing what I do now. I send DD to a day nursery. DS goes to a CM before and after school - there is no club.

I am lucky in that because I am part time (Tues-Thurs) inset days generally don't cause me a problem as they are usually Monday or Friday. If the children are sick either DH works from home or more usually I take a day's leave. My children are fairly healthy fortunately. If the CM is on holiday in term time(better for me because I only have a school age child with her) I do a combination of me working half a day, DH working from home before 9 and after 3.30. getting a friend to have them. I am lucky here in that because I am part time I can return favours. If the CM is on holiday in school hols (eg October half term she was) we sent DS to MILs for one day and night (but involved 2 hour return journey each for DH and me), my friend had him for a couple of hours, he went to hol club one day (10-3), I took half a day and DH took a day off.

Another thing that people do is space their children out to have a 2 1/2-3 year gap so that the first child is eligible for nursery grant by the time the second child starts.

MascaraOHara · 07/12/2006 11:49

I was just about to post that if you use a ofsted registered carer/centre then you can claim CTC/WFTC.. it's definitely worth it in my experience.

I pay around £3.50 an hour for my cm and that includes dd's meals which sometimes is breakfast, lunch and dinner but mostly just lunch and dinner

Ladymuck · 07/12/2006 11:48

If you just have one child then a cm is much cheaper. But the main thing is that cms will tend to do school hols only which a nanny typically won't.And you can get WFTC too.

Original poster
SantaGotStuckUpTheGreensleeve · 07/12/2006 11:46

Hi fennel

Are childminders much cheaper than nannies? All the parents I've known who have both worked in poorly-paid jobs, they've had family/grandparents to shoulder the childcare.

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MascaraOHara · 07/12/2006 11:45

I can't afford a nanny and haven't the room for an au-pair.. I manage by having a fabbo Childminder, a great mum and a flexible work environment although dd only started school in September so haven't had too many problems yet. I'm very grateful to my mum and I think my childminder is a godsend.

Spicedfennelwine · 07/12/2006 11:43

the couples I know where both work full time use things like afterschool and holiday clubs, or a childminder.
Also at school age you can share with friends who are also working and want to swap children for a day. (though I scuppered that for us by having 3 close together, too many to palm off on anyone).

melrose · 07/12/2006 11:42

i don't work full time, but 4 days so almost do! DS at nursery at the moment so holidays not a problem yet. If sick one me or DH will take a day off work. I am lucky that my Mum does not work, but she lives 2.5 hours away so not easy for her to just "pop up" in an emergency. WQhen he starts school I imagine that we will look into before cand after school clubs or maybe use a childminder. In hols we will both take holiday from work seperately I guess and use grandparents for a few days here and there and perhaps holiday clubs? Think it is going to get harder rather than easier

Ladymuck · 07/12/2006 11:42

a) Rely on holiday clubs which cover schools hols and some half-terms
b) get into informal childcare shares with other WOHM (5 mums/dads club together and each take a day off per week during the hols)). This works quite well for inset days in particular
c) Use a childminder
d) use family

But for illness take parental leave - there's isn't much alternative.

Original poster
SantaGotStuckUpTheGreensleeve · 07/12/2006 11:41

I'm thinking mainly of families in which both parents have to work to keep the household - I just don't know what they do about the times when they have to be at work and the children aren't at school. Particularly if you have no family or close friends - how do you do it?

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DizzyBinterWonderland · 07/12/2006 11:41

oooh and also quite a lot of people seem to use these sports camp things that local leisure centres run. that seems to take care of half terms and the odd week in the summer holidays. not sure what they cost though.

BahHunkBug · 07/12/2006 11:41

God, I opened this wondering if it'd be a "why the hell not, you rich bitches" thread [hackles subside]

I'm luckier than Mad Jack McLucky with my childcare and fully appreciate it, so won't comment further - just hope that you find something, Greeny.

DizzyBinterWonderland · 07/12/2006 11:39

i would also add that having debated this at length with colleagues, most seem to use grandmas for a lot of childcare.

puddle · 07/12/2006 11:39

DP is a teacher so the school holidays are mostly covered and I take holiday for the days where they may not coincide completely .

Inset days - work at home for part of it and arrange shared childcare with a friend (ie have both children for the am or pm) and catch up in the evening.

Sick days - sometimes work at home (can do this if it's my older child who is sick as he needs less attention - harder to do with the younger) or take as holiday or parental leave. DP and I share the sick days between us.

I also have a great friend who informally child minds - will take to school and pick up some days as I need her to and I pay her - so she takes up some of the slack.

puddle · 07/12/2006 11:39

DP is a teacher so the school holidays are mostly covered and I take holiday for the days where they may not coincide completely .

Inset days - work at home for part of it and arrange shared childcare with a friend (ie have both children for the am or pm) and catch up in the evening.

Sick days - sometimes work at home (can do this if it's my older child who is sick as he needs less attention - harder to do with the younger) or take as holiday or parental leave. DP and I share the sick days between us.

I also have a great friend who informally child minds - will take to school and pick up some days as I need her to and I pay her - so she takes up some of the slack.

chocolaterobin · 07/12/2006 11:33

Going to lurk on this one as have been wondering the very same thing.

DizzyBinterWonderland · 07/12/2006 11:33

we aren't there yet, dd is 7 months, but our general plan is..

i get 5 weeks annual leave, dh gets 6 weeks. each will take time off alone over school holidays, and just one week together in summer holidays.

we are lucky that SIL works school hours so can cover inset days etc.

other than that we'll use unpaid parental leave where needed ie if child is sick.

also, i will be working nights, dh days, so i will do school pick up, then dh comes home to take over, then i go to work.