Child care for school runs only. Any suggestions please?

[Jesusgirl]

I go back to work full time in August and even though I'll have a live in nanny by then, she doesn't drive and I have 2 children that school about 10 minutes drive from home. The bus route is quite clumsy and the school is on a country road so i wouldnt want the nanny to walk on that road with the kids. I was wondering if I could get a childminder just to do the school runs in the afternoon, just to pick them from school and drop them at home? I'm not sure what other options I have except after school club which will be £11 per child per day! I couldn't afford that as well as the nanny. Any ideas please.

Would getting the nanny to take a taxi to pick them up be cheaper? Or some kind of arrangement with another parent who does a similar route?

Maybe comsider a nanny who does drive? Seems a bit of a key requirement?

Contract taxi. No need for nanny to be traipsing back and forth, adding to the taxi bill.

I think you are very ambitious to work FT with two small children in an area with poor public transport and a non-driving nanny! IMVHO you need to rethink something - your logistics are insane.

I doubt many CMs will be willing to use up their space for collection and drop off only. I would do it but I would charge you for the whole 3 hour slot and for 2 children that would cost you 30 per day.

I use an after school childcare club who pick my children up at 8am, take them via car to their site where they give them breakfast until school drop off time, when they walk them to the school nearby and drop them off. Two children for an hour a day five days a week costs £25. Perhaps you have something similar?

It does seem bonkers to have employed a nanny who can't meet your requirements and now to be considering childcare on top of her.

Is she actually Mary Poppins and you cannot possibly turn her down? If so could you pay for her to learn to drive?

Plenty of time for her to learn to drive before September. I would have thought running a tiny car for her would be cheaper than any additional childcare costs.

Thanks everyone.

The nanny has been with us for 4 years and the kids are very used to her and I don't want to change just because of school runs.

I never knew about contract taxi. I'll look into that.

Ah, that's fair enough then. I wouldn't change either. Is there any reason why she can't learn to drive?

I would assist your existing nanny with driving lessons if you really want to keep her.

Thanks. I don't think she'll be interested in learning to drive. She's one of those people that think driving is not for everyone! She's foreign and it fascinates her a great deal that I'm driving - because I'm a woman! Besides her English language is not great so not sure she can comply with instructions, except I get an instructor that speaks her language. but it's definitely would be worth it.

Can anyone please shed more light on this contract taxi? Do they 1st pick the nanny and go to pick the kids or do they pick the kids on their own? I'd really prefer for the nanny to be there. What I thought of was the nanny going to the school by bus and the taxi bringing them all back home.

Thanks in advance.

Can anyone

If you live somewhere with no footpaths (which is why I assume you say country road isn't safe) I think the sooner you get children used to walking on them safely the better.

Unless you are going to drive the children everywhere until they leave home, teach them now. I've seen totally clueless young teens out near me, because their parents drove them when younger. They have never learnt road sense. Much easier to hold hands with a young child and help them learn to anticipate dangers.

So my vote is make them walk!

You mention the nanny going to school by bus - can she not bring the kids home by bus too? Children usually enjoy bus journeys.

It's just that there's no foot path on the road the school is on. You're right, my kids actually REALLY enjoy bus rides. With my older son, it might be ok, but I won't feel comfortable with the nanny walking with both of them on a road without a foot path. Having said that though, the road is not very busy.

What about using the bus when the weather is fine - lay down rules with the children about holding hands, make sure nanny knows your worries and your expectations around this road - and use a taxi when the weather is bad.

@ Jicky, we live on a normal street, it's the school that's on the country lane. And my younger child is just 3, so I'm not sure I'm comfortable with the nanny walking with both of them on that road. Maybe when she's a bit older.

Thanks. Good idea. I'm sure they'll be fine. I'm sure it's not so bad, maybe I'm just being overcautious. I think I should make the trip myself once and see how it really is. I've only ever been there by car.

The three year old will be fine - hold hands, wear high vis jackets (ikea do them cheaply) and if they won't hold hands then get a wrist strap or reins backpack thing (or put in buggy).

By 3 mine knew which side to walk on the road and what to do when a car came. I wouldn't have trusted them alone but they could be safely supervised. The neighbours child would could not be trusted had the wrist strap until he was a bit older.

Thanks. I drove by the school this afternoon and saw the school is not too far from the end of the road, so I'm thinking they might be fine. And it's just one bus ride to get home. Maybe just reserve the taxi for bad weathers.

I really appreciate everyone's help. I feel much calmer and much better now!