getting home from work / school - what time?

[NotThereYet]

Hi,

I need help from Mumsnetters again to tell me how things work in your families re kids getting home from school and you getting home from work.

I'm writing a children's book but don't have a family myself (yet!) and often find it hard to remember how things were when I was a kid.

For Mums who work, especially part time, do you ever/always/sometimes arrive home before your kids?

Do your kids get picked up from school by someone else?

Would they ever be brought home by a friend's parent and spend, say, half an hour at home alone before you got home from work (I'm thinking of a 10-year-old)?

Or would they spend that time at the friend's house from where you would pick them up on your way home from work?

Lots of my plot for the chapter I'm writing seems to hinge on who gets home at what time - a Mum who works part-time, a Dad who works full-time, two kids at secondary school and one at primary school. That's why I ask!

Your help much appreciated...

Hi NotThereYet I work part-time (tues-thurs). I have a DS at nursery and a DD at Primary school. I pick the DS up when I finish work (5:30ish) and my DD goes to after-school club and gets picked by my OH at 5:15. If it all goes pear-shaped then one of us can pick both up. Let me know if you need more :)

secondary school kids would get them selves home
could get a bus and be home hour after school finishes
mine used to get about 4.30
or walk home and take age going via shops ect
some bike it in
could also have part time job
most kids travel quite a way to secondary school
not going just going local one

the one at primary would now days always be pick up by some one either a paid someone CM mothers help nanny au pair or babysitter or just a friend home who he went home with them and their mum
a few kids still walk them selves to school but only in there last year or sometime biking again in the last summer tea

when i work part time i would only just finish just in time to get to primary school
as traffic is very bad where i live from about 230 onwards with the school traffic
husband never did pick up as he worked at least 9 to 5
hope this helps

Hi karen2010 and Mollymoo (love the name!). Thanks, that's all really helpful.

Must be hectic keeping everything running smoothly!

For me the idea of the kid at primary school spending a bit of time at a friend's house after school seems to work.

Any more information from anyone would be great.

Ooh, and another question - would a 10-year old have a house key?

when i was young used to wear one round my neck on days when dad was not home
but in this day and age

my kids only house keys when started high school and they both lost the 1st one they had

so i would say no