Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Paid childcare

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

Original poster

Childcare when partner does shift work

32 replies

curlyrebel · 15/05/2023 14:49

If you and/or your partner does shift work and has an irregular pattern eg 2 on, 2 off, how do you manage this with your children and school?

Currently I work full time 9-5.30 and DH works nights - usually 2 or 3 nights on, 2 or 1 off. It works really well in terms of picking the kids up from school as he's awake and home to do that every day. Drop offs if he's working the night before I do and this is fine if I'm WFH. But if I'm going to the office I get there after 9am and usually have a shorter lunch or something.

I'm starting a new job soon and am thinking about putting the kids in breakfast club as I may have early meetings. But we won't be able to afford them in breakfast club every day. So should we just choose random days and it may or may not coincide with his shifts? Tricky one.

What do other people do in similar situations?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
Original poster
curlyrebel · 15/05/2023 15:16

I don't think we can pick random days. The registration form asks for which days we need it for. Also one of the days is near capacity. I could speak to them and see though

OP posts:
afrikat · 15/05/2023 14:57

ThatFraggle · 15/05/2023 14:53

Breakfast club won't let you pick random days.

Some will. Depends on the school. We can book random days with 24 hours notice

MooseAndSquirrelLoveFlannel · 15/05/2023 14:55

We can book breakfast club a few days in advance, as and when needed on whatever random day we need.

Can you do that?.

AliceMcK · 15/05/2023 14:55

Sorry to be clear no booking for breakfast club*

AliceMcK · 15/05/2023 14:54

Do you have to book in advance? Our DDs school children can be dropped off when ever, no booking required. After school is different as it’s at a different school so you need to book so they know who they are picking up, but no more than a day of 2 in advance.

ThatFraggle · 15/05/2023 14:53

Breakfast club won't let you pick random days.

RedRosette2023 · 15/05/2023 14:51

can you not sit down with his rota for the
month and plan when you’ll need childcare?