Which child to have in my childcare "bubble"?

[GlummyMcGlummerson]

I look after 2 different friends' kids on different days as a favour, since beginning of the term (and yes this was ok, I checked it out and we have been in Tier 1 all along). From Thursday I can only look after one as part of a childcare "bubble".

First child I pick up from school on Monday's, same school as my DC, and her mum arrives at 5.30pm and treats us to a takeaway and wine. Friend is a single mum, her own mum was picking her DD up until COVID and she's shielding so won't do childcare.

Second child I pick up from her pre school when I leave work on a Tuesday lunchtime and have her until 3.30, when I drop her off at her house before collecting my own kids from school. The pre school only can do 15 hours for her , and won't let her have another 3 hours, which is why I help out. My friend is married but her husband has a high demand job currently WFH

Both friends are key workers.

Both children as easy and lovely to look after.

Friend 1 - her work have said that she can WFH after school hours, meaning she'd be WFH until 6.30pm which she isn't keen on doing 5 days a week. She wants to put her DD in breakfast club on Mondays and me to continue to do pick up, so that she can do long days Mondays so that she can finish properly at 3.30pm on Tuesday and Wednesdays

Friend 2 has asked the school if she they can take her DD for the extra hours in light of lockdown - the answer is no, they are at full capacity. So she's also asked me to be part of a childcare bubble. Her DH will carry on WFH but doesn't want to have to watch her on Tuesday afternoons because it will be hard for him, he's constantly on Zoom calls.

Who would you pick? I feel awful that I can only pick 1! I'm inclined to help my single friend - her exH can't help as he lives at the other side of the country, but my married friend's DH technically can do the childcare, he just doesn't want to. Then again? My single friend has been offered a solution from her work whereas my married friend's work and school haven't.

Single adult by bubble with friend 1.

Childcare bubble with friend 2.

I don't think the spirit of the law is that anyone is left without childcare. Although your friend clearly needs to sort out her husband irrespective of any lockdown rules.

I would help friend 1 as a bubble, this way she has adult support. Friend 2’s husband needs to alter his afternoons as many people have.

I would help friend 2 because friend 1 has been offered a solution she just doesn’t want to use it.

Friend 1.

I think you can enter both a support bubble and childcare bubble so you could do both.

Otherwise I think I would help friend 1 - being a single parent must be hard at the best of times. Friend 2’s husband needs to learn to juggle, just like many people have over the past few months.

Friend 1.

Child 2 dad can supervise child watching tv once a week.

@GrumpyHoonMain

I would help friend 2 because friend 1 has been offered a solution she just doesn’t want to use it.

Friend 2 has a solution though but her husband, presumably the father, doesn’t want to bother and put himself out.

Her DH will carry on WFH but doesn't want to have to watch her on Tuesday afternoons because it will be hard for him, he's constantly on Zoom calls

Tough shit. Lots of us are WFH ft and juggling children/school runs etc.

This question was on bbc this morning grandma looks after picks up two of her grandchildren from two different households. She was informed just have to pick one!
Go for the single mum she needs the support more , the other lady has a solution her husband.

I think friend 1.
Friend 2's DH will just have to cope one afternoon a week for the next 4-6 weeks or so.

I’d go for friend 1. She’s single and needs the support more.

Friend 2’s husband will have to step up!

Also this DH should be speaking to his work to see how they can accommodate his need to look after his child.

Friend 1 definitely!

Single adult.

The other friends have two adults to figure out care of 1 child. They can find a solution between themselves. The father and mother BOTH need to speak to their employers in this scenario.

Friend 1 - I think friend 2 and her husband can work something out between them, whereas friend 1 doesn't have that support.

Look at it this way if it helps, OP.

Do you want to help a friend or a friend’s husband?

Friend one definitely.

Friend 1

You can Im afraid I think only have one bubble

Friend 1 - Friend 2 husband is frankly just going to have to block out Tuesday pm from calls and make the hours up. It what a lot of people have had to do

If you are with friend 1 you can do socialising etc as well outside of that as you would be a support bubble and you gain as well.

Friend 2 would just be for that childcare but

Friend 1

Friend 1, friend 2's husband needs to make sacrifices too x

Friend one without question. Your help will mean her dc has time with her mum on Tuesday and Wednesday too - that's a huge difference. Friend two's dh is going to have to inconvenience himself a bit, like the rest of the country.

Friend 1. She's looking after her kid singlehandedly and working. And she sounds lovely.

Friend 2's husband will have to step up.

Friend 1. Friend 2's husband can do what all the mothers I know have been doing in our 'high demand WFH jobs' and tell work that he is juggling childcare because of lockdown. It's what, around 2 hours or so one day a week?

Her child has 2 parents who are able to look after her. He just doesn't want to because his big swinging dick is getting in the way.

I think wine and takeaway with your single friend sounds nice so I would choose her (For selfish reasons )