Curious to know how you juggle more than one child and a full time job?

[Marghe87]

I can barely imagine we will be able to cope with one (we don't have family nearby) and the idea of having to manage two DC with full time jobs and different childcare arrangements (ie: one at nursery, one at school) seems more like a remote fantasy to me. How do you do it?

If you can get a childminder that does school drop offs that makes it easier. Also helps with school holidays.

I have 2, 5 and under. They go to private nursery and nursery does the school runs/pick and wrap around care until I finish work. The youngest is in the nursery full time.

Both parents doing parenting, including Mon to Friday, and domestic work. Almost all annual leave used separately.

Childminder! More flexible and better than nursery IME. Nurseries we used care wasn’t as good and DC got sick much more often.

I have 3 and it is a massive juggling act but it is possible if you have good childcare in place and your partner shares the load.

Both went to same CM when small. Then CM as after school and holiday care.

Once too old for CM, both went to after school club and same holiday club.

Now DS2 goes to after school club and DS1 (who is at secondary) is home on his own a bit some afternoons after school. Currently both to same holiday club ... the fun will start when he's too old for holiday club but DS2 isn't!

Flexible working and equitable sharing of childcare. I have 1 dc in primary school and 1 in nursery. My dh is self employed (so works 50-60 hours a week but flexible) and I currently work PT but with a lot of travel/commuting (I commute 6 hours a day on the 3 days a week I work, plus work a full day - so I’m gone 6am-7:30pm). When I go up to FT it will be the same but I’ll work from home 2 days a week, so full days but minus the extra 6 hours of travel.

Whoever does the school run (we each do it 2-3 days a week) works school hours that day plus extra hours in the evening. The one not doing the school run works a normal day. I work from home as needed for parents evenings and other appointments. I also WFH when my dh needs to travel for work (his office is close to home so it’s easy for him to pop to school for appointments and such).

It’s really no more difficult to have 2 than to have one. You just have an extra stop on the way. My school age one will soon start taking the bus to school so that will make it a bit easier. But what’s key is that you share the load equitably and the work of school runs and school admin doesn’t just fall on you. Most employers are open to flexible working arrangements. You just have to ask.

We're about to have three. 5 and under.
At present three days a week we have to drop DS to school the other side of town 20 mins away. Then travel back to our house where our daughter goes to a part time pre school. Then someone has to pick her up at quarter past one and then our son by 3. Factoring in horrific parking etc.
Then two days a week they both go to the same childminder. We both work full time. And then there's after school football, rugby, swimming etc.

We just have to do it. They're here and they need to get to their destinations and can't drive.

Agree, after school clubs and child minder.
Flexible working or set shift pattern to allow some stability and continuous repetitive care.
Routine and being organised is key in this house.
I have 2 kids and work 3 part time jobs, (equating to 40-50 hours a week some weeks) DH has full time 8.30-5.30 job but takes on the lions share of childcare now they are both in school.
It’s hard, the hardest bit is us taking opposite annual leave to cover school holidays, it’s meant no family holidays for a few years.

I’ve always used the same childminder. I teach so generally start at 7:30 however my DP doesn’t start until 9 so the DC go to breakfast club. After school the childminder takes them until either DP or I return no later than 5:30. I’m on mat leave atm with 5 month old, he’s going to the same childminder because I trust her so much.

You make it work between you as you have to if you are both going to continue working full time.

My school age DD goes to a childminder before and after school and my youngest goes to nursery.
I have roughly an hour commute so I do the earlier drop off at the CM and then do the later nursery pick up, DP works local to home so does the slightly later nursery drop off and CM pick up.

Soon they will both be at school and with the CM, I'll continue to do the drop off and DP will do the pick up.

Thank you for your answers. I guess because I haven't had my first one yet it all seems so hard to me and I wonder if it makes sense to stop at one for logistics and money reasons or whether the key is to have the kids first and then find a way to make it work?