To think it's impossible to work as single parent

[Prinstress]

My DD has just turned 3 and is in private nursery, I pay extra for her to be able to attend outside of term time.

She is joining her school nursery in April, where she will attend a morning session.

What the hell am I supposed to do during half term, 6 weeks holidays? I live on my own have managed to find a part time job I can (just) manage to fit around current childcare.

I don't have any family who can help, I don't have any friends who can watch her regularly, maybe the odd hour in an emergency.

I feel absolutely snookered. How am I going to make this work?

There are holiday clubs and some childminders take on holiday time children. There are options

Can the private nursery not take her for the holiday parts? I used to alternate pre school and nursery until my son started school. In the 7/8 month period between school starting and him being old enough to join an activity club locally (5) he went to nursery in the holidays.

Congratulations on your new job x

Holiday club, nursery, child minder.

I am a single Mum to two & work full time - there’s always a way.

I'm not a single mum but trying to use the LA places as childcare is nigh on impossible for working parents.

We did both private and school nursery during her funded year. I assume if you use private just now it is affordable for you. Are you certain she needs to be in the school nursery, we were able to take her remaining funding to use against the private nursery.

Full time working single parent, nursery and childminders.

Thanks for the suggestions, I will see if it would be possible for her to remain attending her private nursery outside of term time, and look into a child minder for 6 weeks.

Another possibility is looking for weekend work instead, but I suffer from BPD, anxiety, depression and already feel like I'm barely staying a float.

I feel like I've been totally selfish having my DD, without thinking through how I'm going to manage on my own long term!

Yay, great news about your new job.

I'm a single mum to two and I've worked all the way through, part-time initially but then full time. I've managed it for the last 16 years - can hardly believe I'm writing that!

I had aupairs for 7 years after ex-H left. It meant my DC had to share a bedroom, but it was the only affordable option for me. As they got older they could do wrap around and or after school clubs and holiday clubs etc. Was a bit of a juggling act sometimes but then once they get to the teenage years they can be left at home more and it gets much easier.

Single parent to two, had no idea how I'd ever manage to make holidays work etc sooo I work in the school now

This isn't an issue limited to single parents though. We send DS to a nursery that fits around OUR worn, because finding work to fit around childcare is virtually important. We have no family to support us. It means DS wont go to a school nursery and will be in wrap around care when he goes to school. It costs a fortune but less than my wage (household income, whatever). I will be going back to work full time when I finish mat leave.

Holiday clubs, childminder, taking annual leave

I am a single working parent, holiday club at school is the life saver!

Sorry EndOf, I know it's equally a struggle for two parents working full time!

Going to try and save my holiday allowance for 6 week holidays and hopefully private nursery can accommodate half terms for the time being.

It can be really hard. Our local nursery is only open from 8:45 to 17:00. I start work at 8:30 40 miles away! The school has no breakfast club either. As a single parent I would be lost without the support of family and friends.

I live in a very rural part of the UK so there is no other nursery within 15 miles but the school is in the village. There's two childminders in the local area, both fully booked up.

It's not always as simple as getting extra childcare, sometimes there is none available. I hope you find a solution OP.

I paid for wrap around care at the day care mine were at while at school nursery but purely because it improved chances of getting into school. Is it an option to stay at day care?

Mine stayed in private nursery until she started school. Going into the school nursery didnt guarantee her a school place and we still got the free hours in the private nursery although we did have to pay for extra hours.

Also a single mum. Muddle through with holiday clubs, childminder, working from home and family help.

Sorry- that was dd. DS childminder took him to the school nursery and picked him up, then had him in the school hols.

I'm a single working parent, there are holiday clubs available, however, they normally charge around £10 a day, not too much of a struggle in the smaller half term breaks, but during the 6 week holiday, thats £300, I try and book at least a week off, 2 weeks if I can, but it is a struggle. I save up throughout the year to cover the long summer breaks.

Keep her at the private nursery until she starts school, it's actually much easier than when they start school and you HAVE to make arrangements for them.

Start planning now what you're going to do when she starts school. Research the local child care provisions etc - after school clubs and the like.

Realistically, all working parents are muddling through the holidays though - when you get to school gates it's a lot easier to find out what's going on, set up play dates etc.

I mitigate the long summer hols by using a combination of clubs and days off , so I take a couple of days off a week and put her where I can the rest of the time!

I'm a single parent too. With no family. I try and not look too far ahead. You have care sorted for now. You may find your employer has a solution or I found other parents had good suggestions for holiday clubs etc. Congrats on the job.