When is it reasonable to 'give up' on finding childcare?

[AveAtqueVale]

Am having an issue finding childcare for Christmas Eve - I'm meant to be at work until 8.30pm, and DH is due to start work at 3pm.

Neither of us is able to book AL, but he's known that and had his rota for about six months, and I only got mine last week. I've tried unsuccessfully to find a colleague willing to swap with me.

DM and FIL are both sometimes able to help with childcare but both will be elsewhere in the country visiting other relatives. Of the only couple of friends I'd feel able to ask/ impose upon to have two over-excited small children until 9pm on Christmas Eve, one is also away and the other is working. Her children will be with her ex. Other family much too far away to help. We've just moved and don't know any neighbours or new school parents at all yet. Lovely childminder might have had them if I begged but is also going away to see family. Have looked at the price of emergency/ one-off nannies and it is eye-watering, and imagine would be more on Christmas Eve. As in basically unaffordable. Plus DS1 has ASD and is unlikely to deal well with a total stranger on an already fraught and exciting day.

Question is - at what point is it legitimate to tell rota coordinator that I cannot find childcare, and can't work past 2pm? The longer I give them to get cover the better for them, but I'm not sure whether they'll accept this far in advance that it's not possible.

Or can anyone think of something I haven't tried?

That seems an impossible situation which I completely understand.

Depends on how open your rota coordinator is and how they might react. I would say the sooner the better as you say. Nothing is going to change.

Good luck OP, I hope you get it worked out.

Thanks @MonsterKidz - I don't really know the rota coordinator as I'm moving to a new department at the start of December. Think I'll just have to email her and hope for the best. At the end of the day I can't leave them home alone .

I need childcare on 23/24/27th December - it's a nightmare. So sympathy is being shared! If people have ideas I'm open to them. For me saying no, is not an option.

I work for a childcare agency in the South East and the pay on Christmas Eve would be about £15 an hour. Youd also need to pay a small one off fee to the agency for finding a babysitter.

Where in the country are you?

How old is your child?
My DD's nursery staff would also do babysitting/childminding. More reassuring to have qualified people if you don't have any local friends/responsible teens who could do it.
I think you still have time to try a few more options.

I completely get your predicament.

I'd email them and explain the situation but I'd also make sure you give them options to show you're willing to make it up to them.

Maybe provide a list of the other hours/days you are available over the Christmas period, try and make sure there are some 'unsocial' times/days on the list which they might appreciate you covering. Also explain your happy to swap the whole shift or just the 5.5 hours you can't do.

If possible could you share the responsibility with your OH. So he starts 3 hours late at 6pm and you finish 3 hours early at 5.30pm? Then you give this as an option to your work as well, showing that you're really trying to find some sort of solution.