Need to leave at 7, childcare not open until 7:30...

[ElphabaTheGreen]

Hi all.

DH will be working away three days a week, every week from next year. My working hours are 8-4, and I have to leave home at 7am to get to work on time, so DH drops our DCs off at nursery and breakfast club, both of which open at 7:30.

The only way I can change my working hours to accommodate this is to use annual leave, which doesn't really appeal. I can't work later to make up for lost hours in the morning.

We don't have family, friends or neighbours who can take over the drop off to enable me to still leave at 7am.

WIBU to ask the girls in DS2's nursery to see if we could pay one/some of them to cover the 7am-7:30 gap and take them in for me, or is this cheeky? The nursery is close to our home and most of the nursery girls live very locally. Or are there alternative childcare services available that would cover this (pitifully short and awkward but crucial) period of time? We're in the Greater Manchester area if this helps you point me in the right direction.

Thanks in advance!

I missed the point in your op that this is a new permanent situation - could you consider getting an aupair? You could then save on breakfast and after school club, and a load of driving from a to b to c twice a day meaning more time at home with the DC

Oops - cross post! It's a good idea though if it would work for you....

I really appreciate the suggestion of an au pair, but this isn't a permanent/long term thing. Plus, 'Greater Manchester' doesn't mean 'Manchester'. I seriously doubt we'd get an au pair where we are - they strike me as more a city thing...? I could be wrong.

Also, the idea of someone else living with us gives me the heebie jeebies, and it would be he same for DH. But I fully acknowledge that that's our own personal and slightly irrational fixation. We're chaos enough with two DCs, two dogs and three adults! (Me, DH, disabled mum in case anyone missed who the third adult was and why they aren't helping).

I also live in greater manchester and there's a facebook page, childminder finder in my area.

That's exactly the kind of handy line of enquiry I'm after - thanks!

An au pair will go to any area, like anyone you will find those who want the city and those who don't. You can get short term au pairs also, for example some countries the uni start in January or April, so they would just want to work from now until then.

You could look for a nanny with their own child. They are usually people who have previously worked full time as nanny, but maybe have own small child and want just some part time work that allows them to bring own child. Usually a few £ per hr cheaper than regular nanny. In your area I would guess £9 gross per hour. If you had them 7-9am and 3-6pm. £55 per day, but would then save all before and afterschool costs, and could you reduce nursery costs? Plus petrol saving for you

I'm just waiting for someone to suggest your disabled mum takes them

Good luck, OP!

I do a half hour lunch instead of an hr and start a half hour later. Is that an option?

I do a half hour lunch instead of an hr and start a half hour later. Is that an option?

Oops sorry missed the post where you said you only have a half hr anyway

This is going to turn into a "just cancel the cheque" thread!

Meluzyna Tue 25-Oct-16 11:01:58

Sorry, haven't read the whole thread so don't know if anyone has already suggested this: I had a colleague who had a similar problem - she had a 90 minute drive to work and it didn't fit with the hours of the nursery near her home - so she found a nursery near to work and brought the little one in the car with her - not ideal, but at least it took the time pressure off her and saved her three hours of childcare fees per day!

This is what I did - work 30-40 minute journey away. Kids came in the car and went to a nursery opposite where I work and I got to see them earlier after work. We spent the time in the car learning alphabet/days of the week/months etc and telling stories. It was enjoyable spending that time with them even if it was in the car. They never minded and learnt a lot! - now both teenagers and I can't say it did them any harm.

I think you could ask yes, you may be lucky if they need extra cash. I know some nursery staff that do occasional babysitting and don't see how it's that different.
Otherwise you'd have to change your hours, perhaps they might let you compromise with 8.30-4.30.

she had a 90 minute drive to work and it didn't fit with the hours of the nursery near her home

The OP has school going children.

You could also look at childminders- although you only need half an hour presumably it would be ok for your child to go to nursery later eg. after the school run.

If you have children going to breakfast club and nursery, which are 15 minutes apart, how would someone working in the nursery get the school-age DC to breakfast club at 7.30 and still get to work on time?

Do you get unpaid breaks? It might be worth looking into if it is allowed to reduce your lunch time from an hour to half an hour for example to allow for a later start.

You know, there are options to highlight just the OP's posts so you can see she already only takes a half hour lunch!

Many nurserys allow their staff to babysit, just ask.

Very true art the ap would save other fees :)

Maybe you could look for somebody who could do 3 days/ week 7am-9am so your DC wouldn't go to breakfast clubs those days.

It could be a nice 6hr/week job for somebody to fit round another job or uni etc.

Do you need it all year round or is it different in the school holidays?

If asking the nursery you may need two people on standby, as lots of nurseries have their staff working a shift system, so 7.30-4.30, 9-6

Lots of nursery staff do babysitting on the side, some nurseries allow it, other don't.

Agree a childcare student may be your best bet, phone local collages and ask them if you can advertise on the notice board?

Op, anti social hours for childcare are tricky. NHS workers I know have used one or more of the following (I know not all suit you, just suggesting solutions that have worked for others in the same situation.

Advertise for a morning babysitter who can do drop offs (include nursery staff and childminders in this)
Stop nursery and use a childminder, nanny or au pair. This is what I did.
Find someone to share drop off and pick up duty
dh employer contacted for assistance (since they caused the issue)
change of your working hours

Good luck!

I had this issue when dd was little I found a nanny who was on maternity leave ( used gumtree to find her) she would come to house at 630am and bring her baby with her.

Our nursery used to allow this.

But alternatives - if you can't find someone to do the early mornings, could you perhaps do the 9am start but then find after school care?

Ask the nursery nurses if they know someone who has left (but who you know who might help - my DD's key worker left nursery to do a degree in childcare but wasn't in uni 1 day and finished early one afternoon so she did after school care for us 2 days per week.

Neighbours / grandparents - we currently have a (60+ year old - but fit, absolutely lovely) provide afterschool care - she is the grandma of my DDs classmate who just happens to live round the corner and said she could help out one day a week - my children adore her).

Do you know any of your DCs school friends' parents well enough (who also attend the breakfast club) if you could pay them to take your DC to school club and then consider a nursery nearer to work?

Could you get train / tram etc which would mean you could avoid traffic and not need to set off so early?

Any chance you could drop 3 hours of being physically at work but pick up the work in the evening / do an extra morning from home? Or if you're going to have to pay for extra care in the mornings (7-7.30) work out whether its a similar cost to pay for an extra morning session of nursery and then do 3 shorter days plus one morning?