Afterschool childcare - what do you do about it and do you/your children like it?

[choosyfloosy]

Just wondered

and how expensive it is would be nice too

we are thinking of giving our nanny notice and moving to 3 - 5 childcare only

whole new world?

My ds goes to after school club at his school once a week. He loves it and would happily go more often. It costs £5.50 a session (1530-1730). They do all sorts of activities, the older children have a quiet area where they can do their homework. It seems very good to me.

DD gpes to after school club at her school once or twice a week. She loves it; she plays with her friends, has a snack and generally not do very much It is currently included int he price of school fees, but as of September it will be £3 a night, until 5:30pm.

What will you do in the holidays? When the child is ill? School inset days? Etc

I'm a student, so holidays are no worries for me at the moment

Also my husband works at home, but would like to actually work full days, at least two days a week

I've been anti after school club, but haven't really investigated it... looks like i should...

Ours go to after-school club (ds has a variety of school clubs eg. cricket, board games, trampoling, dd only has a straightforward after-school club option). They both love it.
From September we are going to try an au pair though, mainly because I commute 1.5 hours each way and I'm finding the stress of relying on an increasing unreliable train service is just too much.

Most childminders take school age children during holidays.

We do a mix of parent/grandparent pickups at present with one night of aferschool club a week.
Ours is on the high side, £8 per child for 3.30pm to up to 6pm, but fab. On-site with staff already working in the school, outdoor and indoor play, quiet area for reading/homework, healthy treats, occasional activities like cooking or rounders - extremely popular
I have to be honest - the people we know who have kept on with post-school childcare, eg nannies, have had real problems keeping someone in that role. One smashing family who had the same f/t nanny for six years have been through FIVE after-school personnel in two years.

I think it might be a shock for you/your children if you have been used to the nanny option. I have just given up work but we always used a nanny for after-school because I liked the boys being able to come home to their own toys, get changed into play clothes and hang out in their own home/garden. We also do after-school music, beavers etc which are not connected to school and which would be impossible to maintain with a childminder/after-school club. And sometimes it was just jolly handy to get the nanny to take them for haircuts, to get new shoes etc.

In your case, however, if your husband is at home and can guarantee to get to school for pick-ups or to do the occasional appointment, then it is probably more workable.