commuting with little one?

[olatt]

would it be totally stupid to commute into the City with my ds, who will be nearly a year old when I go back to work? Trying to decide whether to find childcare nearer home or near work (there's a nursery near my office). It's a 40 min trip.

Personally I wouldn't. Why put your baby through all that stress? Think about having an over-tired screaming toddler on a train with you in rush hour.
Also if you have a day off, you will have to take DS into the city to nursery. And no-one else will ever be able to take him/ pick him up.

ok, stupid idea! all the local nurseries seem to have vv long waiting lists (some 2 years!) and everyone i know is finding it impossible to find a good childminder - desperate measures and all that.

I commute 45 miles, but only once a week, and take dd with me to nursery there. It is a pain if I'm not at work because obviously I don't make use of the nursery then. But it means I can get a longer day in because she goes to the nursery when it opens and I pick her up when it closes. If I then had an hours drive I would lose 2 hours income.

I go on the train at the moment, and it's ok, have also driven it, which was better.

I personally wouldn't commute to the City with my child. Packed trains, delays etc etc - you know that bit. Also, you would miss out on the blissful half hour or so of wind-down time to read your book or magazine!

Can see why you are thinking of it. Can you not get on a waiting list, explain the problem and do it until your Ds get a place nearer home

I did it for four years. It was okay but wouldn't recommend it. If I had my life again I would have found a nice childminder near my home. Less stress, more one on one care for my daughter. Now she's at school and therefore doesn't come into work with me I just love my solo commutes and wonder how I coped with it for so long!!

Would it be overground or underground? Reckon overground more bearable

I think only if you're driving .. I think it would be a nightmare by public transport .. although you can get used to anything

get hold of the list of all childminders in your area (whether they're advertising a vacancy or not) and call them all up to see if you can find one

advertise for a nanny share maybe?

We did this for a few months when ds was a baby, but the trains from our part of London into the city were less crowded then.
Olatt, if you are a London suburbanite, is the central nursery not way more expensive than the ones nearer your home? There is a hefty differential of about £250 a month in it for us...
But not totally stupid, no! I see people doing it quite successfully most days, at least one of the nurseries near us is very well thought of, and I did enjoy the extra time with ds at the time (now relish that wind-down time instead that Kbear mentions!)
There are definitely more buggies in the city than there were when ds was tiny (six years ago)

God No! I wouldn't do that. Toddler in rush hour? No way.

We did this for eight months, but only because dh and I were working at the same company and it was easier to commute all together. Also if either of us was a bit delayed ds wasn't waiting for ages at a minder's or nursery. But if it's just you on your own then it's probably not a good idea. (I used to sit next to ds and talk to him, read books, feed snacks etc.) Glad those days are over!

we live in london but it's a train (overland) and bus into work, about 40 mins all in all, so cost of places is about the same. aside from the waiting list thing i'm also not sure how to get ds to local nursery once a place comes free then get to work, do a full day, then get back to collect him, all between 8am and 6pm!

we live in london but it's a train (overland) and bus into work, about 40 mins all in all, so cost of places is about the same. aside from the waiting list thing i'm also not sure how to get ds to local nursery once a place comes free then get to work, do a full day, then get back to collect him, all between 8am and 6pm!

olatt, if you have a dp, we work it that we alternate pick up and drop off, so that we both manage our 35-ish hours a week and manage to fit round suburban nursery hours. Is this a possibility for you? I must admit I got very hissy with dh about this - we are both full-time so I insisted he negotiate a flexible working week if I had to...