Working while got kids

[Kkk17]

Hi all
Just wondering how you worked it when you had young kids. My partner comes in at 5 and I'm out 5 till 10 for 4 days in the week and all day Saturday. We just get a Sunday together.

I work 8-4:30, my dcs dad works the same hours. We are divorced now but it was the same hours when we were together.

I work 8-4:30, my dcs dad works the same hours. We are divorced now but it was the same hours when we were together.

We work Mo to Fr, he works full time and I work part time. Weekends together as a family.

I have to work opposite hours because I can't afford childcare .

Unacceptablay thanks for your response, just finding it difficult as dont see him in the evenings in the week at all, he finishes work.and i go to work and we only get a Sunday off together

We worked opposite shifts for about 10 years when our DC were young. It was hard going but it worked well.

When our kids were young we did similar, sometimes not getting a day off together at all depending on my husband's shifts. It wasn't ideal but it saved us a lot of money on childcare so needs must.

Now the kids are older and in school, with grandparents retired and happy to collect from school, my husband works Mon-Fri and I work Mon-Wed.

We both work "office" hours and use childcare but are higher earners- it can be depressing what the childcare costs though.

I know several who do something like the opposite shifts approach. It saves a massive amount of money.

Husband full time, me 4 days. We're both high earners and pay for childcare. £2k a month (1 in nursery, 2 in school wraparound couple days a week). Weekends and evenings are family time.

I work week days, but dp has always worked Saturdays and some away duringthe week. It just means that Saturday is my day to see people and have the kids play with friends without dp, and Sunday is family day. Yes I would prefer him around more, but we also need to pay the bills. Will have more flexibility when the kids are older.

Purpleturtle45 yes its hard work, we don't even have parents that can help they have passed away so it is really hard going x

We paid for childcare, both worked a standard 9-5. I guess if you can’t afford childcare then there’s not much you can do. It’s a season of life and it’s hard going, but kids grow up and stop needing childcare. My youngest will he 18 in 6 months, so my childcare days are over, but we spent in excess of 60k min just on nursery. Later wrap around clubs at school and holiday clubs.

Are you not entitled to the funded hours for childcare?

Purpleturtle45 yes its hard work, we don't even have parents that can help they have passed away so it is really hard going x

Zanatdy I only get minimum wage so would only have around 150 pounds left a week to pay will shopping etc if I used child care x

Zanatdy I only get minimum wage so would only have around 150 pounds left a week to pay will shopping etc if I used child care x

As a single mum, I found an employer within 15 minutes of the primary school. Dropped ds at 8.40, at my desk by 9.

Used after school club, then collected ds at 5.50pm

Put dating on hold while my ds was small. Started to live a little when he turned 11 and could be left for an hour or two. Started dating again when he was 15 and could reasonably be left for a whole evening.

And what about your dh what does he earn and have leftover?

Locainpowder yes I think its 2 and half hours in the morning but I need to work at least 30 hours to pay bills etc. X

Similar to you...I worked night shifts and dh worked day shifts. We did use childcare for one day a week when my shifts were together so I could sleep after my night shifts. Didn't have much time off together for years but it worked out for us

Locainpowder yes I think its 2 and half hours in the morning but I need to work at least 30 hours to pay bills etc. X

Could be the key to a long and happy relationship.

Yes we didn’t have any family close enough to help either, and back then we couldn’t just work at home in the holidays with kids present like many of my colleagues with young kids do now.

If you are both earning the equivalent of 16 hours per week national minimum wage, you should be eligible to 30 hours funded childcare from the term after your child/ren are 9 months old.

I knew a couple once - she worked nights and he worked days, they swapped childcare and saw each other only on the weekends. It was really hard till kids went to school, so about 3-4 years. I've been a freelancer and juggled work while kids were in part-time nursery, with a childminder or simply having a nap/sleeping. It's very hard, but just think that this time will pass and kids will grow older eventually.