What would you prefer to do?

[anditwasallyellow]

What hours would you prefer to work, what do you think would be better for a young child?

Leave house at 8.30, drop child at school at 8.45, arrive at work at 9.30 and leave between 3.30 and 4.30, arriving home between 4.30 and 5.30 meaning child has to spend some time in after school club.

Or

Leave house at 7.15, drop child at breakfast club, arrive at work at 8.00, leave work between 2.00 and 2.15 to pick child up from school yourself meaning you get home at 3.30ish and have the rest of the afternoon and evening but meaning a very early start.

Depends on the child. DD is an early bird so I'm up anyway.

For me and my dc the early start would be best as they're generally up at around 6 anyway.

Option b. But I suppose it depends on how good your child is at functioning early in the mornings and/or how tired they get by the end of the day - mine would be fine early, exhausted later, so I'd rather have the quiet time at home at the end of the day.

Option b also means you can do the whole playdate after school thing, see teachers if you need to, get to know other parents, that sort of thing.

The earlier start....when they are tired they just want to come home at the end of the day.

Well I currently do option a, although I seriously considering doing it the other way round for obvious reasons, although I'm not a morning person and getting up that early scares me. I could also probably do half and half.

Defianately b but again I am up anyway

The other thing that puts me off doing the earlys is that my job isnt secure long term and I worry about getting into that routine only to have to bung him back into after school club if I have to find another job where the hours don't suit so well.

Do the early start, I think it's important [if you can] to do school pick up.

The early start would be my choice - I'm not great in the morning so would rather spend time with DD after school when I'm firing on all cylinders tbh.

I do an 8am start 3 mornings a week, finishing in time for school pick up, plus one full day when I drop her into her classroom rather than breakfast club but barely see her apart from half an hour before bed. I have Fridays off so can drop off and pick up. I am very lucky that home, work & school are within 10 minutes walk of each other. I am flexible as I can be and my employers are excellent when it comes to returning the favour!

The early start. Kids are bouncing in the morning, but tired after school.

I did really struggle with the early start initially, and I certainly wouldn't say mornings are stress free. It's doable for me as everything is nearby but if I had the length of travelling you describe I'd find it harder.

The early start and then spend time with the kids after school. That time is more flexible and potentially fun - e.g. you can go out to tea, have friends over, if they get party invites etc. Mornings are just mornings, nothing special.

Don't worry about changing routines, just say it's a temporary change. We can't not do nice/beneficial things simply in case they are not permanent.

Option b. it would kill me but at least I'd be able to take dc to activities after school now and then. I'm hoping I will end up with something like this arrangement when my dd's are at school

B, but we are early birds.
At the moment I have to be up at 5.50 (drink of coffee in peace) get Dd up at 6 breakfast, make packed lunch, me wash and dress, Dd gets herself ready, leave house at 7am drop off by 7.10 or I'd be in a traffic line that stretches out to the main road and very dangerous, classes start at 7.30am

The early start would be my choice too, and I'm as far from a morning person as you can get. But it will be lovely and so worth it in the afternoons.

If you could do half and half you're on to an absolute winner. Best of both worlds.

Option B seems better (looking at it written down!)

Im usually found lounging in bed wishing the world away at 7.30am :)

I currently do A
But would prefer B

I would choose A, even though am not a morning person! Extra time after school would be much more enjoyable, if you did B you would still have the getting ready for school rush anyway and couldn't really do anything with that time,

Whoops B even!

Option b

That's what I do. But my parents pick up ds 3 days for a couple of hours play time.

I do the other 2 days pick ups as I leave work early.

Dh drops ds at breakfast club at 8:15ish as I am away from 7.

Early days gives time to do homeworks etc rather than trying to get it done with v tired child or rushing in the morning

My DS is still asleep at 7.15 so option B wouldn't work for us.

Why in option a do you potentially work an hour longer than option b?

Early start, definitely!

Option B for sure. It's worth the early start.