How would you structure this work/childcare situation?

[CaptainUSA]

I'm due back to work in autumn after maternity leave number 2. I normally work 4 days per week, so DD is booked into nursery two days and will be looked after by grandparent 2 days. All good.

The problem is wraparound care for DS who will be starting school in September. DH can do school drop off every morning, and grandparent can pick up two days per week. But the other two days we have no after school care as the after school club is full and there are no childminders with space.

We are going to have to adjust our working hours to accommodate school pick up, but I can't decide what is the best option...

1. I adjust my hours to work two full days and three short days so that I can get back for the school run. The problem is that DD would need to go to nursery an extra day so it would be more expensive and we would lose our day together :-( Also would mean more time commuting. On the plus side, there would be plenty of time to spend together after school/do reading/make dinner etc.

2. I keep my day a week off, but both me and DH have one day a week where we finish early to do the school run and work longer when grandparent is doing childcare to compensate. On the plus side me and DD get to keep our day together. The downside is me and DH will be putting more pressure on ourselves to squeeze everything in. Also grandparent may start to feel burned out doing longer days.

Is the after school / cm situation temporary or are they all booked for the foreseeable future?

I think I would both cut your hours slightly for one early finish, not make the hours up another day, it's too stressful. And 3 hours less in a week is not that much £££.

Option 1 is the worst of all worlds, I would preserve the day off at all costs. DD is so tired after school, and it's barely any time before having to start cooking tea etc. My day off is way better because I have some breathing space to get myself organised!

I'd go with option 2 to keep your day off. Is there any way you could start earlier a couple of days rather than stay later. Then your DH could stay later on your day rather than gp days.

I agree that you mustn’t lose your day off. I’m not sure what the best solution is but it’s definitely not that.

Can your DH collect from GPs at the normal time while you work late one night?

Thanks, I'm leaning towards option 2 now. I don't think we'll get a place at the after school club until Sept 2019. In the meantime we have to hope a childminder space will come up, but there are not many childminders around.

I can work a longer day on the days the grandparent is here, but they will also have a longer day. It's the opposite of what I was originally hoping to do! Unfortunately I can't start early on the days DD is at nursery as I need to do drop off and pick up as we only have one car. We could move her to a nursery in walking distance so DH could drop off but it seems a bit drastic.

I'd do option 1.

Definitely option 2 with name down on all the waiting lists. And maybe see if a friend can help you out some weeks? I used to do a swap with a friend... her dc came to me one afternoon a week after school and mine went to hers one afternoon a week.

Would the grandparents be able to help with pick up maybe from school once a week and then you and hubby could do a condensed day every other week? Or could you start work any earlier?