To put the kids in full time childcare even if I work four days

[Earlgreyrose]

I'm in the process of negotiating a four day week from january.

Nursery offer a discount for full time places which means the price difference is negligible. As such I am considering keeping them in full time nursery and just make it a.shorter day for them. I just feel a bit bad!

I would, but don’t be a martyr & only use the Friday for chores, make sure YOU get some down time & enjoy your free day as well.

I was a SAHM but still used childcare .... and not all children get exhausted by being in nursery .... I don’t think my DS was ever exhausted .

I didn't heavily imply that at all! I said that I didn't understand why people worked FULL TIME!

I wouldn't. Maybe your children would like a day away from the nursery as you would like a day away from working. children also need time to rest and relax.
I would only leave them in the nursery if it's essential not just because you wanted a day away from them. Wouldn't you want to enjoy their company? teach them things? influence them? and not just leave it to the nursery staff to do so.

@lovey who are you to judge why people work full time? I hope you place the same judgement on both men and women.

My son goes to nursery Monday-Wednesday and I work Saturday-Tuesday and have Wednesdays off! It's amazzzzzzing. I can clean up and nap and make a really nice tea for when everyone gets home, I do the gardening in summer, I go shopping and food shopping, I sort out any bills or letters and ring companies etc, last Wednesday I redecorated an entire room when he was at nursery. I also cover my colleagues shifts on Wednesdays when they're on annual leave. Sometimes I have to take my son to appointments so I always have the option to make up my hours by swapping with another staff member. It's nice to have a bit of wiggle room!

Don't ask us. Do what works for you, your family, your sanity, your finances x

Well I don't know anyone who can live on a part time wage. Good on you if you've found that luxury.

God! Don't you read...what I wrote about luxuries. Flipping heck!

I'm not sure what you mean. I've read all your posts several times. I work full time in order to pay bills and eat, and buy clothes. There are no luxuries to sacrifice.

So your luxury is the fact that you don't have to. Well done you. I'd love to know how you support a family on part time minimum wage though.

Wouldn't you want to enjoy their company? teach them things? influence them? and not just leave it to the nursery staff to do so.

Jesus fucking Christ!!! Do people really not realise that parents still raise their children even if they are in childcare?

If you want to be a fucking martyr go ahead but stop with the "cry me a river" poor neglected children routine just because someone makes different choices and their lives revolve around more than their kids.

I hope all of you homeschool because you obviously wouldn't dream of someone else teaching,playing with and influencing your child.

The luxury I had when my children were little was the time I had with them yes. I'm only talking about for a few years here. But I didn't have luxuries for myself, I'd rather have that than little time with them. And my husband wasn't on a great wage.

I then worked more when they started school.

I don’t use childcare for work, I’m disabled so use it for respite and for my ds2 to get some much needed socialising with other kids. He’s benefited from it so much, so have I! I say go for it, you’ll regret it if you don’t

@lovey if I had taken a few years out of my career I would have essentially sacrificed any opportunity for progression and possibly would have struggled to even get a job at the same level I was at pre-children.

I think at the moment you're in the thick of it so you can't realise how fast this time is going to go, but really, really soon they'll be at school all week and you'll regret the time you could have spent with them when they were little, and didn't.

@wannabe nope. I have zero regrets for the choices I've made and my decision to work full time.

It may benefit you but not your child.
A full week is a lot for young children they enjoy a day at home to chill just like you do.

Like I've said several times now, I worked part time. I didn't take a few years out of work.

If I'd have taken a few years out I'd have been unable to feed my children. So you talk about sacrificing luxuries- I had to sacrifice the luxury that you had and go to work instead!

I don't judge anyone for how they arrange their life as a parent- we all muddle along as best we can and try to do our best to give our children a good life. But the suggestion that we shouldn't have had them in the first place if we have to work is offensive. Most people have to work to provide for their children, it is not new and it is perfectly normal.

Ffs!

I don't work. My ds goes to preschool 6 days a week, 5 hours a day. I would send him for longer but sadly, that's 'full time' where I live. I have a cleaner too, 3 times a week. And a gardener. And no guilt here, no ducks given. My ds loves preschool. And I love a few hours a day of me time. Win win. 🤷‍♀️

Kids can chill at home on a weekend. 5 days in nursery really isnt bad.

5, not 6 days a week. Oops.

@lovey you aren't very clear in the way you word things. You also seem very judgemental of people who work full time.

I worked part time until they went to school, then I worked more. I'm not sure I could be any clearer or how many times you want me to explain.

I have an opinion, (that's what the OP came on here for), as do you, of people that don't work full time. Fair enough. This post isn't about me. And I'm fed up with repeating myself.

I have my toddler in 5 full days even though I’m only at Uni for 4 full days. I’m a single parent. I need the extra day for house work/sleep catch up/revision. Mostly I binge watch Netflix and order from a Deliveroo. Because I get zero downtime otherwise.