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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be struggling with nursery only opening at 8

292 replies

humpbackwhalestail · 08/02/2018 18:28

I am a teacher and have to be at work for 8:20.

Nurseries only open at 8 which means I’ve had to choose the closest one. It still gives me a tight margin for getting to school, parking, getting into school and to morning briefing/meetings.

AIBU to wish there was a bit more flexibility with childcare?

OP posts:
Maireadplastic · 09/02/2018 19:53

moncapetan, imagine a world where all teachers who are mothers of pre-school age children did what you suggest? And, by extension, teachers who are mothers of primary school aged children.

You'd probably be the first to complain.

Original poster
humpbackwhalestail · 09/02/2018 19:53

Well, we have this from Snacks friend Moncapetan

As a genuine man looking for a genuine lady, what am I supposed to do

Not being a prick might be a good option!

Thanks for suggestions but really, you don’t have to Wink

Dip I don’t think anybody means teaching is special but people were saying that I could somehow be ten minutes late and I can’t be.

OP posts:
RidingMyBike · 09/02/2018 19:55

Can you look for a different nursery? The one I use is open from 7am - I usually drop off at about 7.45 and there are usually several other children already there. Shuts at 6.30pm. It’s the only way I could manage my commute and job.

Original poster
humpbackwhalestail · 09/02/2018 19:59

Honestly, there are no nurseries within a reasonable commute of my home and the school that open before 8.

I’m not trying to be difficult, but I have researched this thoroughly.

OP posts:
Nik2015 · 09/02/2018 20:21

That’s rubbish for you. Thankfully ours does early drop off from 7.30am as I have to be at work for 8.05am. Is there a flexi-minder near you?

Yorkshiretolondon · 09/02/2018 20:25

It’s a nightmare! I’m also a teacher but luckily I work in a PRU and we don’t start until 9am... this is exactly why I moved from mainstream... how old is your little one? I found once mine started reception we got to know more parents and they were happy to help out- it will get easier 😊

Marcine · 09/02/2018 20:27

When I was teaching I had an Au pair, I left at 7.15am and she would walk the dc to school/nursery at 8.45am. Much less stressful being able to just leave the house in the morning without getting everyone up and out.

ElphabaTheGreen · 09/02/2018 20:33

Moncapetan got zapped sharpish. Maybe he's gone to look up Snack on Tinder.

Crazyunicornlady · 09/02/2018 20:42

It’s very inconvenient I can see that but I’m sorry because all I can think (narrow mindedly maybe!) is that you get 13 weeks off a year with no childcare worries at all - the rest of us are lucky to get 5.6 weeks!

Original poster
humpbackwhalestail · 09/02/2018 21:10

I fully agree and I am grateful for it, although would politely point out those without those 13 weeks would be welcome to train.

OP posts:
tenpencemixup · 09/02/2018 21:24

Respect to all those working parents juggling childcare and commuting.

Maireadplastic · 09/02/2018 22:09

Humpback, please insert this:
I would politely point out those without those 13 weeks would be welcome to train in every teacher-slagging thread!
Good luck with the child care search.

TooStressyForMyOwnGood · 09/02/2018 22:15

^^This. Best comeback ever Grin.

BoneyBackJefferson · 09/02/2018 23:01

Dippingmytoesin
I’m really baffled by the ‘being a teacher you can’t be 10 minutes late’ etc type of posts.
Most jobs you can’t be 10 minutes late..

In most jobs you don't have 30 kids waiting for you.
In most jobs you don't have people in the office waiting for registers to be filled in so that they can chase missing children.
In most jobs other people don't lose time that they can use for PPA, and it have a detrimental effect on what they are planning to do for the 60 minutes (realistically 40 minutes by the time they have gone back to their own work area)

But in most jobs you can start late with no knock on effect on other members of staff.

GrandTheftWalrus · 09/02/2018 23:07

With my job I had to book on to the system, if I was 1 minute late in doing so I'd get an automated message to my mobile. Then they'd call my boss.

If my bus was late then it would cause all sorts of problems. I ended up getting an hour earlier bus to cover it.

No way could I get a child to nursery for 8am then be at work for 8.30am. Especially as my work could be up to 90 mins away from my house/nursery.

Coconutspongexo · 10/02/2018 08:18

There’s jobs where patients cannot be waiting around for Drs/midwives/nurses etc to turn up 10 minutes late. If my parents turned up late they would miss the handing over..
Funeral directors cannot then up 10 minutes late.
I imagine most retail jobs if you turn up 10 mins late you’re on your way to being out of a job.

I’m sorry but it’s not just teachers

Coconutspongexo · 10/02/2018 08:19

Btw I’m not slagging off teachers but it’s quite ignorant to think people can turn up 10 minutes late in most jobs. It’s not the case

Original poster
humpbackwhalestail · 10/02/2018 08:26

I don’t think anyone is saying that at all Dipping but in some jobs you might be able to negotiate a bit more. Not all, I know.

Anyway, I’m not complaining as I love teaching and I have done horrible jobs before!

OP posts:
Letsmaketheworldbetter · 10/02/2018 08:29

Being a teacher is all about time management. Some choose to arrive at 7.30am some choose to arrive at 8.45. As long as they complete their contracted hours during the week. If you turn up at 8.45 it is frowned upon but you are not necessarily late. If you stay slightly later in the evening to set up for the next day then what is the issue.
I’ve never heard of a TA starting before 9-9.30 so they don’t need briefings in the mornings.

Marcine · 10/02/2018 08:32

I've never known TAs start after 8.30 Grin They still need to be in before the children!

allthgoodusernamesaretaken · 10/02/2018 08:43

Btw I’m not slagging off teachers but it’s quite ignorant to think people can turn up 10 minutes late in most jobs. It’s not the case

Agree with this. I don't agree with "Oh but it's different for teachers"

Original poster
humpbackwhalestail · 10/02/2018 08:45

No, of course it isn’t. But early on in the thread there were several suggestions relating to negotiating to start ten minutes later and you just can’t do this in teaching, and other jobs of course. Unfortunately, people do sometimes get quite irritated as evidenced by another poster when you don’t act on their advice even if it isn’t possible or practical.

OP posts:
Godsplan · 10/02/2018 08:56

TAs are still contracted to work certain hours! They don’t just turn up when they feel like it. In my school their day starts at 8.30am.

Letsmaketheworldbetter · 10/02/2018 08:57

@marcine then you are lucky. In the area I live and work in, most TA’s start at 9.30am and finish at 3pm.
I understand it’s a struggle to get in to work on time. I do think 8am is reasonable to open a nursery. If they open earlier then great. But many people are forgetting that the staff that are required to start at 8am are usually in the same situation as OP. If their children are primary school age then they will need to find a childminder/nanny to do drop offs/pick ups. A lot of people are in the same situation and unfortunately not all can be accommodated.

Letsmaketheworldbetter · 10/02/2018 08:58

Nursery nurses, SEN team & HLTA’s start the day at 8.30 but I have never heard of a TA starting at 8.30.