Full time working parents…. Is it that rare?

[Workingtoohardmummy]

I live in the midlands and just came back from my first parents consultation for my daughter who started reception, and I’m absolutely floored to find out that out of the 22 kids in the class, only three attend the after school club full time!! Which means that the majority of the kids have at least one parent who works part time/ doesn’t work. I’m absolutely shocked when the teacher told me because I didn’t think having two parents work full time is that rare, especially in this economy.

So I just want to find out… is it really that rare to have two full time working parents? I’m feeling awful about being one of the very few full time working mums in my village, as my daughter is missing the opportunity for play dates and park dates after school.

How have you come to that conclusion? DH and I work full time but we don't need to use the full wraparound offer, I don't use breakfast club and we can pick up early a couple of days a week, I work flexibly, and DH often finishes early on a Friday.

They might be in other childcare eg a childminder, nanny, grandparent/other family member.

Plus I have a few friends that work compressed hours too, not uncommon for some full time hours to be worked over 3 days such as NHS.

My kids went home with a childminder at that age and some people will be using grandparents. You probably won't be one of three working mums.

I don't think your assumption plays out. I work full time, so does dh, but our hours are shifted so that the kids only do four days of asc, he has an early finish on Fridays so they don't need to go in. My sister and her dp work full time but they get family help after school, so no asc for their kids at all. Just because they're not in asc full time it doesn't mean the parents aren't working full time.

You can work FT but not need full wrap around.

I'd say lots work at least 4 days ime, but stagger timings/use flex for school run.

That's absolutely not what it means, why have you decided that? Not everyone who works full time works Monday-Friday 9-5 with no family or friends help and no flexible working.

You do realise that lots of people do shift work, evening, weekends, early mornings opposite shifts to their other half, have other childcare in place either through family or childminders etc. Bit strange and judgy to jump to the conclusion that if someone doesn't have their child in after school club they must either work part time or not at all. We both worked full time when ours were at primary school and picked them up ourselves every day.

I used a childminder until year 3

Same here

Everyone I know works full time.

It's the same in my son's school but I know that there are lots of childminders/grandparents/nannies. There aren't that many of us who use the school wrap around care.

We use wraparound care 4 days a week but both work full time. Our jobs are pretty flexible, and until recently we only used it for 3 days!

Very unusual where I live in London - I know a few parents that do 4 days but nothing less.

Our primary school has huge demand on the after school club, and described it as ‘like getting a place at Glastonbury’.

Those who don’t get a place use childminders and annoys. It’s a huge problem.

The point at which parents really seem to struggle with childcare is at reception - at least nurseries have long and consistent hours.

Work full time as does DH but I'm there for every drop off and pick up because I do night shift.

We both work full time, but we work mostly from home and fairly flexibly, so we've no need to use the wraparound childcare

We both work full time but DH and I share drop offs and pick ups. And we can both work from home so catch up on hours in the evenings when the kids are in clubs/ in bed

DH and I both work full time hours. But we only need wrap around 2, sometimes 3 afternoons per week due to shift work and compressed hours.

Most people we know work anywhere from 3-5 days per week, or the equivalent hours.

Also in the midlands and yes I would say rare. I only know one other family at DCs nursery where both parents work full time.

I would say though that school club might not be an accurate reflection of whether people work full time.

Eg. When our DC start school their grandparents will do 2 after school s, me and DH will finish early one afternoon each and make up the hours on another day so we’ll probably only need after school club one evening. We can probably manage the mornings by wfh.

I know another family where the dad works 7-3 and the mum works 9-5. Both full time. No before or after school club required.

I think there are about maybe 4/5 children in our youngest’s year of 50 who use the wrap around care each day. I think a lot of people work 3-4 days or work from home or can manage pick up or drop off even if not both. In my eldests year of 60 kids no one uses it every day for both before and after.
Most of the mums seem to stop working full or part time after the second child.

It doesn't mean that at all. My kids have never gone to after school club unless an emergency and me and dp have worked full time since we were both 16!

I'm in the midlands too.

Edit.. didn't mean to quote the op

You’re assuming that not being in wrap around means they’re not working FT?

DH and I work FT and still pick DD up at normal time. We just sack off work a couple of hours early every day and take it in turns

I didn’t used to use the school one as it didn’t offer early enough drop offs or late enough pick ups.

we work full time but compress our hours so we only
need 2 days childcare and one day the older kids are picked up but their father.

I work full time, as does my exh. We don’t use the before/after school clubs because we’re lucky enough to not need them due to family support and flexible employers.

It doesn't mean that at all.

They might work full time and;

Grandma picks up
Childminder picks up
After school club at a different school picks up

Or they work shifts and so work at night and can pick up.