AIBU to think arranging after-school childcare is a nightmare when you have a preschooler and work FT...

[halfdoneharris]

My DD is due to start school in September and I work full time with an 75 minute commute into London. Currently my DD 3 and DS1 are at a nursery/pre-school together making life easier, but when dd starts at school I need to get them up and out of the house, then drop them both off in different directions all before beginning my lengthy commute.
Don't get me started on pick up! 3pm pick ups will be too tricky, so we are looking into a childminder who will collect, but then I will need to do 2 collections if ds continues at a nursery.

Any tips of how to get an easy life juggling too drop offs when working full time? I love my job and there is no real chance to move closer to work without either a big drop in salary or having to buy a much smaller house in London.
AIBU?

Do you have a partner who could do any pick ups or drop offs?
Could the childminder do both pick ups so you only need to pick up from the childminder, one place rather than two?
Pick up from multiple places does unfortunately seem the norm for people with children of different ages, but once they are both in school it will just be one location💐

Or have a nanny to look after younger one and nanny does all school,pick ups and drop offs. You don't need to do any at all then.

My dh has offered to wfh one day a week so he can do the collection on that day, but he works longer hours than me, so it has generally fallen on me to do collections (as I can get to the nursery just after 6) and drop off is on my way to work.
A nanny is an idea, but it is so expensive (think £110 a day) which is much more expensive than just 1 childminder place (£50 a day for ds) and then after school collection (£15 a day for dd).
The childminder could pick up from nursery - that's a good idea, but how far do childminders generally travel? The nursery is a few miles away from our home and school.

Could they both go to a childminder? Both of mine do. I am delighted with the care she gives them, much better than the nurseries I visited. Oldest (3) now goes to a preschool and she does pick ups and drop offs there. She'll continue to do that when he starts school, as well as looking after DCs 2&3 (due imminently). One drop off, one pick up and continuity of care for all, as well as seeing each other before and after school. Win win.

Mine are both at school now but they go to a childminder and have done since the little one was 8 months. She did the older one's preschool run, then school and preschool, and now just school. She has them on inset days and holidays and elections and snow days... It makes life much easier!

The best option - if you can find it - is childminder has both children and does drop offs and pick ups for DD.

Nanny is also an option - pricier, but then you don't have to do any drop offs or pick ups at all.

Do you have a DP/DH? What pick ups/drop offs will he do?

Yes when we were in this situation we paid a deposit for dd aged 2 yo go to nursery while ds was at school. We then looked for after school care for ds and found a cm. She was lovely and we asked if she could take dd as well...she did. We'd never have planned to use a cm but it worked really well for us.

Sounds like a cm for both is the best option! Best get on that and stop whingeing!

I was also going to suggest child minder for both. Very easy solution.
You may even find one that's willing to accept DC2's 15 free hours when they come up.