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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to ask my son's after school club to stay open until 6pm?

137 replies

squareheadcut · 18/01/2012 22:59

My son started at a new primary school from an old one and maybe i'm spoiled from his last school, but the after school club here finishes at 5.30pm and I am thinking that I will write a letter to ask them to stay open until 6pm because it's impossible to get back in time if you finish work at 5pm, as many working parents do. I've spoken to a lot of parents at the school who seem to heartily agree with me.

But then I think, school is not childcare and they should be encouraging you to work less as it is better for the kids if they are not at school so long, but many people, me included would love to live in a world where i didn't have to work until 5pm, but that's just how society is right or wrong i have to live with it ...
what do you think, should i write a letter with a gathering of parents signatures? or just bite it and juggle and leave early and beg other parents as I seem to be doing right now .. aibu to expect the school to accommodate working parents in this way?

OP posts:

laluna · 18/01/2012 23:00

I think you are really lucky to have an after school
club at all.

thenightsky · 18/01/2012 23:00

If enough of you need it, I'd write the letter suggesting it.

troisgarcons · 18/01/2012 23:02

Do what you like ....... I found with my sons pre/after school club one parent would ask for it to be open and the session was extended and we all had to pay extra for the staff.

personally, I dont need a fecking 7am drop off and I object to paying inflated rates for the session.

So I suggest you get a CM that can facilitate your needs - because I dont wish to pay for them.

DilysPrice · 18/01/2012 23:02

If several parents want it, and would be able to pay enough to cover the extra 30 mins expenses, then you have nothing to loose by asking.

loubielou31 · 18/01/2012 23:04

Just ask, the worse they can do is say no.

IUseTooMuchKitchenRoll · 18/01/2012 23:05

It wouldn't hurt to ask? Wouldn't the children be needing their dinner by then though, or do they give out quite big snacks at ASC's?

ShineYourButtonsWithBrasso · 18/01/2012 23:05

What Dilys said.

aldiwhore · 18/01/2012 23:07

Ask away, get the PTA on board too, get enough signatures to ensure they won't lose money and maybe you will get the extra half hour.

After school clubs are extortionate to run if you don't have guarunteed numbers.

CamberwickGreen · 18/01/2012 23:07

Why stop at six, go the whole hog and demand nine at least! I mean what a cheek to think a parent will mind their own kid at the end of the school day

NannyPlumIsMyMum · 18/01/2012 23:09

Yabu.
Your poor child.

AnyFucker · 18/01/2012 23:12

You can ask

They can agree/refuse as they see fit

It's all about staffing levels

I wanted out breakfast club to open at 7:30am instead of 8am

I asked, they said no

I got over it

lurkinginthebackground · 18/01/2012 23:12

There is no harm in asking. Bear in mind though that it will cost more and 2 members of staff will have to stay, will they want to?

AnyFucker · 18/01/2012 23:13

err, wtf with the working parent bashing ?????

WorraLiberty · 18/01/2012 23:15

It won't hurt to ask and if you have a few signatures that'll show that there is a need for it.

Most after school clubs end at six around here anyway.

DilysPrice · 18/01/2012 23:15

Quite agree AF - they can either find the OP a job that fits around school hours and allows her to support her family or they can have a .

Purpleroses · 18/01/2012 23:17

My DD's school after school club used to only run til 5.30pm. She was at a different primary school back then (further from home) with a club that ran til 6pm, and it was one of the reasons I didn't move her sooner. But the club now runs 'til 6pm, and there are quite a few other DCs there when I pick her up. So I think they'd make the school more popular if they did increase the hours. And there's nothing to stop you or other parents picking up earlier if they can.

If they open longer hours they can charge more money, so as long as you can convince them there's at least a few others who want it, it should be fine for them. You might get opposition from people who work shorter hours and don't want to pay extra - my DD's school get round this by having 2 "sessions" - 3.14-4.30 and 4.30-6pm - so you can pay less for just the first one if that's all you need. Some of the staff can go home at 4.30pm.

Ignore people you say "your poor child" - my DD likes going to the after school club the two days a week that she goes. They play with their friends, read books, play on the Wii, watch TV, eat a snack - exactly the same things as DCs will be doing at home. It's nice to have some time at home with them - but it's more important to keep a roof over their heads!

troisgarcons · 18/01/2012 23:18

Oh dont be so bloody pretentious - some people HAVE to work - It's not a life style choice - sometimes its a necessity.

lancaster · 18/01/2012 23:18

What AnyFucker said. Our after school club is open until 6pm and I think this is quite usual as getting to school by 5.30 can be difficult for people whi finish at 5pm. No harm in asking if enough of you would want it. In answer to someone elses question my children don't eat tea until after 6pm whether they have come straight home from school at 3pm or stayed unitl 6. After school clubs tend to provide snacks.

Original poster

squareheadcut · 18/01/2012 23:20

i am surprised about the comments about my poor child etc .. i keep him in after school club 3 times a week and i have just had three months unpaid leave to stay with him and i can't afford to do anything but work now - i'm a single parent with no stay at home option. yes i have spoken to the pta woman and will email her the letter tonight, i've asked her to be honest with me as i really don't want to rock the boat, but it would make my life much less stressful

OP posts:

Ohnanawhatsmynickname · 18/01/2012 23:22

If not can you negotiate finishing earlier?
Or try a childminder.

AnyFucker · 18/01/2012 23:25

When my children were in after school club, as now, I had to work in the City Centre because of the nature of my job

There isn't much call for my skills at the end of my road

I started at 8:30 so ideally needed a 7:30 breakfast club start (not possible). I finished at 4;30 so was in plenty of time for the 6pm finish

so piss off with your "your poor child"

if I didn't have wraparound child care I would have had to give up the career I trained for, and gained experience in for many, many years

that helps many, many people.....some of those people are very possibly members of your own families

AnyFucker · 18/01/2012 23:27

square it is worth asking

ballstoit · 18/01/2012 23:31

FFS. Bash working parents, bash benefit claimants...perhaps most of us should not be allowed children at all.

Trouble is then who would pay your pension in 30 years time if we didn't

AnyFucker · 18/01/2012 23:36

working parent bashers

do you think the people who man the emergency services who save the lives of your friends and family every fucking day should not be allowed to have children ?

think on

AnyFucker · 18/01/2012 23:37

and you know what...sometimes they work after 5pm

< sheesh .

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