Nursery Issue - need help

[SMLSML]

I'm due back at work in March and have been offered a role I can't turn down at another company. My old role was 3 days a week so my little one did 2 days in nursery and one day with my parents. I will now work a day 4 day week however our nursery currently doesn't have space for the extra day and said it could be as long as September 😩 most childminders I've contacted need more than the one day a week. How on earth do I sort something as a stop gap?! Anyone been in this situation? The new role does need to be 4 days, there's no compromise on this...

All 3 days at the childminder or add a second day instead of your parents?

Sorry should have mentioned no childminders have space for that amount of days and both sets of our parents work in the week apart from the day they have our little one

Oh OK, you just said they wanted more than one day?

So you'll just have to change nurseries then. Or turn down the job.

Not sure if your second post covers it, but could you stop using the parents for now if a childminder could do two days and nursery two days?

Can the baby's father drop one day temporarily until a space becomes available?

Ask on Facebook or local mum's groups if there are any nannys who work four days who would like to pick up an extra day for a short time.

Good luck!

Not sure if your second post covers it, but could you stop using the parents for now if a childminder could do two days and nursery two days?

That's what I suggested, add a second day instead of her parents.

Could you explain to the childminder that your dc is at another nursery too. Often the reason they won't take them one day is because little ones find it hard to settle. If yours is already in another nursery they should settle more easily. Solidarity as I have the same issue with childcare but luckily dh is flexible with his job.

Yes but combine this with the fact that as soon as there's a space ar the nursery, she's going to move the child. It isn't exactly an attractive offer.

Might be attractive if they want to boost income before the holidays

Can baby’s dad take some parental leave?

This and me taking holiday and unpaid time off worked for us as a temporary option. Ha e you approached the new employer to see how flexible they could be initially?

Could you use a combination of your parents do a few extra days, and both you and your partner uses some AL days to fill the gap until a spot opens up in September?

It would take a bit or organising, but if its for 5 months, thats approx 22 weeks, but split 3 ways its only using 7 or 8 days of AL for each you and your partner. That feels more coverable.

DH and I did this recently, but covering a day that my parents used to look after our 2 kids. It was hard, but managable when its only for a few months

I would look to take annual leave, have your husband take annual leave and ask if parents can cover a couple.
any other favours you can call in for the odd day? Ask nursery if they can let you know if there’s space before. Our nursery always has extra days in summer due to holidays

Is there a childminder or other nursery that has a space at 2 or 4 days per week? Swap to that.

Or ask the new employer to let you start at 3.5 days per week just at first until you get a better childcare arrangement in place, and likewise get DP to temporarily drop 0.5 days a week, and share the extra between you just until you can get another arrangement.

If you are worth recruiting to a new job you need a can-do attitude and determination to make something work, not a passive negative attitude rejecting all ideas.