Breakfast club/ school don't offer a breakfast club

[buildingbridge]

Hello!

I'm interested in applying to a certain job but they want me to start at 8.30. I am unable to do this as DS school offer no breakfast provision. DS is 10 and his school is in a different borough, so he cannot go by himself. What have others done or what alternative provisions can I seek? My family are willing to help. But knowing them, bless them , they will just take him into school late and I know this is not something they cant keep up long term.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated!

childminder?

Our school offers no breakfast or afterschool club. What works for us is flexible working. Is there there any negotiation about your start time? I am assuming you don't have a partner who can help? In our case, dh and I trade off on long and short days so we can do the school runs. You might see if family can help, or alternatively, can he get school transport? You might see if they would pick up from family member's house, so that way you know he won't be late. Or a childminder, but that's potentially quite expensive.

Mine go to a wraparound club that is independent of the school, so I can drop them at 7am and the club then ferry the kids around to the various schools they cover.

Are you a single parent or do you have a partner?

Childminder, or you ask work to adjust your hours.

(Or your partner's of course, doesn't have to be you!)

Sorry!

I should say that I am single parent.

What do other parents do at school? Independent breakfast clubs and childminders are the norm around here.

Childminders and breakfast club in another nearby school here (not run by that school). They walk them to / collect them from the school.

It's a very small school. Most of the parents are married or have partners who do drop offs/pick offs. A couple of parents live very near to the school and do flexible working.

I wanted to try a breakfast club but did not know if this was too much for DS, especially as he does extra curricular activities after school. We do have a nanny, but she is leaving shortly.

Childminder in the area near the school that you can drop that at?
Breakfast club in another nearby school?

I'll be honest. At 10, that's going into Year 6, no? A responsible 10? If so, I'd consider the option of finding a local cafe/local Tesco cafe/Costa/etc if you're in a borough with amenities and parking them there with a drink and a breakfast treat with an alarmed watch in the mornings ... they can make their own way down the street in plenty of time. Mine all would have been just fine doing that.

how. Thanks for the suggestion, but I can't do that. He will not be responsible, and his school is in a very very busy area.

As others have said. Breakfast club at another school, or nursery, who then walk the children to school. Or a childminder / another nanny?

I use the adult son of a friend for these situations. I drop DD to him at 7.15am and he takes her to school for 8.30. There is a breakfast club from 7.30 but that extra 15 mins makes me late for work (he's 5 mins from the station too which is what swung it). I don't know if he'd get up that early 5 days a week though! Ask around. A lot of student-age young people are going to be glad of some cash this autumn.

Just seen you haven't even applied! Get the job then worry about it....

Does he have a friend that lives a long walk from the school? Maybe you can time it so you drop him off outside friends house just as friend is leaving (wouldn't need to go in), then the kids walk in together.

Phine You are right. I have a need to plan and organise... otherwise I become anxious. I've also been in a position where I have been offered a job but could not sort out the care on time. It was very difficult and let's say that manager did not like me!

Forever I would have done this... but if only he lived in school in the same borough as a friend. Sadly he doesn't.

I was trying to avoid the breakfast club at another school, as one it will be better for DS to be in an environment where he knows the children and two we get up very early as it is (6.30am)... I would have to get up even early for the breakfast club.

OP

Feel for you. Breakfast clubs weren't a thing (nor after school clubs) when I had DC. Living in a v rural area meant driving (unless you were lucky enough to be able to claim a taxi or had a neighbour with DC at same school which I didn't). Now that very primary school offers it all and makes a thing of it. They employ part time staff to cover and you pay for it.

Could you find out if fellow parents would need/pay for this service? or if the school could facilitate a link up for children travelling from outside the borough?