Looks like i can't go back to work now :(

[DetentionGrrrl]

The only childminder in my area doesn't have a vacancy for a baby. She said she'll ring me if anything changes.

I don't want to stay at home full time

Night/evening work?

No time with DP then, so no good either.
So disappointed.

Well, you do what you can. Needs must and all that.

I work 4 afternoon/evenings a week. Sorting childcare is utterly horrendous.

Were you planning on working locally?

If you dont work locally - maybe find a minder who lives nearer to your work rather than your home?

Are there no alternatives near you, such as nurseries or nanny shares?

i work near home, and all the nurseries are the other side of town and too expensive. we did talk about a friend of ours minding him, but we think he may be too flaky.

Oh no - that's difficult. I remember on your other thread you were really looking forward to going back to work. How flexible is your work? - are you able to work from home (although it'd mean doing some of it in the evenings as you obviously can't look after baby at the same time). Could you work just a couple of days and pay for a nursery - might still end up better off than not working at all and would get you out of the house for at least some of the time? Could DP take LO to nursery if its not near your work?

Did the childminder give any idea of when she might have a vacancy?

without wishing to appear dense, how does nanny share work, and how would i find out?

DP's hours slightly different to mine, so isn't feasible for nursery. Def can't work from home...and the point was more getting out of the house anyway.

Annoying thing is, i didn't like to ring her Saturday being as she doesn't mind then. I left it til this this morning, and someone rang Saturday and took her last place. Arse!

being a SAHM wasn't my choice either, I worked part time after DS1 was born and then we moved due to my DH's job (earns far more than me) as we moved from a small town to a city the cost of childcare rocketed and as we knew we wanted more children it was silly for me to start a job I would ultimately be giving up.

I am lucky to be in the position of not needing to work but having now had DS2 life is again a challenge.

I think it can boil down to getting a good group of friends so that your children can play together and you can enjoy adult conversation with a cup of tea!!! Plus parent and toddler groups are fab too. I did used to avoid them like the plague but obviously there are people out there like you (MN being testament to that)

Is your job something you have to return to within a certain time?

i took the usual 6mths maternity, plus i added 4 mths unpaid leave to it. Technically i could add another 2 mths and they have to hold my job. After that, i'm unemployed.

I have spoken to my possibly flaky friend, and they seem up for doing it and to be taking it seriously. We'll be sitting down and talking about it in more detail this week. Fingers crossed.