As always, childcare is once again the bane of my life. I'm a single parent to a 9 year old who has autism and adhd, and 6 year old NT. Their father buggered off years ago before the youngest was born. I have a boyfriend, but he has his own work, and a child, and we don't live together full time. I also have a 19 year old son, but he goes off to uni this year. I have no family near by - my parents moved away separately, and I'm an only child.
I have fought tooth and nail to keep my career going for years (I'm a midwife). I've shed so many tears (and pounds) on childcare, it is beyond ridiculous. 20 years of childcare juggling, and it has never ever gotten any better in that time.
Yet again the wool has been pulled from under us. After school club have just, with no notice, changed the finish time from 5.45 to 5.15, meaning I have no childcare as I can't guarantee getting there for 5.15 due to the nature of my work. I finish at 5, but as most women who have needed a midwife know, sometimes you can't just immediately up sticks and walk out. I need the buffer of time there. It's about a 15/20 min drive, occasionally longer if bad traffic. So 5.15 is just impossible to say yeah, I'll be there. Because there's a strong chance I won't be!
There are no alternative options. A childminder who yesterday agreed to do the pick ups, today pulled out of the agreement. And the only other childminder no longer picks up from the school.
So I'm left with one option (other than giving up work). That is to move schools. I can honestly say I feel like I am going to throw up when I think about that option. I feel absolutely torn with guilt, pain, anger... I could go on. Moving a child with SEN to a new school, in year 4, when he is in a school who can both handle him, and with children who understand his quirks. Well, it is an unbearable thought. My child is going to suffer massively because there is no sodding childcare!!! Anyone as a parent of an SEN child knows that a supportive school is like bloody gold dust. Moving him is absolutely not in his best interest. Nor is giving up work, and a decent income/pension to support him with. I just feel fucked every which way right now. And just so..... angry.