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Original poster

Your childcare solutions if schools close again?

89 replies

forinborin · 19/12/2021 21:26

Need thoughts please.

I am really panicking now about whether to hire a nanny from January in the light of a possible lockdown and schools closing. Starting a new project in a senior role from the beginning of Jan, will need to be switched on all the time - absolutely no chance it can be done with small children to be homeschooled and entertained in parallel if the school closes. With Christmas and new year, there's barely any time to find anyone. I lost my job before due to childcare responsibilities when schools closed in 2020, so a thought of something similar happening again just causes a panic attack.

If I hire someone though, it will be net negative to me (in terms of the cash flow), so probably will have to let go immediately once schools reopen (which also doesn't sound very fair).

What would you do?

OP posts:
Original poster
forinborin · 19/12/2021 22:32

@BitterTits

You definitely need the deadbeat father to step up and at least pay his share of childcare. East to say, I know.
He won't, and there's no way to make him under the UK law. I've been all the way to the court and back, childcare cost is fully on the parent with residence, considered to be a capricious lifestyle choice.
OP posts:
SmaugMum · 19/12/2021 22:41

@HandlebarLadyTash

Classed as key worker but school requested parents not to send kids in unless absolutely necessary. I used to get stressed when I saw kids walking past the house to school & I knew they had non working parents at home.
In the wake of the court case following Arthur’s death during Lockdown 1, please can people have more awareness about why some children NEED to be in school, regardless of the employment status of their parent/. I think there is an oft-quoted phrase on here that school is for education and not for childcare.

I get that it’s totally shit, I’m challenged more than most/many as I’m a totally lone parent to a teen who is registered blind and is ASD/ADHD/PDA and then I have a five-year-old who literally never stops.

BungleandGeorge · 19/12/2021 22:42

@TappThatJazz

With the amount of people who sent their kids into school the past few lockdowns (including 'essential workers' who could wfh who should have kept their kids at home but were too lazy to as their work was far roo important) I reckon you'll be OK. You either get to send them to school or you don't, and they don't do any structured learning for a few weeks. They're KS1. It won't be the end of the world. You'll do what you can, when you can.
How many lockdowns have you had? Our school capped numbers so had few in- criteria was strictly all parents keyworkers working outside the home on that day
DirtyDancing · 19/12/2021 22:48

Do you need a Nanny. Can you be more honest and upfront and go on somewhere like sitters.com to get more of a sitter / childminder on a temp basis.

Drywhitefruitycidergin · 19/12/2021 22:52

Plans are as follows:

  1. ask school for place for dd2 (SEN - no EHCP) they did say yes last time but were also sending begging emails saying please only use if you really have to and I didn't so felt guilty. Dd1 quite independent anyway so with some live learning will be bored but fine.
  2. leave with dad as he has them for new year anyway.
  3. ask my parents to help. They did 1st week Jan last year and it was a godsend.
  4. work ridiculous hours, cry, be grumpy and not a particularly good employee or parent.
  5. Bury head in sand and try to forget how hideous it was last year and drink vast quantities for the whole Christmas holidays.
BitterTits · 19/12/2021 22:52

Wow. CMS is utterly unfit for purpose, they're all over the lifestyle choices. Funny how this works in favour of feckless men.

BluebellsGreenbells · 19/12/2021 22:54

You may find a student at local college studying early years that’s willing to do paid employment as it’s long hours why not advertise a job share?

Tigersteakpie · 19/12/2021 22:59

I'm a supply teacher and I am going to be sending my kids into school if there is another lockdown. My DH is a key worker and technically so am I. We didn't use key worker club before as obviously I wasn't working. There were some very very tenuous key worker links in their schools and this time around I would absolutely get my kids in there.

In return I will be offering to help their classmates who have to stay at home but who have working parents. So there will 100% be people willing to help. I know first hand how hard it was and will do all I can to help minimise the impact this has on kids and their families - though let's be honest, it's the mums.

Tigersteakpie · 19/12/2021 23:00

That said I don't think schools will close long term, just short term when there are no staff. So hoping to be helpful as a supply teacher here too and keep those schools open! I usually work 3 days a week but I'll go full time if it stops a school shutting.

Lucked · 19/12/2021 23:07

During the first lockdown our children were in a hub but did no school work so we did the work with them on weekends - it was tough working all week and homeschooling at weekends but we kept up with the work. I would just let the school know that you will have limited time and will only do what you can.

Ipdipdo · 19/12/2021 23:08

I’d try childminders again but maybe a little further afield.
I anticipate taking on more mindees temporarily if schools close.

