Student parents...what do you do for childcare?

[fireflyfairy2]

I've just got part of my timetable back & was glad to see that for one of my modules at least, I am going to be home for dd at 2pm! I breathed a huge sigh of relief!

I'm not so sure about the other days though, so I'll just have to wait & see what's going on with those modules.

I do have ds with a c/minder so that's no worry but dd is enrolled in an after school club that I have to get her dropped off at. LAst year another mother kindly dropped her off 2 days a week for me, but this year I haven't seen that mother & I'm not sure if any of the rest of them would help me out.

What do the rest of you do about childcare? Especially as it means paying childcare when we're not earning anything!!

You sound so calm about it all. I have dd in year 1 and a soon to be 2 yr old (also a bump due in Jan). The 5 yr old I have in after school one day in a week, thankfully afterschool is in her school and my timetable means I can pick her up the other days. I have other dd in the college nursery two mornings and one full day. If I don't take maternity time off then I am dreading what I will do for child care come March, as I am out on a full time placement for two months. By March there will probably be no places left in after school for 5 days a week and the nursery come to that. I think I will have to use a private nursery for the two younger ones for those two months.
Childcare is just a nightmare. The cost is horrendous especially as you said when not working.I will also have full time child care costs in year 2 and year 3 for four months of the year. Looks like I will have to rob a bank. Just keep telling myself it will all be worth it in the end.

I have no after school clubs near me but as I am only doing a part time course I am relying on my eldest (14) to look after my 6 year old for an hour and a half occasionally. It wont be very often as hubby does shift work. Luckily eldest dd finishes at half 2 so will get a taxi home those days. However this won't work when I change days so will have to find a friend or childminder then. I worry more about the childcare than the course!

LEA pays for 85% of my childcare through their childcare grant system, this only ocvers ds3 as there's no after school provision here, fortunately DH is available from 3 on (night worker) when needed- in the mornings, well they changed the start time from 9.30 to 9.00, so I'm just late 9albeit only 15 minutes)