return to work

[ThePartyArtist]

DH and I are planning to start TTC in next few months, hopefully. Thinking ahead, I'm wondering what the best thing would be to do about work.

Currently, I earn more than DH and work Mon - Fri 9-5. He works full time hours but over 4 days, including every other weekend. His hours are 9-6 ish and his shifts change - so on week 1 he does 2 weekdays plus Sat and Sun and the next week he does 4 weekdays.

I think we might like to do shared leave, and I am wondering what to do upon returning to work.

That's tricky because nursery and cm usually require set days and times. Can you look at doing 5 days in 4 too and do nursery/cm one day per week? Does your dh have any consistent days off in the week? If so the obvious (to me) solution is that you take 1 day off, dh does 1 consistent week day and nursery/cm the other 3 days, unless your dh can have 2 consistent week days off?

I don't know if I could do 5 days in 4 because my work place is only open 9-5. I couldn't physically get in any earlier or leave any later. I could go to our sister site to start a little earlier, but then would spend about 30 mins getting to my actual workplace so I think it would be considered impractical by management. Work is really strict about people not working from home so doubt i could convince them of that. So i think really my only options are continue full time or go part time if I can negotiate it - but not condensed hours.

DH's days off are different from week 1 to week 2. Every week 1 is the same, and every week 2, but there is not a consistent day off on all weeks.

Is there any chance you can look for another job with more flexibility or job shift to be based at the sister site full time? If neither of you can get more flexibility you're right you're either ft or try to negotiate pt. I've got 2 small dc and work ft, it's tiring at times but manageable. You may be able to find a flexible cm but I reckon it's unlikely as when you're not paying they've got a space they can't fill

As a childminder I would consider this type of rota, but then as I work with my dh & already have 3 children on our books whose parents work shifts I am used to juggling of this kind.
From what I understand, in week one you would only need 2 days care & in week two 4 days care. Each week the days off would be different but remain the same in each numbered week, e.g. Week one, require care Monday Tuesday & week two require care Tuesday to Friday. This effectively means that you would require a full time childcare place so as to guarantee having care available on the days you need it each week.
For myself I would charge you full rate for 4 days a week & a half fee retainer for the fifth day as you would be using no more than 4 days in a week although using a full time place.
As childminders are self employed it is up to us to decide on our fees and how we charge them, but I would say that most would charge for either 4 or 5 days full fee, although you might find someone who only charges for the days you use, however then you run the risk of not being able to change days around because of a change in your dh's shift pattern as the childminder might well have filled those odd spare days with emergency cover or someone who also only wants occasional days.