Single parent who need childcare before 8 in the morning - what do you do?

[twinsetandpearls]

Dp and I decided at our counselling session today that once we have sold our house we are probably going to go our separate ways.

That leaves me in Dorset with no family and a childcare problem. I currently live about half an hour from my school so leave for work at the latest 7:45am. That is too early for breakfast club.

I could do the following:

1. MOve closer to my school but I think that would be hard on dd as she has just moved school ( we moved here in August , we also have some friends we have made locally who cant help in terms of childcare but can be there to support.

2. Hire a childminder to take dd to school and pick her up. I just know that when I needed a childminder before it was very difficult to get one who would work before 8am although that was in lancashire.

I don't think I coud afford £400 a month tbh.

sorry to hear your news twinset

i know hugging is frowned upon on mn but tough you are getting one ((HUGS))

As others have said, ring your local council as well as the school to see if they can reconmend some cm's

is there a class list, where you can ring some mums and ask their opinion (they see the cms every day and might be able to steer you to a good one)

I really wouldnt go the ap route as young girls seem to leave regually,and then you are stuck again

if the very worst happens and you cant find an early morning cm - could you drop off at a friends house (i wouldnt ever mind taking another child to school - though I am a nanny)

it would be less than 2hrs so you dont have to worry about the 2hr rule and if need pay pay that mum each week with flowers/cash/chocolates

and then just find a cm to pick her from school?

She can go to afterschool club which closes at 6, I will just have to make clear to my school I have to leave my half five.

so its really only an hour every morning you need childcare then?

can you cover all holidays, or will you have to work/mark/plan lessons etc some of the time?

I will need to work in holidays but that can be arranged around dd, she often goes out for the day with her best friend. As a teacher I am luckier than most in that school holidays are usually not a problem.

It is about 90 minutes in the morning.

if you cant find a cm to start 7.30ish then

as its less than the 2 hr rule, i would try and find a school mum who doesnt mind doing it - or even 2 or 3 - so one does mon/tue one wed/thur and one friday

obv the mums are going to school each day - and if you wanted to pay them you could or pay in kind

as i said before, i would never mind taking another child to school as long as they got dropped off to me - and i wouldnt expect payment anyway - though a bottle of white occassionally would be very appreicated!!

It is an idea as a last resort, it wouldnt bother me tbh.

twinset
even in term time,that is a heck of a lot even by my standards

I know and it is a huge factor in us splitting up, I have tried to change but while dp is there tp pick up the slack i wont. Now I have to and it will do dd and I the world of good.

So sorry it has come to this twinset - I did wonder whether it has been a factor. Being a teacher and having kids doesn't have to mean being a worse teacher - just a different and more efficient teacher. I found it difficult to cut my working day after having ds1 but by god I had to once I had ds2 or I would have lost my mind. You really can't spend 70+ hours a week on work. It isn't fair on everyone.

Sorry if I am speaking out of turn.

Twins i know at last 5 CMs in Town that start at 7 one opposite your DD's school, who I would recommend.

nbee84 - Just had a look at the Ofsted site and it seems to have changed since our au pair registered, which was in Sept 2007. There was certainly no need for any core skills requirements....it's very odd. I'm going to give Ofsted a ring tomorrow to try and get to the bottom of it all....

I have a cm who takes from 7.30 and will take from 7 if you pay double-time for that half hour. So even if the ones you find generally work from 8, they may be willing to take your child earlier if you pay a bit extra.

shoshe
an you email me
popsycal22005
at yahoo
.co
dot uk

should be popsycal2005

Shoshe nothing is happening immediately as our house sale is going through but I will email you nearer the time. Thanks

Popsy you are not speaking out of turn and you are not telling me anything that I do not already know. I have tried to change from taking part in a tv show that made me out to be a whiner who hated her job to teaching in an "easier" school and taking a demotion. This weekend I have not done any work and I did very little on Friday. I am under a lot of pressure as I have 5 year 11 GCSE sets and an As group as well as 5 year 10 GCSE sets. When year 11 leave my time table should be easier and my school have promised me that they will not give me a timetable like it again.

But it is not the only reason, dp has some anger issues although he is working on them. The sad thing is that we are trundling along quite happy, most people who know us will be very shocked. But I want more.

xxx