Nursery v preschool combined with CM/au pair

[LeilaL]

I have a place for my daughter come September in highly rated preschool five minutes from our house.

The catch is that is is only open 9-3 termtime so I would have to find someone to take care of her for an hour in the morning before taking her there at 9am and then pick her up at 3pm and take care of her until 6.30pm-7pm. - plus do fulltime during holidays.

An au pair might work hours-wise but I worry about reliability. Also by the time you factor in the cost of extra babysitting during the times the preschool is shut for the holidays, as well as food, it doesn't seem like a very cost-effective solution. I;ve approached a few childminders but they understandably are not keen to do split shifts or work after 6pm. I don't want to accept the preschool place until I have the other care organized...

The alternative is to leave her at the nursery in Central London where she has been going for two days already. She likes it but it's a VERY long commute for her and a long day and I worry about her doing that five days a week..

Have to decide by next month when I would have to pay a large sum to the preschool to keep the place..

Any views gratefully received!

Could you advertise for a nanny share at the pre-school, or speak to the owners. There may be someone with the same problem.Do they have a newsletter or notice board.
Or there may be a childminder that already does this pick-up from pre-school, offer her double for after 5.30/6pm and she may be interested.

How old is your DD?

Thanks. She will be 2.5 when she starts preschool in autumn. I have asked the preschool to put a note up asking if anyone is interested. I have contacted most of the CM in my area who do pickups, but either they are not available or they are already doing pickups at other locations at the same start time I would need!

What is your work situation like? or your DP/DH (if there!) Is there any possibility that you could do the drop at 9AM and then go on to work? I think it's the morning that is most problematic.
An au pair for pick up til dinner might work, as a regular job requirement it's easier to specify.
I'd also look for a regular childminder to cover the holiday times.
You might find a childminder more willing to take 3-7 plus full time holidays, although it looks like you're struggling to get the pick ups covered.
Any chance your partner could pick up by 6pm if he goes in early?

You could try the AP route. I know they usually say not for under threes but if it's only one child you might find someone who could cope with that much time.

In addition to your DH doing an early pick up is there any chance you could work from home one day a week?

I'd go down the AP route. I drop our DD off at nursery at 8am each morning, and the AP collects her in the afternoon and spends 3 hours, 4 days a week with her, walking VERY slowly home (it's actually a 20 minute walk, but they have to be sure not to miss any important sights such as a leaf / stone / blade of grass, etc.) and playing at home till DH gets back.

Our AP frequently tells me how little she has to do in relation to other APs she knows (she also is supposed to spend about 9 hours/week cleaning / ironing / tidying) and how she thinks she has a really good deal, so I can't see that what you're proposing would be very different.

Good luck with it!

Thanks. No DH/DP or even grandma!

Starting new job in brand new career at bottom of the ladder, so in no position to negotiate working hours - in fact I'll be pushing it to leave at 5.30pm.

I'm interested in the AP route, but concerned about reliability as I have no backup if AP quits/is unreliable etc etc.

The morning hour could be the most problematic. Maybe try asking other local mums who will be also taking their children to preschool, whether they want to get extra cash for 1 hour and taking your child to preschool?

The morning hour could be the most problematic. Maybe try asking other local mums who will be also taking their children to preschool, whether they want to get extra cash for 1 hour and taking your child to preschool?

Sorry for posting twice!

I had the same problem last year although I only work part time so only had to worry about half the week.

I have to be at work for 7.30- 8 and my dd's nursery dosn't open untill 9 and finishes at 12. and i dont get back untill 5.30 - 6.

I have a childminder who drops dd at nursery and picks her up and has her all day in the holidays. we worked it out so I pay the average chilcare cost everyweek so i dont have to panic about finding extra in the holidays.

I think i've been very lucky With my childminder as she is brillent.

If you ring your local council they should have a list of the regestired childminders oin the area and there working hours.

I think the morning will be fine for the AP. I think you will find it hard to rely on another parent for that - it could be a reasonable amt of aggro for not that much money (for them). Then you have to account for their schedule, sick kids etc. You don't want to have committed to the nursery, find the one mum happy to do it, and then she drops it after a few weeks.