Working parents - how do you manage part time reception in September?

[Allegrogirl]

DD1 is starting school in September, eeek! Just been to our first meeting at the school for which I needed half a days of leave. There are several more before September.

Then we have 3 weeks of 11.45 finishes before they start full time. I work 3.5 days per week but don't get home until 1.30 on my half day. I am fortunate that parents are local and can help out but they can't do the whole of the three weeks.

How are you/have you managed with temporary childcare? I don't want to use my entire annual entitlement in one go.

I was fortunate that I only work two days a week and they only did half days for two weeks. (unlike when ds1 went to school and it was 5 weeks of half days but I was on maternity leave then).

I had good friends who collected him two days, my sister did one day and my husband "worked" from home the other.

I helped out with a reception class mate who needed transport to his old nursery for the afternoon (didn't know the parents but heard on the "grapevine" that they were struggling as parents are a teacher and nurse). Is that an option for you?

What will you do for childcare after school when they go full time?

DC's school goes in with full days straight away, reception starts 3 days later just to let the other classes settle down before the little ones start.

I only worked three days a week, but they were full days. My mum and then my sister came down from Scotland for around 4 weeks to help or we couldn't have managed.

My friend managed by having me collect her son for the 3 weeks they had messy settling in. (1 week of afternoon sessions 1 week of morning sessions and 1 week of morning with lunch sessions)

In return she took my youngest 2 for a long weekend so dh and I could take the bigger two out for some special time with them.

Mil and fil are coming up for the week to do pick up and drop off. I can't take time off, it's our busiest time at work even if I had enough holiday which as I'm already covering school holidays for dd1 I don't. I have a wonderful childminder once dd2 starts full time but it's not fair to expect her to be traipsing back and forth to school. Luckily the madness only lasts about 2 weeks at our school. It's very stressful for the kids, dd1 was all over the place until she was full time just trying to keep it straight in her head how long she was staying that day and who was picking her up. At least this time it will be consistently Gramps and Grandma so less confusing for dd2