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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

School drop off and pick up

40 replies

Anu75 · 01/12/2022 05:56

Last week I have been honest with my manager as I have to pick up and drop off the children at school, so requested we don't have a meeting beteeen 3 to 3.30pm. This week she has sent two invites one for a meeting between 3 to 3.30pm and a second reoccuring meeting once a month between 3 30 to 4pm. I declined both and said it is right in the middle of the school run. She now wants to chat about this today. What do I say? I know for sure other people in the team nip out to do the school run without saying its their lunch they just go out. To me going out for the run helps me as most of the day I'm alone or on Teams and unlike her not in many meetings seeing people.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

MelchiorsMistress · 01/12/2022 06:01

You’ve chose to work from home so you don’t really get to complain that you need time out to do school runs because you’ve been on your own all day.

Is the company genuinely happy with you working from home?

RoachPussy · 01/12/2022 06:08

What are your contracted hours? If you weren’t WFH would you just nip out? Was your need to do the school made clear when you got the job? Who’s watching the dc once they’re picked up and you’re back working?

Ibouncetothebeat · 01/12/2022 06:08

30 mins in the morning and 30 minutes is the evening. That’s 1 hour a day that you are not working and not saying it’s your lunch time. That’s 5 hours a week! Yes, your manager has a right to say something if you are unavailable for 5 hours a week.

AhNowTed · 01/12/2022 06:11

So you really mean between 3 and 3.45?

Don't couch this as going out is good for your health. That's disingenuous.

Are you also taking lunch?

Say you'll take this as your lunch and see how that goes down.

ChangingStates · 01/12/2022 06:15

If it falls in your working hours then they are within rights to ask to meet. It does sound like she is trying to make a point. Whilst you can request to do the school run, and it’s not unreasonable to ask, she can refuse. Not sure why you declined the 3.30 - 4 one since you told her you only couldn’t do 3-3.30 and this fell after.
you could request your lunch break to be from 2,45-3.45 to allow for pick up, then it falls into your break instead of it being additional time out of your work day.
Otherwise Arrange after school club or for someone else to drop your kids home on the days you have meetings

ChangingStates · 01/12/2022 06:16

Not sure what happened there - 2.45-3.45 for your lunch break

camelfinger · 01/12/2022 06:18

I think it’s a bit much to do the school run every day on work time. And then when you have the DC, there’s probably an assumption that they are asking you for snacks, talking about their day as soon as they get home, rather than leaving you to work. But if it’s an accepted policy among others at work then it does seem unfair to single you out. Perhaps you need a formal flexible working request?

DillyDillyLavender · 01/12/2022 06:20

As a manager, I would not be happy with this you should have childcare in place if you work from home.

Ohdearnotagain76 · 01/12/2022 06:23

How old are the children?
who looks after them when their home?
i personal would turn a blind eye to 10 mins but no more

LovelyDaaling · 01/12/2022 06:24

You've said you are available from 3.30 but then decline a 3.30 meeting. That's already a flag to your manager that the school run is longer than you said.
It's the thin end of the wedge for companies, it's tough for everyone these days but it is for businesses too. I think you need to arrange someone else to drop them home.

Idontgiveagriffindamn · 01/12/2022 06:28

There’s a few issues:

going out and doing the school run. Are you making this time up? Is it your lunch break.
How old are the children? Who is looking after them when their at home and you’re still working?
You said not to book meetings in between 3-3:30 and then declined a meeting at 3:30-4. So how long are you out on the school run and how much impact is it having at work? No meetings between 3 -and 4 would be a big impact in some companies.

Tirrrrred · 01/12/2022 07:01

Most people can't take an hour off every day. Unless it's your lunch? Even then if your boss wants you to attend a meeting you have to eat around it?

Did you discuss not being available 3-4 at the interview?

Twilightstarbright · 01/12/2022 07:03

I read your other thread too. Your manager doesn’t sound pleasant but you’re giving them a lot of ammunition for disciplining you by doing this. It sounds like you’re gone for more than an hour each day?

Echoing about what you do with the kids when you get home, again if they are primary age then your manager can insist you have proper childcare in place.

RoachPussy · 01/12/2022 07:36

I think you need to take a colleague or union rep with you to any meetings because you don’t seem to get your point across very well on your two posts so I think you could do with someone helping you if you are the same with your boss.

DrMarciaFieldstone · 01/12/2022 07:40

I don’t think you can honestly expect to do the school run twice a day from home and just expect people to work around it. Are you making up the time?

You can’t frame it as ‘good for me mentally’ to your boss really, that’s not her concern.

Elmo230885 · 01/12/2022 07:45

It sounds like your manager is trying to make a point but, having also read your other post re: absences I think you are giving her lots of ammunition to take things further.

LIZS · 01/12/2022 07:52

It may be inconvenient to you but they are not obliged to allow you to do a school-run or have children around while you work. Is it a hangover from Covid wfh? If you went into an office you would need to make alternative arrangements.

Slimjimtobe · 01/12/2022 07:56

I think you need a childcare arrangement or after school club as I don’t know how you can truly focus if you are collecting kids and sorting them out (being honest )

AhNowTed · 01/12/2022 07:57

I agree with other posters.

Having read your other thread it does sound like your pushing things way too far, and if I was your manager I'd be questioning your behaviour as well.

ZenNudist · 01/12/2022 08:02

Put them in breakfast and after school club. I do. They disturb my work once we get home they want a snack then need policing and then are hungry at 5.

Lifeisapeach · 01/12/2022 08:04

On occasion this sounds all fine. But continually leaving your desk to collect kids during contracted working is abusing companies time. How did you manage pre covid ? I manage a large team and so many people are using wfh as a form of child care which isn’t acceptable. I’m sure people managed pre covid and had arranged childcare in place. Perhaps your situation is different but as a manager it’s something that would bother me.

loudbatperson · 01/12/2022 08:05

Are these primary schools children?

If so you need childcare in place for your working hours. You can't look after children while working, under secondary school age anyway.

It is actually a clause in most work from contracts, that you will not be carrying for children whilst working.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 01/12/2022 08:06

I have my lunchbreak booked for 3-3.30pm so I can do the school run. The morning one doesn't affect work as I am back at 8.15am. My children are y3 and Y6, so perfectly fine to chill at home from 3.30 to 4.30 when dh gets in. I then work til 5.

Maybe chat with her today about core hours and when she needs you to fit your break into.

How old are the dc?

Nottodaty · 01/12/2022 08:09

I now have older children and I remember this balancing act - we found it better to just have the ASC on the days meant I didn’t limit my availability.

It’s difficult as work you can’t arrange a meeting between 9-10 and 2-4 people do the school run, others like their lunch break. That only leaves 10-11:30 and 1 - 2:30 - 3 hours a day to enable everyone else’s flexibility is becoming a nightmare! I worry we will loose it :(

Overthebow · 01/12/2022 08:12

Did you request and get approved flexible working to do the school run? Or do you just do it everyday without having told anyone? If it’s the latter then I’m not surprised you are being picked up on it.

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