...to have no idea what I need (childcare related)

[thegreekmythsII]

I'm going back to work in a few months - publishing. It's my dream job. I will be working 18 hours a week, but the great thing is I can choose, in the main, whether to do this in the office (40 minute commute) or at home, as long as I spend at least 5 hours on work premises to keep up to date. I may need to go into visit clients for a whole day - probably about once per month.

I have an 10 month old and a 9 year old. I have never used childcare and don't know where to start. I also need to fit in a school run and pick up which is about 40 minutes each way. I keep drawing up spreadsheets to work out how to do it but keep going round in circles. I don't really want to leave my youngest in a nursery as I think the hours are not long enough to settle (waiting lists around here are full anyway). I've got complete brain fog.

DH works long hours, so is not in the equation apart from in emergencies.

Childminder. One that does school runs.

I would - Take 9 year old to school, drop baby at childminders, work 5 hours at home, pick 9 year old up from school then pick baby up from childminders.

Two full days at a cm who can also do wrap around for your 9 year old then work from home in evenings and during naps to make up your hours on the other days?

What can you afford to pay?

and one day a week your little one would stay at childminders longer so you can visit your work, perhaps the same childminder would pick up your 9 yo from school

You need to work out what's available locally, fees, and how much your budget is. I agree with pp that childminder is likely to be the best bet, unless you're happy to use two different types of care that is. Because a nursery isn't going to take the nine year old even if you did want to use one for the baby. As you don't, a CM makes sense.

Are you likely to do your non-office working hours during the school day? Or evenings/weekends when the children are in bed? This will impact on how much childcare you need.

I would work from home 1 day 8-6 and work in the office 1 day 9-5. I would then employ a nanny 2 days a week 8-6.

I think it would be tricky to find a cm who would be willing to do a 40 minute each way school run. Unless they didn't have any other dc to look after.

I'd compress the 18 hours into 3 working days.
One full day in the office with CM/school breakfast club if available and CM after school.
Then two days from home at 5 hours each (baby at CM for short days) so you can fit in the school runs.

I would go for nanny or CM (whichever is more available and affordable to you) two days 8-6, and go into the office. Make up the other hours during the week at nap time and after bedtime at home.

Not sure if a CM would be happy to just take a baby for 5 hours in the middle of the day either, as they would be blocking a whole day space.

cost isn't so much of a problem. I don't mind paying as long as the care is good. I wouldn't mind someone coming to the house.
My latest thinking is a nanny for 2 days, she/ he could look after baby while i do school run. Then I get home and hide and do some work/ or go to work - so I'd be around in the house. But would that be disruptive for the baby/ nanny?

I am a nanny and my bosses have worked from home. When the children are babies it's fine they don't know you're there, at 2 my current dc are aware mummy is around but we're out a lot and we're happy for mum to pop in occassionally and say hi.

The CM is more likely to be one near school than near home with that length of school run.
If you have some long days with clients can your DH cover the school/CM run those days, just once a month? It saves finding a CM who will start early and/or finish late.

I would also plan on working for three days, however that works.

So your work is 40 minutes from home...what about school? Is that also 40 minutes from home? Close to work or in the other direction?

Thanks for all replies. Food for thought. I should have said school and work both about 40 mins in opposite directions from house!

Congratulations on getting your dream job.

Personally, I wouldn't work at home. Anytime I work at home, I seem to get highly distracted eg. taking the dustbin out, do extra more cleaning, relax for a bit (after the school run) etc. But if this is not your problem, then go for it! do what's best for you.

In that case I would get a cm close to your dd's school.

Day 1: Drop the baby at the CM's then take DD to school. Then you go to work at the office (80 minutes travel?...arriving by 10:30ish). Work at the office 10:30-4:30, which is your 5 hours done, plus one more. CM collects DD from school. You pick the dc up at around 6pm (after dinner). All home before 7pm.

Days 2 and 3: Drop the baby at the CM's then take DD to school. You go back home to work (40 minutes travel, arriving before 10am). Work from home 10 - 4. Then chill out and have an hour to yourself to give the CM time to feed the dc dinner. CM collects DD from school. You pick the dc up at around 6pm (after dinner). All home before 7pm again.

You'll not have much (any?) time in the evenings on the three days, but you have 4 whole days off work which makes up for it IMO.

3 full days care for baby, 3 days wraparound for dd...the typical CM cost in my area would be around £45 per day, so £135 a week.

Or of course, you could just do Day 1 and 2, if you would prefer to fit in 6 hours of work in the evenings throughout the week?

I would prefer to just have a nanny come to the house and go to work, and let the nanny do the school run.

I would have a nanny for 1 long day and two half days.

On the long day, get the nanny to arrive in time for morning school run, and to do afternoon school run. Go to work 9-6, getting your office hours out the way, plus 4 more, so half your hours in total. This can also be your client day if you need to go visiting. Next day get nanny to do the school run again, then take baby to a playgroup or something while you work at home 8.30-1. Stop for lunch and afternoon with baby plus school run. Then the same the next day. Or save the third day's childcare and fit in your remaining 4.5 hours after bedtimes. If money is no object I think I'd get that third morning, so you're not stressing about getting the other hours done. But this way you only mkss picking your oldest up one day a week and nanny doing school run saves you 80 minute round trip etc.

Thanks so much everyone taking the time to think about this and reply to me. Much appreciated. !

Are you any closer to a plan op?

hi! Thanks to all who replied. Strawberry - I've decided to go for a nanny for 2 days a week. 8.00 to 6.00 and then try and squeeze the extra work into the evenings. Now to find her.....!