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Jobs that work around the kids

109 replies

Sunshineday1 · 30/03/2021 09:38

Which jobs do you work around your children? And a husband that is on call! So no evenings, due to on call, but that works around pick up/drop off? Also what do you do during the school holidays? Any advice would be great!!! Thank you!!

OP posts:
Mintjulia · 01/04/2021 07:50

Things are getting easier since covid. More office type jobs are now fully flexible. After 8 years of balancing holiday and after school clubs, I have a new role as Marketing manager, working from home.

I'll need to go back to the office eventually, a couple of times a week, and attend events elsewhere, but I can organise my own hours so I'm able to pick up from the school bus at 4.30.
It feels like winning an 8 year war !

VikingNorthUtsire · 01/04/2021 07:52

Big schools (secondaries, academy chains) do have some back office roles which are often term time only and offer some flexibility as they're not student-facing - finance, admissions, that sort of thing. The pay will be rubbish though! Independent schools can offer slightly better pay and some perks, e.g. free meals for staff, use of the sports facilities.

HoneysuckIejasmine · 01/04/2021 07:58

I work at a college. Lessons start later (9.30) so I can still drop kids off. I only work mornings so I finished about 1pm. (the afternoon lessons don't finish until nearer 5)

I'm a qualified teacher but I work in a support role.

moochingtothepub · 01/04/2021 08:01

I've always worked for the church, they have been great about emergency pick ups and in the school holidays I brought them with me, huge building for hide and seek! Both dc were choristers so they were familiar with the building anyway and I put them to work as well, nothing wrong with a bit of child labour! A bit niche, pay is low but very family friendly

ByGrabtharsHammerWhatASavings · 01/04/2021 08:03

My dp works for the civil service and they have been amazing at offering flexible working and he's never done more than about 50/50 of the week in the office. I work freelance as a Web developer so can pick my hours to an extent.

SkankingMopoke · 01/04/2021 08:19

I have a trade and am self-employed. The pay is good, and I set my days/hours around the DCs' school hours and term dates. I mostly book small and medium jobs so it can work around the reduced hours, although I will occasionally use afterschool club or work the odd Saturday (when DH can be with DCs) if I need a longer run at it.

bonitasi · 01/04/2021 08:22

I work 2 x 12.5 shifts in a call centre ( healthcare professional)

AnneofScreamFables · 01/04/2021 08:42

What are your skills OP? Might be easier if we can narrow it down a bit. I agree with previous posters who are saying actually higher pay to allow you to pay for childcare might be better/just as good as flexible hours if that means low pay.

JeanClaudeVanDammit · 01/04/2021 08:45

Work that pays enough for you to afford childcare.

Yes. For a mixture of pay/progression opportunities and family friendly I’d say local authority roles that have flexitime are a godsend.
So for example I’m in finance and our flexi bandwidth is between 7am and 7pm. Subject to meetings etc. I can do my hours at any time within that band.

bluejelly · 01/04/2021 08:51

Personally I have always used paid childcare as it gives me a much greater choice of roles and opportunities for progression. My dd is now a well balanced twenty something and I can hand on heart say she didn't suffer in any way going to nursery/childminders/after school club.

StubbleTurnips · 01/04/2021 08:56

WFH school hours, split the holidays by using AL or unpaid leave. Telecoms industry, which if you are back office is very flexible.
Again have done 10+ years of working all hours to get to this point of flexibility, which was more by luck than judgement.

folloyourarro · 01/04/2021 08:59

The irony is I've never restricted myself to jobs that only fit around the kids, I've paid for the childcare and split the holidays and what's happened is I've progressed and been able to dictate my career fits around my family rather than trying to find careers from the outset that fit. I work flexibly, mostly from home (pre Covid) and pay for wraparound care 4 afternoons a week. Civil service. It's very limiting to think what works for parents.

randomsabreuse · 01/04/2021 14:10

All the entry level (ish) NHS admin roles I've seen have had some weekend and evening working and from the experience of friends requesting that my (say) 1 in five rota'd Saturday really needed to avoid DH's 1 in 4 would be seen as a challenge to coincide as often as possible. GP reception also starting to require some evenings and weekends.

Getting in to Civil Service/Local Government isn't easy though!

