Can you help me work out the logistics of childcare please?

[gingajewel]

I am looking to get a full time job as currently only work part time, for many reasons I think full time would help us out of the huge debt we have. However I’m struggling to make the logistics work and wandered if anyone could offer any solutions.

• my two children (4 and 9) are at different primary schools, this can’t be changed unfortunately.
• they both start school at 8.45 (we use breakfast club) and one finishes at 3.00 and the other 3.15
• the schools are not within walking distance of each other
• neither school does after school club
• I have no family or friends that could pick up either child.

So currently I pick them both up, I drive so I can manage to get them both normally on time. If I worked full time what would I do with the kids? Would you suggest a child minder and if so would it have to be two different childminders? I feel totally stuck!!!

Would you be able to work for your employer at home for 2 hours a night when husband is home to look after the children?

Would you be able to work weekends for your employer when Dad can look after the children?

Do you live somewhere where you could take holidays and then you work at the races or something (well paid but temporary work)

Unfortunately there are no options to work from home or at weekends where I currently work. I can go full time but I just cant work out how too. I don’t live anywhere near any large event places, thanks for the idea though. My dh works standard days and he doesn’t have the opportunity to work from home either (he works in a factory) I feel so stuck!

If there's no after school club then your only option is a childminder. It doesn't necessarily have to be two different ones. Some childminders will drive to different schools, but it'll just be your luck whether you find one or not.

I'd use a childminder - two in fact as it's unlikely they'd be able to get between schools in time. They might of course but they'd likely have other mindees too and often do trips to the park after school.

Look at childminders before and after school though as they'd more likely prefer both, otherwise your DC would be blocking space. Plus they may offer a better rate for both.

Who currently drops them off at breakfast club? Could you work full time but earlier hours so you could finish in time for school pick up and DH do the morning drop off?

Two different child minders
After school nanny (gold dust)
Shifted hours so DH does drop off and you do pick up or other way round

Some CMs are a husband and wife team and pick up from different schools so it’s worth asking around.

I currently drop them at breakfast club as my current hours as I currently start at 8.15. There is no leeway on my dh hours as he works in a factory and it’s a set shift. I’m thinking of just doing 8.15 until 2.15 so I can pick them both up.
I don’t live in an area where anyone has nannies and a quick search on google told me my nearest was 19 miles away!!
Breakfast club for dd2 doesn’t open till 8 so I can’t stop them any earlier!

Childminder. If you can get to the two different schools in time to drop off and pick up, then a childminder can. Our childminder drops off at two different schools in the morning.

If you can, do a bit of research with other parents at the schools to see if you can find one who already picks up from either school.

Ds's nursery has an after school club that picks up from few different schools (different staff go to each one). It will depend how far apart the schools are but if you can find somewhere half way between then they might cover both.