Starting school/school hours

apples1

black-saturn wrote:

Maybe your son should be at a special school? If he doesn't like hustle and bustle he won't like it in school either.

I think this is a bit harsh. I agree with your earlier posts that the OP should be taking responsibility for making arrangements for collecting her son not looking to the school to solve logistical problems that most of us parents face.

I feel (as I said in my previous posts) that is totally inappropriate for her to exagerate any "disability" her son may have to push the school into allowing him to leave at a different time to his classmates as this is clearly NOT her real reason for asking.

However I got the impression from her reply that she can now see that it would not be the right thing to do and has reconsidered her view (perhaps in light of replies to her thread). I felt that your earlier advice was constructive and helpful however comments like that once the OP has already seen the error of her idea seem a bit uncalled for. Your gentle persuasion was much more effective!

ailuro2

A local childminder who was picking up at that school may agree to walk him partway down the road to meet up with your current childminder, if she is not full up.
In my area most childminders pick up within their catchment area,but they do all seem to know each other so perhaps your dchildminder could recommend someone who is already picking up kids?

lisa_75

I think this is a problem that most of us face with school aged children, but I really don't think it is the schools responsibility to look after your child out of school hours, even if it is only for 5-10 mins.

If the school is anything like ours the children are not allowed to leave the classroom until a parent/carer is there so if you are regularly late someone will notice.

I really think you need to sort out another childminder who can be there at the correct time. After all, that is what you pay them for. I would not be happy with a childminder who was rushing around different schools. Most childminders only pickup from one school and there is a reason for that.

black-saturn

apples1 wrote:

I think this is a bit harsh.

Sorry I'm just a firm believer that people should get their job to fit round their children not the children fit round the job. I'm a single parent and have no one else around to pick 2 children up from school (from 2 separate schools) for me but I've always managed to be there dead on time. I change my work hours to fit round it.

Quackers

black-saturn wrote:

If it's anything like my DD school they always let them out late anyway. They are supposed to come out at 3.15pm but it's usually 3.25pm by the time they finally open the doors which is a pain as my other DD also finishes at 3.25 at a school which is 15 minutes walk away.

Doesn't this situation sometimes make you late for picking up one of your children?

I thought you work from home/are a student? Isn't that why you are able to change your hours to suit you?

Sometimes its just not possible to get a job to fit around the children 24/7.

Sometimes people HAVE to work in the job they're in to earn the money to pay the bills?

Its not always that simple.

Oh, and sometimes people (like me) go to work to get away from their children :rotfl:

lisa_75

Quackers wrote:

Sometimes its just not possible to get a job to fit around the children 24/7.

Sometimes people HAVE to work in the job they're in to earn the money to pay the bills?

Its not always that simple.

Of course, but that is what childminders/after school clubs are for.

It is that simple. My children need picking up from school and I always make sure someone is on time to be there or they are in after school club. That is my responsibility and comes with the job of being a parent.

Sometimes I am home 10 minutes after they need picking up, but they still go to after school club. It may cost me £10 for those 10 mins, but that is life I am afraid.

Quackers

lisa_75 wrote:

Of course, but that is what childminders/after school clubs are for.

It is that simple. My children need picking up from school and I always make sure someone is on time to be there or they are in after school club. That is my responsibility and comes with the job of being a parent.

Sometimes I am home 10 minutes after they need picking up, but they still go to after school club. It may cost me £10 for those 10 mins, but that is life I am afraid.

I agree.

My point was that Black Saturn said work should fit around your children and you should always be there for them. That is not always possible with jobs.

funky-footprints

this is exactly why i had no choice but to be a stay at home mum, we could not find the child care .. our kids go to school out of catchment (not our choice the local school was full when we moved here) there are no pre-or after school clubs .. all the child minders in the area are all ready full up and cater for other schools, likewise childminders where we live cater for schools in our area. Ive had to turn down 2 job offers as we couldnt sort out child care in time... my kids have to come first not a job ! financially we will manage.

i feel lucky that I have been able to stay at home ..if i had to work i guess my only option would be an au-pair, and i wouldnt be happy with that but it would be a way around a very tricky situation ? ?

good luck
x

ailuro2

Of course, for the women who can't find childcare, you could perhaps become a childminder yourselves- if there is none available in your area, then it means you'd always be in demand.:D

prettypennies

My children's school is a catholic voluntary aided school and struggles to provide out of school activities as they just don't have the funding. Before and after school clubs are not an option.
I specifically chose a job that fitted well within school hours. But I am under constant pressure to work more hours to the point where I am made to feel like I am putting my employer's out by not agreeing.

The truth of the situation is that they aren't really that many jobs out there for working mums that fit perfectly around school hours.