Babyfg · 19/12/2021 23:49

As a last resort Is there any working mums at your school that would be in a similar situation? You could cover each other? Even if it doesn't cover the full hours it covers more than nothing?

If they close the schools they'd close the colleges and unis as well. My (obviously personal ) solution is to pay the sixth former that lives next door to watch them a couple of hours when needed while I'm in the house but my hours are somewhat flexible that could fit around her on line learning. We've known her since she was a kid and the the kids love her. Is there anyone like that (young adult that although you're in the house they'd entertain the kids) you could get round?

I know if they close the schools it's for a reason but it has so many knock on affects. I really hope you're able to find a solution.

Babyfg · 19/12/2021 23:50

Just to note my ideas are very much last resort!

Kokeshi123 · 20/12/2021 02:26

Perhaps look for someone who is personally recommended to you as safe and trustworthy (say, a mum whose children are now older) and who normally works in hospitality or travel etc. There will be some people out of work.

GiveMeNovocain · 20/12/2021 02:44

I'd forget the school work and go into survival mode in your position

DarlingCoffee · 20/12/2021 07:10

I’m in a similar boat OP and I agree with @GiveMeNovocain you need to prioritise your new job, and any online schooling just has to wait and I will make the school aware of this. Must admit I am also hopeful that schools will not close, and if they do it will be only for a short period. We are not keyworkers either.

HaaaaaveyoumetTed · 20/12/2021 07:29

@TappThatJazz

With the amount of people who sent their kids into school the past few lockdowns (including 'essential workers' who could wfh who should have kept their kids at home but were too lazy to as their work was far roo important) I reckon you'll be OK. You either get to send them to school or you don't, and they don't do any structured learning for a few weeks. They're KS1. It won't be the end of the world. You'll do what you can, when you can.
My GP was doing appointments from home. I wouldn't have been happy if their kid had been wandering in and out of appointments. Or if when my grandad was being given a cancer diagnosis on zoom if his Drs kid had been yelling "mum I'm hungry". Just because people can WFH doesn't mean it's appropriate for them to have kids at home with them.
Original poster
forinborin · 20/12/2021 07:36

My GP was doing appointments from home. I wouldn't have been happy if their kid had been wandering in and out of appointments. Or if when my grandad was being given a cancer diagnosis on zoom if his Drs kid had been yelling "mum I'm hungry". Just because people can WFH doesn't mean it's appropriate for them to have kids at home with them.
My job is thankfully not at that level of confidentiality and sensitivity. It is that it requires concentration (say writing highly specialised / technical code in close collaboration with other colleagues, and supervising / reviewing a junior team). "Mum I'm hungry" just means that I snap out of what I was thinking on at that moment, and it will take 15 minutes to get back into the zone again (at which point a fight breaks out between my two, or someone hurt themselves, or the connection plays up and the cartoon is frozen and it is an emergency etc).

OP posts:
MargosKaftan · 20/12/2021 07:42

Definitely talk to the school if lockdown does happen again, if they don't have a high % of key workers, they might have some flexibility for exceptional circumstances. Then do not discuss with other parents that your dc is going in. (Stops loads of others asking and the school having to be harder on non-key workers)

ZippyZap · 20/12/2021 07:46

Any other school Mums you know that would want to set up a childcare bubble? Maybe a shared Nanny between 2 of you? You might be able to find a trainee teacher or someone that might like the experience.

Remmy123 · 20/12/2021 08:07

Let's hope it's a lock down but schools remain open this time for the sake of us working mums and the kids!!

LadyCleathStuart · 20/12/2021 08:23

including 'essential workers' who could wfh who should have kept their kids at home but were too lazy to as their work was far too important

Oh god yeah of course anyone not wanting to wfh while also looking after their kids are just soooo fucking lazy....

I mean why do we even need schools or nurseries at all? Just lay all the teachers and nursery staff off and we will all stop being lazy and keep our kids at home while we work forever. Happy?

Jesus what planet do some people live on.

Kokeshi123 · 20/12/2021 08:27

but were too lazy to as their work was far too important

So--these people are lazy because they wanted to do their jobs !? Not sure that makes a lot of sense.

BluebellsGreenbells · 20/12/2021 08:35

Schools are the main spreader. Hundreds of unvaccinated kids in one building? Softer to be in vaccinated groups down the pub.

NellieBertram · 20/12/2021 19:20

You can hire a temp nanny on a 3 month contract.

As long as you're not conning another woman into a job with the promise that it is permanent, then you're doing nothing wrong.

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