to think that there are very few jobs which fit in with young children in school?

[jamieoliverfan]

Especially considering how often they get ill (my dc started in September and has been off ill for 20 days with 2 tummy bugs, 3 double ear infections and now tonsillitis and ear infection) plus then there are all the school holidays.

Both dh and I don't want to leave our dc in before and after school childcare or childcare during the Holidays as we believe that we should look after our own child. So I would like to know what jobs could you do between 9.30 and 15.00 Monday to Friday except term time and during illness?

I have contacted supermarkets: they were not interested re how to deal with flexibility in case of illness (dh cannot take time off in these circumstances)(i.e.unpaid leave I suggested, but that was not possible). Also contacted local businesses but they thought the hours were too restricted and that school holidays would be a problem.

Is there anybody who has a job during term time with some flexibility in case of children being ill? What do you do and how did you get it?

Thanks a lot.

had op asked "what job suit termtime" with out the hyperbole about wanting to watch own children and not pursue avaricious lifestyle and cars etc.then maybe that straight forward query would not have irked so

You lie through your teeth about the hours you are happy with, your sickness arrangements etc.Then when you have got your feet under the table and made yourselves indispensible you say you are going too have to cut your hours down.WRT to the children's sickness- you are entitled by law to time off, so they can't really stop you.

But I don't GET IT! I have worked outside the home and in the bloody home, as has my partner, since the very darling son was three months old - and it's not that hard! You just organize yourself and do what you have to do. If my child was so chronically ill that I had to take more than a few days off work every then and now - then one of us would have to stop working, obviously, and stay at home.

At the moment we both have well paid, professional jobs, but it wasn't always so - and we always did manage just fine. If we had the financial means for one of us to stop work, however - I think we'd fight each other for the privelege! I too want to find out what "Loose women" is...

You are better off being self employed op, then you can pretty much chose what you do and what hours you do. It depends on what you end up doing though as you still need to adapt to the job.

Op - you do one of 4 things:

1. You use paid childcare, giving you longer hours to work in, but have to factor in high costs, and time spent missing child
2. You are lucky enough to have family who can help.
3. Your OH goes part-time or condensed hours or works from home or even full-time house husband, and you fit your hours round each other.
4. If that's not possible, you work round him, eg work at nights/weekends
5. You become self-employed, so set your own hours.
6. Or you get a job largely or entirely working from home - my preferred option.

As an example, I teach part-time and am an examiner, which I do from home.

When my dcs were little, I used a combination of 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5!

If you have to do it, you figure out a way.

Ooops - not 4 things! My list got longer - 6 things!

Forgot to add - the sickness does get better! When my oldest started school, I think she was off about half the firat term with one bug after another - she had just been so healthy up till then!

My second was bettr, as she'd picked up more bugs from her sister, and generally, younger children will have caught more bugs from older siblings before starting school, so are less likely to need as much time off. As kids get older, the number of bugs does reduce - eg ear infections reduce/disappear by age 7 usually, and things like chickenpox, once you've had them, you've had them.

AND you can share more childcare with schoolfriends' parents once they settle in - eg babysit each others kids, liftshare etc.

So it does get easier as they get older!

You don't appear to want to work, but want to judge others that do.

I have decided to be a SAHM if that is your decision too so be it.

If it is a genuine question then job sharing is an excellent solution, if you share with another parent in your situation you can cover for each other when you need time off for DCS illnesses.

Oracle - the OP has effectively admitted deliberately posting something inflammatory. I can't imagine she is too disappointed with the responses.

Katiestar - your two posts are probably the most sensible on the thread.

[sidles off to tell Violet that LeQueen is cheating on her with 007]

oracle - the OP quite deliberately posted this not to seek any real support or advice but solely to make a point that parents who use childcare are lesser bthan those who don't.

She did this to strike back at a few vocal posters who frankly are perfectly happy with their choices.

She did not give a shit who else she hurt into the bargain.

There will be parents going back to work this week, nervous about using childcare for the first time already.
There will be parents who have to use childcare to keep the wolf from the door.
Many of these people won't post, but they do read.

So I'm afraid, I will defend those people. Not because it's hits a nerve. I don't use childcare myself. But because I do not believe they should be made to fel guilty about not having my choices in life.

And also, because everyday in small and large ways, my life is touched by working parents.

-my family GP
-the cardiologist who saved DH's life
-DC's asthma nurse
-our foster child's social worker
-my agent
-my editor
-our vet
-my housekeeper

I salute every on eof them and am grateful that they choose to 'dump' their children.

My friends mum worked as a piano teacher out of her own home.

She had to lay down v strict ground rules how her kids weren't allowed to interupt unless one of them was actively on fire (smouldering would have to wait), but she was always 'there' for them, which is what I think you're looking for.

The DH worked as a chemical engineer (lots of travelling) and earnt the mortgage money, but I think the lessons were a decent enough earner as a second income.

It obviously requires you to have a skill to teach (music/pilates/maths/ESOL/cross-stich - I dunno).

well said litchick

Another round of applause for Litchick here.

[pokes LeQueen and asks for a definition of faciliotates]

Blimey, just how nasty does a comment have to be, to be deleted by Mumsnet?!

Agree that the OP was not well worded (to be charitable).

But the funny thing is that I reckon that most of the families I know where both parents work don't use any paid childcare, and that includes people with pre-school kids.

They work by either being self employed & working it around the children (works ok especially if you are both self employed, though of course it depends on the work you do), doing bar work/waitressing in the evenings while their dp works in the daytime, going cleaning and taking the kids in the holidays/when they're sick (maybe easier here as it tends to be holiday cottages, but I remember plenty of my friends going cleaning with their mums in the school holidays when I was little), both working shifts & making sure they don't overlap.

I don't think its out of policy, though, only that low wages and childcare costs don't mix . . .

My daughter's best friend's mum works nights in a care home. This fits with school hours. It's tough though - Needs to nap in day when kids are at home. Husband and I prefer to work (0.9 and 0.8 respectively) in the daytime and am very very pleased with the quality of provision my SureStart nursery and daughter's afterschool club provide.