Who works and does drop off and pick up?!

[Ishkabibbl]

I have a three year old just starting pre-school. I plan to start working more now but how do you manage it when school starts? With school pick ups and drop offs etc?!

I ran successful photography business before having my daughter. I don’t want to return to it for a number of reasons. I have a degree in English.

I would love to hear from anyone that is able to work and do drop off and pick up for their child. What do you do? How did you negotiate the flexitime?

I have a very trusting and flexible employer!

Ours went to childminders and nursery until they started school, then breakfast- and after-school club once in school.

I WFH, DH works mostly from home.

My hours are roughly 9-5 so I do drop off every morning at 8.45 and am home for 8.55 (short walk away).

I say roughly because I have a lot of flexibility so can often do family/ school stuff when necessary as I more than make up the hours elsewhere - I’ve just finished for the evening again now fir example. I say often, it’s not always as there are some things that can’t move, but generally I’m lucky in that way.

DH not home at all on a Monday so I do drop off and pick up (at 4.30 after a club). Then do dinner and take DD to another activity for an hour and usually work from the car waiting for her.

DH does 8-4, again in theory he usually works from 7am at the latest, and often works in the evening after DD’s bedtime too - he does pick up the other days. 2 of them she has an after school activity till 4.30 so he’s able to get her and keep her amused until I’m done and it’s time for dinner etc. 2 other days she finishes at 3.15 so he nips out to get her and then we kind of muddle through until we’ve both finished work - sometimes it’s tv and a snack for her, sometimes I’ll set her up with something she can do independently and sit at the kitchen table on my laptop whilst she gets on with the colouring or whatever it is. That absolutely wouldn’t have worked until recently though - it’s only in this school year (she’s just finishing year one) that I’ve gone back full time, I previously did 9-3 when she was in Reception but appreciate that’s not an option for everyone.

Also both work full time. Share mornings between us carefully coordinating work diaries. Have always had either a uni student or a much older retired mum (60 ish) as an after school nanny. The year where DS1 had to be dropped at school at the exact same time but in the opposite direction as DC2 had to be dropped at nursery, we also paid a nice local A level student to take DC2 to nursery on her way to collage. We didn’t save much money that year, but it’s worth it to keep both our jobs stable and secure!

I only work 30 hours a week, so 9-3pm 5 days a week and as School is less than a 10 min drive from work i can do all drop offs and pick ups. Appreciate that this is a very lucky position to be in though.

Shift work or being self employed. Our school didn't have wraparound or any after school clubs. Our nursery was a term time shorter than school day so it was difficult.
Childminder or grandparents can be helpful I'm often doing the school run with mostly grandparents.

We finished early at work and made up the hours in the evening.

On the days we both worked, we took the children to a childminder all day and she did school drop off / pickups. On the days we didn’t work, we did it.

We managed it with a fantastic before and after school club.
DS has just left primary school and we’re really going to miss the staff who have cared for him for 7 years!

Breakfast and after school club. School selected specifically for the wrap around provision. Pricey, but the only feasible option for 2 people working in construction - early starts year round, often late finishes in the summer. No local family.

My DH and I both work full time and no family nearby to pick up our toddler. DH WFH 2 days a week and me one day a week. The arrangement is that the one of us who is working at the office will do drop off and the one who WFH will do pick up (we make sure we don't WFH the same day). On the remaining 2 days, either of us will do drop off or pick up, depending on our work schedule or constraints. Sometimes one of us will do drop off and pick up our three other one is stranded.
Both DH and I have specifically chosen a job with either lots of flexibility (DH) or close to home (me) to enable that.

I WFH most days, so do school drop-off and can be back at desk for 9am. I use breakfast club twice a week to give me the option/flex to go into the office (i'd need to use that as commute time).

I use after school club x3 a week, grandparents pick up x1 and DH can do a pick up x1.

We wouldn't be able to both work FT without using paid-for wraparound childcare.

I work 30 hours across 5 days so I can do drop off and pick ups as DDs can't do after school club. DH drops in on my one office day. But I've been working here for 10 years and when asked to do more hours this was the arrangement I offered them, would usually be expected to be in the office twice a week.

DH and I over the years have done a combination of breakfast/after school clubs, grandparents and WFH with fortunately flexible and understanding employers allowing us to pop out for the school runs. Currently DH does school runs two days a week and I do three as I have compressed hours so get a day off mid week.