Anyone working 8am-3pm? Does it work for you?

[mumbot]

Hello, I'm currently considering changing my pattern of hours (currently doing compressed hours 5 days in 4) as DS1 is due to start school in Sept and I want to be there at the school gate at the close of the day. I'm thinking 8am-3pm for four days a week, with a few hours work in the evening here and there to try and make up 30 hours.

Just wondered if anyone does this sort of pattern? Does it work?

Thanks xxxx

I kinda dothis.

Do you work very near the school? Just becuase traffic is horrific at that time.

Within walking distance :)

ahh thats good.
I must admit that its a great relief to be able to pick up from school and not have to rely on any one else to do it.

I also drop him off in the morning but they do offer a breakfast club and after school club.

My boy goes to after school club twice a week and he absolutely loves it! It means i can get all my hours in without much disruption.
Works well ime

Do you find that he's more tired on the after school club days? I'm thinking of the after school clubs also.

Yes, thats why for his first year at school i didnt put him in afterschool club. It was too much. I didnt want to extend his day when he was so little. (He was only just 4 when he started school)

In the end i had to as i just couldnt get to school in time to pick him up due to the traffic.

I currently work 3 days a week 7-3 and it suits me well. DP is off work one of those days and the other two he works evening shifts so we don't have to put DS into childcare. It's lovely to be finished so early and get the house sorted, and spend time with DS. What's the story with dropping your DS to school? Will you have to get up very early to get showered, breakfast sorted etc? I try to be as organised as possible for the morning, lunch sorted, shower the evening before (usually get dragged into the bath by DS anyway, saves on water!) Only rubbish thing is I have to work two evening shifts at the weekend. Ugh.

I do 7am - 2.45pm 4 days a week and it works ok, I'd recommend it, bit of a rush at the end of the day as I have to pick up littler 2 first from nursery on the way (well I don't have to but its on the way home/to school) I get to the gates at 3.15pm, traffic is a bit of a nightmare, not getting home - we live in a village - but you can't park by the school so I may as well go home and run back in.
dh does all drop offs - ds1 does breakfast club ((has done since September) which he loves and I'm glad he didn't/doesn't do out of school club because for him it would have been too much (summer baby) Out of school clubs like football start in yr1 so I'll sign him up to at least one and then it gives me chance to run a little late one day or at least have a more relaxed exit from work, I'll definetly consider out of school club more when he's a bit older as dh working away a lot more and when he is I have to go in late as do drop off which isn't ideal as then I have to make up hours and I can't work from home (secure data networks and sensitive information)

I agree with BodyOf having EVERYTHING done the night before is the key, we have all the bags lined up by the door and shoes out and find a few key people who can pick up if you need them too, it depends on your job but everyone I work with is full time and finishes about 5pm so very occasionally I get asked to do meetings after 3pm, not unreasonable but I don't usually get a lot of notice to book an after school place.

I do 8-4 at the moment (DD at nursery) but thinking of dropping my hours next year if I can afford it so I do 8-3.