nursery opening hours

[scottishgal09]

I need to go back to work so will soon be putting my 9 month old in nursery, only thing is that the earliest I can find any nursery open is 7 am to 7 pm. The 7 pm closing time is fine but I really find I need a opening time of 6 pm. I also work Saturday mornings so need something that is open 6 days. Start time should be at least 6:00 pm but I struggle to find this. Do these type of nursery’s exist? What are the opening and closing hours for your nursery’s? Why don’t nursery’s take into account that some parents need to work 6 days 🤨?

It's not about being punished, but some jobs just aren't compatible with childcare. As a parent you have to make changes to accommodate your kids - I changed career before my kids started school for example. My kids school doesn't even have a breakfast club so I can't start work til 9! I know it's tough though. Look into a nanny if you're committed to the hours, but think about the effect on your baby too.

Surely it would make financial sense for one of the parents to work less rather than paying for childcare for such long hours?
What are the maths involved in this?

Why don't you try a childminder, probably a better fit for you, years ago I had an early start, they came in a baby grow, I gave them a warm bottle and put them in a cot. Worked fine

It's not about you being punished for working.
It's that your current set up doesn't work.
Both you and your DH need to sit down and look at your working arrangements and find a solution.

You 100% need a live in nanny. For the kids sake too tbh. 13 hours a day, 6 days a week sat in a nursery is too much.

You need to put your heads together and try to figure out how to make your shift patterns work as nurseries do not exist offering what you want.

Can one of you drop off and work a little later and the other start earlier and then pick up?

Can you drop one of the jobs and then drop some nursery hours?

It sounds like a miserable set up for you to be working so much that your baby needs to spend nearly every waking hour 6 days a week being cared for by others.

I'd like the bus to pick me up and drop me at my front door, but the bastard driver insists on following a pre-determined route.
I want vegetarian meals to exist in public eating places, but can only get friggin vegan cheese and jackfruit burgers because it's easier for someone to club those together
I'd like people to know the difference between a paediatrician and a paedophile, or that people with darker skin may have actually been born in this country
I'd like bakeries to open at 5am so I can get a croissant, and pubs to ban sky sports, and people who wear too-tight clothes to not hurt my eyes, but THAT ISN'T LIFE
Bastards for not pampering to me, me, me

As a childminder has already said on here I am not sure you will get a childminder or nanny prepared to work those hours either unless you had a live in nanny where they (and the baby) are able to sleep in and not get up at 5am!

You 100% need a nanny. So baby doesn’t have to be woken up at 5 everyday - that’s really not sustainable. Nursery here is 7-6pm and that’s a really really long day. Never heard of weekend openings either.

Op given the cost of childcare would you actually be better off not working? Have you actually done the sums?

I'm guessing your both really struggling with the cost of living crisis. Nursery isn't cheap and if your both minimum wage/ low income you might be better off reducing working hours.

Would it be possible for one of you to increase your earning potential by going to college and using the college Nursery?

You have this child for life. If you think finding appropriate care at nursery level is hard. Wait until school age. Thats when its really tough.

I can't imagine a live in nanny is actually an option based on your finances.

7-7 is likely the best you’ll get, because anything longer simply isn’t in the best interests of the children. Even 7-7 is too long IMO. They’d barely see their parents when they were awake.

OP surely you and the father aren't going to put your child in nursery 6 days a week for full days?

Why did you even have a baby? That's just not right

Your best bet is a live in nanny. But keep in mind she/he will need two days off a week and entitled to holidays.

No nurseries open Saturdays. Unless you have family help or can afford a nanny you can't both work weekends.

But a nanny who will start work at 6am and end at 7pm plus Saturday work would be a live in Nanny on a large salary. Possibly another one for the weekend work.

At that point it might be more financially viable for one of the couple to reduce working hours or stop working.

Sorry OP, I don't think that exists.

Can you and babies dad work around each other. So you start work late and drop child off, but work later at night, and the dad can start early, but finish early so he can do pick ups?

I know that doesn't help on Saturdays though. Is it worth dropping one of your jobs, ie the Saturday one to save on nursery fee's?

DH and I have managed to manipulate our working hours like this, its a PITA, but its the only way to make things work

Have you looked at what you'd be entitled to if one of you cut your hours? If you are low income and needing to work 2 jobs, you may be entitled to UC and childcare costs. You'll also get child benefit. It's not sustainable or fair to your child to be in childcare for those kind of hours and I say that as someone who works long shifts. Not only will your child suffer, you will too. It will burn you out and fast.

I know of one nursery that opens on Saturday and that's in London and is only open until 1pm on Saturday.
Did you not look at childcare earlier? Most places have waiting lists but it won't matter because they won't offer those hours. It's too many hours and you will barely see your baby.
One of you has to change your hours. You can request flexible hours but if you both insist on working weekends you have to do opposite shifts. Same as in the week. One will start later so they can drop baby off at a reasonable time and one finishes early so they can pick up at a reasonable time.
I do have sympathy. I used to start work at 3am and DH at 7;30. He had to change his hours the 3 days I worked to an 8am start as nursery didn't open until 7:30.
Like others said if you aren't willing to change your job you will have to get a nanny but even they will be wary of working so many hours.
Your baby is so young and you will miss our on a lot of you keep doing 12/13 hours 6/7 days a week.

Why do people keep suggesting nanny? Pretty sure if op is working 6 days to cover nursery, she's not making nanny money even if that world be the ideal solution.

I completely agree that the working set up of the OP and the baby’s dad is beyond ridiculous, but as she seems set in continuing her life like she doesn’t have a child even though she now does, that’s the best practical solution I could come up with. She needs a live in nanny. It will cost a fortune but that feels like the only ways to make this work!

Agree with other posters. What you need is different work. Both you and your partner need to work out how to progress to higher pay asap and/or switch to a working pattern that is compatible with childcare norms and your child’s needs.

I don't know any CMs that would take a child that early either and as a nanny I would charge a high fee to be at work for 6am.

I was thinking the same thing. They are both working two jobs. I'm guessing NMW or not much more than NMW.

Certainly not live in nanny money.

The reason this isn't offered anywhere is because its not appropriate for the child.

Some children will wake up early enough to be up and arriving at a nursery by 6. They will not be the ones who can cope with not going to bed until 8 or 8.30pm. Its too long a day. Also a lot of nurseries, the afternoon meal is quite a light tea with the expectation that a lot of children will have their supper at home. Your plan isn't considering the babies needs. There's no time for supper, milk, baths, stories etc when they get home.

One of you/DH needs to stop the second job. You won't find weekend childcare anyway.

Because that is the only alternative. No childminder or nursery will agree to those hours.