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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

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Original poster

Afterschool childcare for 11+

8 replies

LittleMoosh · 30/04/2013 19:33

What do people do with their 11+ children after school when they work full time? I am looking to go back to work full time soon but can't seem to see any out of school clubs that cater for 11+. What does everyone else do?

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NickNacks · 30/04/2013 20:04

I think they'd be older enough to stay home for a couple of hours... No?

Original poster

LittleMoosh · 30/04/2013 20:08

That's what I originally thought but now it's coming to the crunch I feel a bit wary about it. He's due to start secondary school this September and would mean he has to get the bus home (to the nearest bus stop anyway) and then would walk the rest of the way, about 25 mins walk and then let himself in. He's quite young in his ways and I'm not 100% sure with letting him do this. Just wondered what others do/think. THanks

OP posts:

AgentProvocateur · 30/04/2013 20:26

From that age, I gave them a key to let themselves in after school till DH or I got back at about 6. I don't think you'll find childcare for a child if that age, and I'd be surprised if an 11-year-old would be happy to go to childcare.

If you don't think he's sensible enough to come home alone, you could find an older teen for the first couple of months till he gets used to it

motherinferior · 30/04/2013 20:27

Agree about older teenagers. A sixth former is a fabulous thing in these circumstances.

AngiBolen · 30/04/2013 20:59

When DS started high school he had a longish bus journey and a short walk, so arrived home by 4.30p. As I works slightly less than full time I always tried to be home when he got in.

If he had gone to the school down the road and I worked full time he would have been alone for 2.5 hours, and I would have found a local childminder who would have given him a snack and let him watch TV/surf the net. At least for Y7.

If I had more than one DC of this age I would have looked at getting an after school nanny.

I know many DC this age cope by themselves, but DS1 would have needed somebody there. Now he is in Y9 I have no worries.

Hulababy · 30/04/2013 21:04

DD goes to secondary next year. Her next school is open until latish on, think it said 5:30-6pm. They go in the library to do homework, etc.

However, this term DD has been walking from school a lot more, and has used the bus. She can also walk to my work/school, or catch a bus to DH's work in town. So she has options already. We got her a phone in order to enable all this and so she can call us when she arrives esp if coming to our work places.

DD wouldn't want to be home alone for a lengthy period of time tbh. I'd be happy for a while come September, but I think a couple of hours is a long time at 11y and DD would get bored, and feel pretty lonely.

nokidshere · 01/05/2013 09:35

I have lots of secondary school children in yrs7-9 come to me after school.

They hang out, do some homework and eat with us. I don't really entertain them at all but they prefer to be somewhere other than home alone. One or two of them have started off at home but then come back to me after a term or so. being home alone isn't all its cracked up to be for some young teens lol

Bramshott · 01/05/2013 09:44

My DD is only 10, but already not particularly happy to go to the childminder after school. Luckily there are a number of Y11 and college students in our village who will gladly come round after school for a couple of hours, heat up some dinner and supervise. I don't need them every day though - I guess if I did their parents might worry about homework etc.

I've also considered asking my cleaner (in fact it's incidental that's she's my cleaner) if she'd be happy to come over after school and bring her two DDs and mind DD.

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