Child Care issues/older kids - advice please.

[Mum72]

Hi - Not sure if I am posting this in the right place but as I am (hopefully) returning to work very soon (first time in 12 years) thought this may be the place as I am beginning to have to seriously think about child care issues.

Our situation is not average in that DH is in the Armed Forces. This means we move house frequently as do our neighbours on the same married quarters estate we live on. DH job means he can work odd hours, long shifts (as well as shorter ones)and obviously there is deployment too, although we usually get long notice of that. The other aspect of this lifestyle is that we live nowhere near relatives who would be happy to help out.

We have 2 DC aged 9 and 12. They both go to boarding school some 2 hours from where we currently live. This is good for during term time as it covers the child care there but their school holidays are extremely long. For example Xmas holidays were Dec 15th to Jan 12th and Easter is 29th March to 26th April!! (not complaining I love having the DC home - just trying to give you a full picture).

Because their school holidays are longer than the local schools, I cannot use school holiday clubs - well not at the start or end of their holidays. There is also the worry they wont know anyone at local clubs - as they are yet to make new friends here. I do appreciate though that this perhaps would be a great way for them to socialise and make new friends.

My other line of thought is that my DC are too old for a childminder, plus its finding one that would be happy to have them for the school holidays only and not FULL term time.

I did consider leaving them, but am not comfortable with this idea just yet, I still feel they are too young to be left 7 to 10 hours a day depending on what job I get and where it will be.

So really I am asking for suggestions of childcare suitable for our unusual family set up and my DC ages. I feel everything is geared towards younger kids.

Can anyone suggest anything or come up with some ideas? Is there anyone out there with a similar situation to us and if so what do you do and how do you cope?

I am desperate to get back out to work. I have loved my full time SAHM years, but I am so now ready to get back out there and am halfway through my college course I started last September to relaunch my career, so any advice would be gratefully received.

As a childminder I would be happy to care for your dc in your time scales. It would be harder for the 12 yr old, but you might well find a cm with dc similar ages to yours so that would make it easier. A lot of cm's have a wide age range of children & are well used to a mix of ages & adapt their activities accordingly. Obviously the children need to be aware that not all the activities may be age appropriate, but quite often I find that they enjoy playing with the little children as long as they get their own chill out time.

I am a CM and I look after children from private schools. Some only come at the beginning and end of the holiday and then go to clubs and some come for the whole holiday. Like badgerhead said, they do have to accept that there will be little children around as well.

Although I'm not married to someone in the forces my husband does sometimes work abroad, my DS went to independent school (same long hols) and no family for childcare so familiar with the issues you mention. I would suggest mix of holiday clubs, supplemented by taking leave (either of you) to cover the shortfall.

Do you know anyone with university - age dcs? They might have similar long holidays and willing to come to your house, rather than your dcs going to a childminder.

As my dcs got older, they wanted to spend more time in their own house (bed!) rather than to have to get up early and go off somewhere.

Thank you for your ideas an suggestions. Its good to see that some CMs would not mind havining older children.

The uni students is a good idea but sadly I dont know anyone suitable here but its something I will think about because people come and go and by the time I get a job etc I may know someone.

Thank you for your ideas an suggestions. Its good to see that some CMs would not mind havining older children.

The uni students is a good idea but sadly I dont know anyone suitable here but its something I will think about because people come and go and by the time I get a job etc I may know someone.

It may be a long shot but you could consider a Nanny. I know most would not want to work just holiday times, but we have a Nanny employed on a term time only contract, and she is going to see another family who are looking for a holiday time only Nanny as that would fit perfectly for her!
I may be more expensive, although if you are going to paying for 2 dc probably not that much more expensive, and dc could stay in their own home.