Absolutely fed up.

[els1789]

I’m absolutely fed up and tired of how hard it is for families to work around childcare. I’m actually at a point where I’m furious. As a stay at home mum I am trying to work! But with lack of family close by, (not our choice my parents moved closer to my sibling) my husbands long working/commuting hours and lack of childcare places it just feel so impossible!!!

Ive been a stay at home mum for 3 years, I’ve done my bit and both of us want more now. I went for and surprisingly got offered a job for a school, term time, great…. But we cannot find a nursery who can offer the days my new work need and there’s waiting lists everywhere else. There is a pre school but honestly, it’s run down and it’s in a financially bad state I’m told so unreliable. I’m exhausted trying to figure it all out for my two children (breakfast clubs, afterschool club, drop offs, picks up) …. I’m at a point where tomorrow I may turn down the job.

whats the point.

Have you looked at a childminder? They could do the drop off/ pick up for your older one and care for your younger one through the day.

It’s awful. And in my experience, a childminder is just as hard to find as nurseries. I know families who have patched together cover using a couple of different providers. Is that an option? Also, is there any flex at all in your husband’s job? Could he for example cover a day of childcare and work longer hours another four days? There is no way I would be able to hold down my job without my partner flexing his hours a bit, as I’m in the same position as you with no other support at all.

The thing is, it takes planning unfortunately. I put our names down for nursery 6 months before I planned to go back to work. Even then, with my 2nd, I got offered a job much faster than expected and nursery could only give us 2 days a week for the first 3 months. Dh dropped down to 4 days to do the childcare on my third working day for those months. It does take planning and it also takes both of you.

If you leave the workforce, it is really that much more difficult to get back in.

As another person said, it does take planning.

What was your job before you had children?

Sign up for the preschool and go on the waiting lists for others. Sounds like you do have options!

Yeah it's a juggle but at least you don't have to worry about school holidays. Big tick for half the battle which is fantastic and reduces the chaos.

Get husband on the job too, see if he can put a flexible request in at his work. Maybe start late during the week for drop offs or start early for pick ups. The children are both your responsibility not just yours.

My daughter doesn't start school until September but my husband has already agreed with work on my working days he will start work at 9 to accommodate drop off at 8:40am. I can address the 3:15pm finish as I start work at 6!

No flex in my husbands job, he works on day from home so will be able to do 1 pick up, that’s it. His company are useless for families but he’s been there 16 years and is successful there. It makes me mad but he’s working hard and is very hands on when around, I can’t fault him. I’m just annoying at his company as he’s requested flexible hours but they were declined. It feels impossible. I’m not sure whether to give up until both are at school or still try to make it work.