What Does Everyone Do For Childcare?

[Bunnylady54]

I work part time (16 hours over 4 days usually but in school holidays, I can sometimes do the same hours over 3 days which is really helpful). DH is self employed so can do 12 hour days. My folks are in their early 80s. DF is remarkably fit & active at 81. They are still willing to have DD11 but I don’t like to ask them as much these days. She will go to a friend’s house if I finish work,say, an hour after school ends but again I don’t like to keep asking. There aren’t that many friends I can ask either. I have used childminders in the past. DD hates the after school club. Just interested to know how everyone else manages. Life can be a juggling act, can’t it?

Dh and I work flexibly so one of us is always available before/after school (we alternate our short and long days). School holidays it’s a mix of AL and holiday club.

For an 11 year old though, I’d expect them to walk or get the bus home and manage for a couple hours. For school holidays, a mix of being home by themselves, a day at a friend’s house and AL.

At that age, I was walking myself to and from school everyday, and doing occasional overnights if my mum needed to be away for work. I was definitely home all day every school holiday alone and it was fine.

• for context though, mine is 7.

When mine get to 11 I would leave them at home for an hour or two after school. I do a mixture of grandparents help, nursery and school holiday club.

In the holidays I would leave an 11 year old alone for a morning or afternoon.

She’s a pretty immature 11 though & has attachment disorder/ anxiety. Being dim but what’s AL?

Me and DH used to tag team it when the kids were tiny. I worked Mon, Tues, Wed. He did Wed, Thurs Fri. We paid for a childminder on the Wednesday.
With the kids now at school and nursery and DH full time we have: DS at after school club Mon, Tues and Wed. DD full nursery days Mon and Tues and a childminder on Wednesday. I look after them on Thurs and Fri.
When they both get to school, my boss has kindly agreed for me to do all my hours during school time, which will make things much simpler.

AL = annual leave

The school is nearby so DD walks both ways

Is it just for an hour after school 4 days a week? Could she come to your work? Book a taxi for her from school?

My hours vary but at the mo I do one late shift, 2 shifts that finish an hour after school & a Sat afternoon. The taxi thing could be good as DD loves looking round where I work. There’s a cafe too so she could grab a drink or snack

Sounds like a winner then! By the time she got out of school, got in her taxi and got to your work it probably would be less than an hour of waiting for her anyway.

We have an au pair who picks the kids up from school and is with them until we get back. It’s actually really nice having an extra person in the house like that.