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

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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?

I was thinking about this on the bus. In nearly 6 years of being in Belgium I have never had a conversation with anyone at all about a working mother feeling guilty. Full wrap round care is available from subsidised creches, Maternelle that starts at 2,5, schools open 7.30 - 6pm, a whole multitude of activities in school holidays starting at 5 euros per day. Many women don't work of course - a higher percentage than in the UK (which surprises me given the options - but is down to family friendly tax policies) But the ones that do, just get on with it. I see many fathers doing the school runs too. It's probably about 50/50.

I have had many discussions about best schools, best holiday clubs, which /where for sporting activities, grandparents taking the dcs to the coast for a month, camps, holidays etc. I have had the odd conversation about logistics - who picks up/drops off and having to change arrangements. But never, ever one conversation about guilt, or poor deprived children of mothers that don't put them first at all times. Apart from MN of course....

It purely down to the level of investment in childcare from country to country Portofino.
In the US the situation is far worse than here in terms of govmnt help for working parents, and mothers (not fathers obv) are made to feel horrendously guilty at all times.

Just reading this dig at working mothers whilst I get ready for my nightshift. I work in NHS , 12.5 hour shifts - days unpredictable and rotate onto nights. Consequently I have to pay for afterschool club 4 nights a week (a friend can do other day if needed) even though many weeks I don't need it as I am on nights or weekends (yes my latest off duty is a week of nights including Saturday) and then I am working long days on the next three weekends - not by choice might I add.

However my "poor flower" of a child loves her afterschool club (brand new spacious facilities, loads of arts/crafts activities, full range of outdoor activities plus wii for singstar, dance games etc. She wants to go even if I am not working - and heaven forbid if I pick her up before 6 (incidently loads of children also there til 6 so not uncommon here)

hey ho

I understand 6 is late - if the kids were still 'learning' but after school clubs are different, they are for play and interaction. So those people pitying children at after school clubs are being a bit disingenuous.

Personally my parents both worked full time (they couldn't have afforded not to) and there were no after school clubs for me. I wish there were.

I was picked up by unqualified people and plonked in front of the telly till mum or dad picked me up about 6.30 and - shock horror - i got no hot meal. Not saying that was okay, but after school clubs are very far from that really.

Oh well, if it is being a bad mother to put your school age child in after school care, I must be on the verge of being a DREADFUL mother, since my four yr old has been in nursery from 8am-6pm on weekdays since he was two years old!

Do I think he has suffered? Nope. He settled brilliantly, and from the first week, he used to be upset that it was closed on weekends, and now he is older, he runs straight in to see his friends, and I regularly have to sit and wait for him to finish whatever activity he happens to be taking part in.

I teach in a secondary school, and I am lucky that the nursery is next door, but to do my job to the standard I expect of myself, I am in work from 8.10 until 5.45 every week day, I do work for 3 hours every night, including weekends, and I work at least 50% of my "holiday". As a consequence, the time I have with my son I make the most of and appreciate, much more so than when I was at home with him full time, and he benefits from engaging with children his own age.

It's not always the best thing for a child to be attached to their mother's apron strings until they are prised off to go to school at 5. I know when my son goes to school he will settle quickly, and I will be able to leave him in a good quality after school club, whilst I earn to make a good and comfortable life for my family. Not to mention keeping my own identity and sanity.

I don't have a problem with anyone who wants to be a sahm, but I do have uses with people who tell me I am a bad mother for working full time.

OP, you would not be unreasonable to ask at all. If you don't ask, you don't get! Good luck!

Issues, not uses. Sorry!

ILoveSanta - well I am worse - as dd (nearly 8) has done 8 til 5.30/6 care since she was 5 months old. AND - at her own request - has been away for week long holidays, pony riding etc, all by herself already. Brownie Camp this year falls on her Birthday. I am a bit upset about this - but she is fine. I must be TRULY horrible.

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I would say that if the club is run by teachers YABU.
if the club is staffed by other members of staff or an external agency that are paid for their time YANBU.

i run a before and after school club 7am till 6pm skylarks in bosham and fishbourne between these clubs i child mind from home do school drop offs pick ups and a home drop off service, we provide a cooked meal, we all try our best to provide a service but somtimes we can always do more :)

UPDATE

So, I wrote a letter and got a few signatures in support from other parents - there was a lot of support for the idea from parents - some were even desperate saying it was such a big problem to try and get back in time to pick up their child for 5.30pm. So, I was encouraged when the headteacher asked me to a meeting following a discussion with their newly employed business manager.

However I was told that staffing arrangements made it impossible. That would have been fine - it is staffed by school teaching assistants and a couple of parents helpers - who also get paid and teachers are 'made' to run an activity every month which i know they are not happy about on top of their normal jobs.

So, i suggested going down a different route by looking at alternative options and getting an outside provider. But they are not keen - mainly it seems because it's too much of a departure from what they've been doing so far.

So, not the result I would have liked but at least I tried, which perhaps I would not have if it were not for the messages of support, so thanks one and all.

Our after school club finishes at 5pm. Slightly useless for most working parents.

yes that is totally useless 99luft i suggest u write them a letter!