Sunshineday1 · 01/04/2021 14:24

@NinePremium unfortunately he has no choice, it’s 24/7 7 days a week, every 3 weeks 😩 nightmare! But he completely out earns me so no other option for that. I’ve been looking at day time admin roles but then I have the school holiday issues 😔 I am experienced in a certain role ( too outing to say ) but virtually impossible to work less than 12 hours a day. School library would be absolutely perfect!! Shame they are few and far between

OP posts:
Tohaveandtohold · 01/04/2021 16:45

I’ve always worked full time and used wrap around care and holiday clubs for dd1 (now 7) and she loved every moment of it.
After maternity leave with DD2, I asked for flexi hours from work for school pick up and it was approved easily as I’d been there long enough so I only work 30 hours now.
I think it’s easier to get flexi hours when you’re already in a company working full time.
But then we’ll still use a combination of mine and Dh’s annual leave for school holidays and also holiday clubs too. We just put (save) an amount into the tax free childcare account monthly to use when we need it.

With covid, I’ve been working from home for a year now so DD2 goes to childcare and DD1 just entertains herself at home during the school holidays like this one but she’ll go to a holiday club for some days when they reopen as she always have fun there.

Sunshineday1 · 01/04/2021 19:39

@Tohaveandtohold how easy do you find it to sort holiday care? Is it the mammoth task it seems please?

OP posts:
randomsabreuse · 01/04/2021 20:05

Ok usual times if you have the £££ holiday care is relatively easy unless your DC is at school and not yet 5 in which case it's a bloody nightmare. Difficult weeks are between Christmas and New Year and possibly Easter week.

After primary is a bit tougher as general "holiday clubs" are less of a thing but cynically I'd tend to try to get DC engaged in specific interests where a holiday training camp would be an opportunity rather than childcare.

PGL always offered activity holidays, so do other more specific providers, local private schools.

The coming holiday I could book DC into a multi sport camp 25 minutes drive away covering school hours no problem. I also could sort 5 mornings at her usual tennis lesson provider which is on the way to DH's work.

I suspect that in non Covid times my usual wrap around provider would offer holiday club as well realistically leaving me with Christmas as the only impossible week.

Long term when DC is old enough I'd probably assume 1 residential week without parents, at least a week of family holiday, a week with grandparents and possibly a reciprocated week with cousins. Leaving some weeks of generic holiday club and other local interest activities.

Will cost £££ but worth it for my career.

Potential limitations are wrap around (similar to school day limitations) but many providers offer wrap around.

The only thing that looked impossible was DC1s reception year as being an August born she was 4 (therefore limited to 3 hour sessions by most providers) for most of the year but not at a nursery so at the back of the queue for a place.

Sunshineday1 · 01/04/2021 20:07

@randomsabreuse thank you! That’s really helpful.

OP posts:
NinePremium · 01/04/2021 20:41

This reply has been deleted

Withdrawn at the user's request

ByGrabtharsHammerWhatASavings · 01/04/2021 21:22

Do you have a minimum salary that you need to earn OP? My SIL worked as a TA at her kids school while they were little and although it wasn't exactly well paying it was better than nothing and fit with the hours she wanted to work.

What are your career goals? Do just you want a job that brings in a bit extra or something where you can progress more in the future?

audweb · 01/04/2021 21:26

I don’t. I work full time and pay for wrap around care/school holiday clubs and mixture of annual leave. I used a childminder previously in the holidays as well. It’s doable, it just depends on what you are looking for.

randomsabreuse · 01/04/2021 21:27

@NinePremium

Totally depends on industry. In DH's industry most jobs come with weekend on call and unpredictability of finish time, including part time jobs.

RosesAndHellebores · 01/04/2021 21:37

I worked locally but full-time. The difference between part-time and full-time paid for the au-pair. Holidays involved a lot of football club, tennis club, cricket club and musical theatre. A bit of help from grandparents in the holidays.

The more you work, the more you earn, the better your pension.

NinePremium · 01/04/2021 21:40

This reply has been deleted

Withdrawn at the user's request

Tohaveandtohold · 01/04/2021 22:32

Sorting out holiday care was easy because we have a leisure center that always had one running except during the Christmas breaks so annual leave covers that.
Also, Sainsbury’s always has a very cheap active kids tennis club during the 6 week holiday (£7.50 a day with lunch included) They run it nationwide and you’ll definitely get one around you. I’ve only used them once and it’s very popular so I’ve set my reminder for when the booking starts so I can book some days if we need it.

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