Starting school/school hours

Quackers

prettypennies wrote:

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.

This is so true and its such a shame.

I employ a lady with a small daughter and have give her 10.30 - 2.30 hours. She is soooooo chuffed its unbelievable. She applied for a 11-3 position I advertised but she's good and I knew she'd fit in well. I was happy to jiggle her hours about so she could pick up her daughter for school.

Its a shame you are feeling under pressure to work more hours. Stick to your guns. You took the job with those hours so shouldn't be made to feel under pressure.

I think the lady who works for me would change her shifts if I was desperate for her to occasionally but I'd never ask unless it was a very last resort and I knew she'd be able to sort out childcare. It wouldn't be fair.

tw1nklestar

i work in a reception class and our children are handed out individually to parents/childminders and another member of staff mans the exit gate to ensure that no child leaves the playground unattended, however at the end of the day as a staff we do get more than a little fed up with parents/childminders that collect the children late all of the time - it does infact upset and unsettle the children in reception if they r late collected and always the last child left in the class room. If your child has a disability or special educational need tho and the school are aware of this then speaking to what used to be IPS (inclusion of pupil services) might help - they might write it up in his IEP (individual education plan) that he needs to leave school 5 mins early - or he may be given support who can cover the few minutes he would be collected late. Please keep in mind tho that although it would only be one child in a class leaving early if this was done as a 'favour' other parents might expect the same. also ensuring a child in reception is ready at the end of the day is not an easy task - coats, book bags, reading books and lunch boxes x 30 is not an easy task and if the reception teacher is alone and unsupported at the end of the day i would say it would be a near impossible task as she/he cannot leave the rest of the class unattended to ensure ur child has everything he needs.

black-saturn

Quackers wrote:

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

DD1 waits on the corner by the school if I'm not there when they come out. She's at middle school so they don't let them wait inside the school grounds, not even for 5 minutes. Both my children will be at middle school as of 5th September so this will end a 2 year treck around 2 schools (I don't have a car either :eek: ) and now I will be able to pick them both up at the same time.

tw1nklestar

further 2 my above post if your child has SN there will probably be fed back at the end of some days for the benefit of you, your child and the school and not being collected before the end of the school day would stop this being possible.

hope you reach a solution but i think talking to IPS would be your best bet

lisa_75

funky-footprints wrote:

this is exactly why i had no choice but to be a stay at home mum, we could not find the child care


x

This is such a huge problem with school aged children. People think it gets easier when they go to school, but I have found childcare, especially in the holidays, almsot impossible to find. The after school club has a 6 month waiting list, which was a shock to me when I first needed it as I thought with all these mums in work that childcare would be the least of my worries.

I am a student at the moment, but I know I am going to have real problems when I do want to work as there is no before school club provision and no childminders in my area willing to take over 8 year olds. Like you, I fear I will have no choice but to stay home.

Janepig

Reading these posts is so depressing. Did women's lib ever really happen??? I don't see any men posting on here with their work/life balance problems. I'm very far removed from being a raging feminist, but there does seem to be a theme running through these posts and that is that women either have to juggle work/collecting kids from school(s) or they have to be stay at home mums as they have no other choice. And there doesn't seem to be a uniformity between schools either - some schools offer after school provision or allow children to be picked up afew minutes later, others don't. It seems very much like the luck of the draw.

Btw OP I think the school are being slightly naughty by dismissing you out of hand, but I think the time may have come for you to explain the problems more fully to the head, which I imagine should remain confidential between you and him/her.

Jxx

lisa_75

Janepig wrote:

Reading these posts is so depressing. Did women's lib ever really happen???

Not according to this recent study into fathers working hours which "found no evidence that men matched new mothers in combining part-time work with bringing up their children".

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5280838.stm

It is very depressing. When I was younger I did believe equality was alive and well, but becoming a mother has changed all that. I don't blame my husband. His employer is totally inflexible as are many. If he asked to knock off early from work to pick the kids up, unless it was a very serious emergency, he would not get much sympathy.

silvercar

From a safety point of view your childminder would be better getting your child first because:

a) getting one child out of school will be quicker than gathering 3 children leaving the others alone for a shorter time.
b) at least the others waiting will all be waiting together rather than alone.

prettypennies

Posted by Quackers Quote<I employ a lady with a small daughter and have give her 10.30 - 2.30 hours. She is soooooo chuffed its unbelievable. She applied for a 11-3 position I advertised but she's good and I knew she'd fit in well. I was happy to jiggle her hours about so she could pick up her daughter for school.>

If only there were more employers like you Quackers.

When I started my job I was happy to prepare resources at home in my own time and go in during the hols to get displays and things ready, but since the the comments were made about me not taking on more hours I have been left feeling resentful and unappreciated.

funky-footprints

I don't see any men posting on here with their work/life balance problems.


We have friends where as of April next year dad will become a stay at home dad and mum is going back to work full time at the end of her maternity leave, as childcare for 2, is going to cost £12k a year, dad currently earns £18k, he has taken voluntary redundancy, as the remainder £6k a year wouldnt cover thier mortage. He is getting a large enough pay out to pay off thier mortage and he is going to stay home. I realy admire him !!