Strange childcare request - how likely

[mixedmama]

Both my DC will be going to nursery in September, but the morning session finishes at 1.30 and I finish work at 1.30 (I will normally finish early but no guarentee). I basically need someone to pick my kids up from nursery and just pop to the coffee shop until i get there which will be about 2 pm.

Firstly, how likely is it that I will be able to find someone to do this and if (miraculously) I do find someone how much do you pay them to basically sit with them for 30 mins.

Have you asked if they can stay at nursery for the extra half an hour, if you pay them?

do you think you might be able to find another mum doing the pickup who you could pay to babysit? Or maybe there is a childminder doing the nursery run and you could arrange with her professionally - which would be best.

Yeah the nursery wont budge as their am session and pm session end and begin at the same time so there is no leway.

I do have a mum friend who may be willing to do it for me and we would more than likely meet in the afternoons anyway but she has a two year old herself and even tho she would only be popping to the cafe next door still worry incase anything went wrong and we fell out IYSWIM.

will def look into childminders tho.

was thinking of asking at work if i could not have my break which is 20 mins as i work 5.5 hours a day and guarenteed leave 20 mins early, the afternoon lady would be in by then anyway as she starts at 12.30, but my break is paid break anyway so not sure how that would work.

I think you will struggle to find a CM to do this. It may be worth asking the nursery if there is a CM already picking up.

Or just ask them to have them for a bit longer.

re breaks - my work have just ditched a paid break for anyone who works 6 hours or less and apparently the law allows them to do this so why don't you explore that and it will be a rare example of a workers disadvantage actually being to your advantage

Sounds like a good idea.

Maybe one of the nursery ladies goes to the coffee shop anyway and would take her. You could always offer to pay for her sarnie for her.

maybe a nanny in area whose current family wouldnt mind them doing this for you for half an hr a day.

its a huge commitment for someone though daily for 30mins.

why have you chosen a nursery that cant really meet your needs??

with two children would a part time nanny not be more cost effective and easier for you than a nursery?

I think you need to negogiate with work, and not the nursery. The nursery will have a numbers issue - I had this when I worked. Start earlier?

I havent made a cast iron decision on the nursery... the important thing is being happy with the people who will look after them, I would rather go with them if I like them best and figure something out with picking them up rather than put them somewhere else cos it meets my needs but not be entirely happy with it IYKWIM.

The reason I havent gone for a nanny is because I want them (esp my 2 yr old) to be with other children and feel they would benefit from the nursery situation. I know a good nanny would take them to toddler group and stuff, but Ijust feel a bit weird about it like they are doing what I would be doing with them and makes me feel awkward -silly I know.

I will be starting at 8am so dont think i can start any later really but will def speak to them about the break situation as even tho I will really need toleave by 1pm, that 20mins will still help.

I have a similar problem, the Nursery session finishes at 1 and I was supposed to work 9-1, half hour from the nursery. I arranged with my boss to work 9-12.30 4 days a week, staying later on the 5th day to make up the missing time and paying for the children to attend nursery all day instead of just the morning. Would work be flexible enough to do that?

think pillockofthecommunity (feltrude typing that!!) has a great idea there.

i know my friend couldnt afford a nanny and didnt like the thought of a childminder for that reason so chose a nursery.

mixedmama, can you negotiate with your work to start earlier and end earlier?

The thing is I am working as a receptionist at the moment so reception opens at 8am. The other lady comes in at 12.30 and we are supposed to handover for an hour. It doesnt take that long and I will normally be able to leave earlier. The last AM lady left by 12.50 everyday, but obviously I cant guarentee that. Work are happy to let the receptionists work it out themselves, so I might speak to the other receptionist (when we get one as I used to be PM and am replacing the AM who didnt work out) and see whether she will be ahppy for me to leave for those 3 days at 12.50 ish and then Mon and Fri she could come in later... as the children will be with my parents and ILs.

Sounds like a good plan

I would love to work as a receptionist!
How can it poss be worth paying out for the childcare?
You cant be left with a lot surely?
Sorry hope u dnt think im being too nosey.

My understanding is if you look after children for less than 2 hours per day then you do not need to be a CM so you could pay other Mums to have them for the half hour (and pay a good rate to make it worth their while - you will have to pay them a retainer and a little extra for the times they do have to look after them?)

Well my DH is self employed so his salary fluctuates, so we get reasonable tax credits that when I checked will cover the cost. Basically means that all of the tax credits will be spent on childcare tho and will be left with my salary.

I am just depserate to move and get some money together so have gone back to work, but honestly cannot do FT or feel that I can give 100 percent to a PA role (which is what I normally do). I am not good as a SAHM either, plus I work in Central London so salaries are generally fairly reasonable.