Think might have to pack in course

[Screwyslittlechristmascrackers]

I start placement next week and between childminder and inlaws I was going to be fine childcare wise with a bit of creative imagination thrown in. My father in law had a heart attack last Thursday and so is not going to be able to look after kids fot some time if at all.
my childminder is good and fairly flexible but th shifts are 7:45 - 8:15. My kids are only 3 and 5 they are going to need someone to pick them up and put them to bed at home 2-3 nights a week....it wouldn't be fair on them to keep them at the chidminders till about 8:30 -9pm. They get so tired staying up till 8pm.
i'm not sure how to manage it if its possible. I'm going to get in touch with tutor tomorrow and see if theres something I can do. I just feel so stupid for just keeping fingers crossed that everything would work out fine and not being totally realistic

Sorry to hear about that. Please do speak to your tutor as the first step, many colleges are really good at working things out in these situations.

The other thing is to consider someone else doing the pick up and put to bed- a childcare student maybe?

I will thanks RPP. I'll get in touch with childcare services tomorrow too and see if there is someone that is prepared to pick them up and put them to bed. A bit weary about having someone strange in house and its someone else for the kids to get used to, sometimes i just want things to work without any hitches so I can concentrate spare time on kids, instead of stressing.
Thankfully father in law is ok ish though still in hospital and awaiting more tests and transfrence to a bigger hospital....for possible surgery

My dh works shifts and is on the spares list for the next year or so which means that most of the time he doesn't know what he is working from one day to the next so i can't even work placement shifts around his work.

Oh, SM, what a shame. But do (as everyone else has said!) talk to your tutors. Things like this happen every year and they are used to working around it. They might ask you to defer for a year perhaps - would that help to give you some breathing space and get things sorted?

If your uni is anything like mine, once they've got you on the course they are very loath to let you go if they can possibly help it - I'm sure a solution can be found. Best wishes to your FIL, too.

Message withdrawn

Thanks....I've put it off but have finally emailed tutor tonight, after speaking to childminder. I was hoping she could do an extra hour on the morning which would mean I would only need to worry about after teatime till about 8:30-9pm but she didn't look too happy, which surprised me....she said she'd have to think about it. When i took her on she knew I would need her to be flexible on occasions....so disappointed.
The kids have got used to her and settled.
I would hate to defer a year but it may be an option.