Whether to change working hours when DS starts school??

[Tallgirl]

I?m having a bit of a dilemma about changing my working hours as DS will be starting school in September 2006 ? as you can see I like to think about things in advance!! Apologise as this is a bit long?.

This is my current situation ? I work 3 days full time for local company and DS (4) and DD (15 months) go to childminder two days a week and my parents 1 day a week. DS also attends pre-school 3 days. DS will go to the same school as my childminder?s children so she would be able to take and collect him so technically no problem I can carry on as before. My childminder is great ? she has looked after DS since he was 7 months and DD since she was 5 months and I know she appreciates how tired children get at school etc but there is something about picking your own children up from school. If things stay the same childminder would pick DS up Mon and Tues, my parents on Wed and me on Thurs and Friday which seems like too many people. At the moment it is only me and my parents who collect him from pre-school. I said to my boss a while ago that I might be interested in changing to school hours once they are both at school but this wont be until 2009!
So have been thinking maybe should do this sooner? My company/boss are fairly flexible so don?t think this would be too much of a problem but to maintain my current hours would probably have to go up to 4 days week so would have to find an extra days care for DD (not sure what current situation with childminder is regarding extra days?) and also not really keen on being at work 4 days (although would be approx same hours as doing currently). Then what about school holidays and spending less time with DD (currently have two days with her) and then she is due to start at pre-school in September 2007??

I sometimes wish I didn?t think about things so much but have been lying in bed in the middle of the night thinking about it. If I do want to change things then I reckon that I have up to a year to sort something out ? that?s my excuse anyway. I appreciate I am in a better situation than a lot of people ? I have local childminder who already collects from the school and work very close to home but I know how important it is to collect your own child from school and for him to be in a home environment.

I?m sure lots of you have been in this situation so any advice please would be appreciated.

TIA

Could you change your terms of employment to work flexitime? that way you could perhaps build up some hours and finish early to collect from school more often?
I would be wary about making any radical changes until you see how it works out in Sept - I don't think its too many people picking up myself, they are all familiar to your DS and so long as information is passed along to you - letters etc - I bet it won't be a problem
I can understand you lying awake thinking though, but perhaps you are more worried about a change to your routine per se, rather than the specific change?? Honestly, I think it will work out fine as is, I should think you would miss out by increasing your days

Thanks for your message Tillykins- the flexitime idea is good but i would need to have something definite in place for my childminder - it would also affect her taking other after school children or something. Really dont want to go to 4 days, maybe could reduce my hours on Mon/Tuesday (also save money at childminder) but still do full day on Wednesday when children at my parents?? Just would like to be there for DS when he is at school....

Thanks again

snap - similar dilemma. No good solution.

Could you 'split the difference' as it were and start moving to a 4 day pattern in 2007 sometime?

When would DD start at pre-school? could you then start doing a few hrs while she's there on a Thursday, and stop earlier on Monday?

Given that (a) DS is familiar with CM and she's great and will be understanding, and (b) you're confident that your company will let you change, I would leave it till 2009 as you're planning, or poss 2008 using some of the hrs DDs at pre-school anyway.