Hello I am hoping for some advice and to hear about other people's experiences. I have a 6 year old girl at school - walking distance from our home. I also have a 7 month old baby girl. I have started working freelance recently. ItIn my business most jobs are FT. This is the best way for me to earn reasonable money and see the kids. Currently my husband is able to cover most of the time that I work as he is also freelance and is not so busy at the moment (he is a musician so permanent jobs aren't an option). However we really need to organise some childcare moving forward. Neither of us really know what days we will work - but the upside is we will often not be working and will be able to spend time with the kids.
I am thinking of putting the baby in a nursery for 3 fixed days a week and then having an aupair for DD1 after school. The aupair might then have to look after the baby if both dh & I were working on a non-nursery day. Is that workable? I like for 6 year old to be looked after at home as that way she can have friends over sometime. Plus she's a real homebody!
A nanny on £300-400 net a week seems unnaffordable for us. I have spoke to the local childminders and none have places at present.
Any thoughts will be much appreciated!