To not want to drop my hours when DS starts school?

[mindyourfingersplease]

But I think I’ll have to.

I am currently part time with two days off a week. I’d like to keep this as I have a younger child.

My younger child’s nursery starts at 730. I’d have to drop her then at this time. Then get to DS school for beakfast club to start at 8. This gives me twenty five minutes to get to work myself, through heavy morning traffic. DH can’t help: he leaves for work at 7.

I think typing that out has made me realise I’ll have to drop my hours.

FFS! Some of the replies on here! Maybe the OP didn’t want to say she was a teacher due to the way teachers are treated on MN! She said she can’t be late, no further explanation is needed. Also why is it so hard to believe that it’s difficult to find childcare? I was a teacher and when my DC were small, I only managed to find childcare at the last minute and this was a combination of after school club and a childminder but none could offer 5 days. For a month they were attending both plus one day a week with a friend. It was very stressful and it’s not as if teaching is a flexible job.

Definitely not - wrong age and stage. Plus I wouldn’t really want to work at a school my child attended anyway.

OP, I would sit down with your DH and tell him that you don’t want to drop your hours so you need to come up with an action plan together.

Perhaps a student babysitter / mother’s help is available locally who can assist with school and nursery drop offs. It’s a nice bit of money for a young person to earn a few days a week and usually a convenient time for most.

Alternatively is 8 the earliest your breakfast club starts?

Change jobs completely? On 18 hours a week you could even just do evenings. No nursery fees at all then.

They're a previously banned poster who does this to every OP under various name changes.

Can you ask the nursery if there are any childminders near the nursery that can take your school age child to school and meet you at the nursery at 7:30 for handoff? Or perhaps another parent you know would be willing to help?

This isn’t about teachers in particular, it’s about the multiple posts from women who has to sacrifice their careers and pensions in favour of their husbands because for some reason men can hardly ever have any flexibility or lose a small portion of their salaries. It hinders women progressing.

Looking for another job is good idea.

There actually are no childminders at my DS's school. I used the only one until she went out of business in lockdown. It has been a major headache and I've had to do a lot of juggling to stay in work. So it is possible.

Does your younger DCs nursery do school drop offs for school age childre? Most nurseries in my area drop to local schools (some have a minibus if the schools are slightly further out). Then you could drop both at the nursery at 7:30.

I think it’s quite easy to be honest, there aren’t really an abundance of childminders.

Unfortunately not @Namechangedagain20

Can the school you work in even get someone to teach in place of you for an hour each morning to change your hours to 9.25am?

I remember the days well of dropping dc to school 8.50am having a 30 min bus journey to work . Bus was 5 minutes from school and 5 from work the other end The bus came 8.54am. I had to run everyday to it. Then pray there was no delay even 2 min.
I was late a lot by a few minutes. I was always in trouble. But what could I do ? I was a lone parent. No help and was learning to drive. But even when I passed the car park was so far from work I only saved 10 min. But then cost me £30 week parking compared to £8 for a week ticket on the bus.

When my the last 2 dcs were born we opted I'd be a sahm. I chose this option for my sanity.

Has DH checked their flexible working policy? It’s always DH can’t because he works x hours in these types of posts, yet the DH hasn’t even read the policy let alone actually been bothered to put in a flex working request. He doesn’t need to drop hours just request different hours.

I think it’s fine to decide to reduce your hours and have a more child centred family life if you can manage financially and if you will love spending the extra time with your kids. Especially while they are still so young. But maybe not if these things don’t apply! . Good luck with your decision and whatever you decide don’t feel guilty!

@WhatIDoIsEnough yes, it just means I’m timetabled to start at 925. That’s all, really.

Thanks all. It does help to talk things through.

@mindyourfingersplease is your employer approachable ? Chat with them and see what they say then you will have your answer

Why is it you that has to drop your hours. Why can’t DH?

@ItOnlyTakesTwoMinutes i do explain this, it’s because of finances.

Yes, I’ve provisionally asked and been given a yes but I do need to put that request in sooner rather than later.

I think you are answerig your own question. If you can't get to work on time and you can't work over more days, you also can't find tge right wrap around care... then you have one option left, to drop your hours.

I know - just wish their wraparound started fifteen minutes early!

Look out for a job at your childs school maybe? Not an immediate solution but would make it easier in the long run

Don't forget you get the holidays off too. It does sound like it's what you want tbh, more time off with your kids than you are working so that sounds a lovely balance. I wish you the best.

It depresses me in the office too. Always about how it's not worth them working more. They then split with their fella and suddenly have to work full time and we don't have the hours to offer them.

It does sound like the wraparound care isn't considering WHERE people work! Very silly really.