Anyone else screwed work wise because of school hours

[Sewsosew]

Previously working somewhere great under contract before lockdown. In process of being made permanent with DC starting secondary (meaning I could do longer hours also, but still term time, not quite full hours).
Current contract ended same time as lockdown.

Now they’ve decided they want someone full time, whole year (I imagine this is to do with recent management buyout).

DC is only back in school 8.30-2pm, no after school activities and has to be off site. Too young to be left for hours, can’t go back to childminder (too old really and she won’t take a child from a different school). Nowhere else to go.
DH is out 7-7pm.

I’m so hacked off. We are fine financially but I like working and I am so friggin bored! I like people and I like the extra cash as holiday money.

I know someone is going to say it’s fine to leave DC, but I’m not comfortable with that just yet, she only recently turned 11.

Can you pay a 'babysitter' to come and be in the house with her until you get home? Do any of your friends have a reliable family who needs some extra income?

Could you sell them 3/4 hours or not quite full time, so till 3 or 4pm - meaning DC is home not for long?

Not really. Not anyone reliable (I don’t think DH would be happy with a stranger coming into the house as well).

She's only going to be alone for 3 hours or so...if she's old enough to be at secondary school she's really an age where she should be fine.

I offered them 30 hours a week (I was doing 35 pre lockdown). The new company wants everyone on regular consistent hours.
Not being term time is the killer (I quit a well paid job because we couldn’t cover holidays previously).

What time would you be getting home?

Just before 3. It’s better to do a straight 6 hour day as you don’t have to take a lunch break.

Same. Had only been 3 months in a new job that took me two years to find before lockdown. Now I have several sets of new staggered drop off and pick up times and I simply can No longer just about make the times I could previously do. So....No jib for me, all because of the new school drop offs and pick ups. Clubs are already booked up so can't leave them with anyone. Sucks.

@Sewsosew

Just before 3. It’s better to do a straight 6 hour day as you don’t have to take a lunch break.

If she finishes school at 2pm and you're home before 3pm then I think it would be shortsighted to quit a job. It's less than an hour, and most of that will be her traveling home.

I'm confused. So she would be home less than an hour on her own? She will be completely fine! You are over thinking this

Can a grandparent come sit around the house with her for a few hours? It seems silly to lose such an opportunity for a few hours.

@YouJustDoYou sympathies. I think we are the forgotten few. It would be fine if I was working from home etc. DD should have been in everyday until 4pm.
The staggered days are particularly harsh. I have a friend with 3 children in one school, all with different times. She’s looking forward to a winter stood in the school yard for hours - not!

DHs parents are dead and mine are in a home!

She finishes at 2pm, you'll be home at 3pm? She'll be absolutely fine! In fact, she'll probably enjoy the responsibility.

If your DH isn’t happy with a stranger in the house perhaps he could suggest a solution whereby he curtails his working hours to meet you in the middle. Or is it just a given that all the childcare-related compromises fall to you while he carries on as normal?

What would your new hours be?

Or is it the school holidays that are the biggest issue?

Am I right reading your child will be gone no more than 1 hour alone?

If that's the case I think it would be ridiculous to not do the extra hours.

Sorry - preciously I would be home before 3 on the hours I want to do. Now it would be 5pm (Depending on rush hour traffic) with the 37 hours. She would be home about 2.20pm.
Also I still can’t cover the school holidays, which is why I wanted to be term time. DH is abroad a fair bit and unreliable, he can’t dictate his holidays too much.

Also remember that these school times aren't forever. They may go back to normal hours by next term.

So what does your DH suggest? A nanny/housekeeper is a fairly obvious solution.

Don't forget you are entitled to take unpaid parental leave in addition to annual leave which, if money isn't an issue, can help with the holidays.

www.gov.uk/parental-leave

How far is the school from home? Can she walk back? I don’t see the issue leaving a Secondary school child for an hour. Get her a mobile so any issues she can call you.

What time are you actually getting home?
How long will it take your DD to get home?

@Aragog

Also remember that these school times aren't forever. They may go back to normal hours by next term.

I wouldn't bank on it before Easter. It could happen but equally if winter is grim, surely things won't open up before spring?

She’d be alone for nearly 3 hours.
If DH reduced his hours he would still be abroad being paid less!
He earns 3x what I do (my money is shit) so it’s not economical.
Also I have literally never ever met anyone who has a nanny (I live in a crappy northern town, I can’t image there are many about). They’d probably earn more than me anyway.

I was just having a moan. There’s no great solution. I already changed jobs to accommodate holidays etc. I just feel screwed over when I had everything planned out so bloody carefully.
I’d planned to increase hours when DD was slightly older.

She would be walking anyway btw. If she dawdles it’s might be 2.30pm.