Childcare at 7.45am

bylromarha

I have a very sensible 7 year old and 9 year old. OH has just got a job :j:j:j:j:j So our mornings for dropping them to school will involve some sort of childcare.

School breakfast club opens at 8am.

Childminders who are associated with the school all take kids from 8am. I've rung the 3 there are who all apologised, and understood my predicament, but absolutely could not take them any earlier than 8am.

OH needs to be free to leave for work at 7.30am - this is flexible from day to day as his work is in different areas from day to day. Some days he won't need to leave until 8.30am, but we won't know this until the day before. We don't know at the moment the frequency of 7.30am/8.30am starts.

I need to be on my way to work from the school area at 7.45am to be at my job on time. There is no flexibility in this.

We have just moved our kids to this school after Cmas, so know no other parents to ask to have them each morning.

I see 2 options

1) Leave kids a 10 minute walk away from the school breakfast club - no roads to cross, strolling up the residential road, they take themselves in each morning - kids have been crossing roads, going to the shop alone and playing "out" for the past 2 years, so I have no qualms about them being without adult supervision for 15 minutes each day as they'd cope just fine and know what to do in an emergency.

2) Quit my job (which isn't really an option for the sake of 15 minutes, but I see no other options!)

How would you make this work?

hazyjo

You say there's no flexibility in you leaving any later to get in on time - but have you actually asked if you can start later and make up the time?

Haven't got kids, but they seem awfully young to be walking to the breakfast club...

Is there another parent you can drop them with who can see them safely there?

Jx

Person_one

Is there a facebook group or forum of some sort for parents at the school? I wouldn't discount the idea of some sort of liftsharing arrangement yet, maybe ask the school if they are aware of any possibilities?

newcook

Granted, it was 25 years ago, but I used to walk to school without my mom from about 8 or 9 years old.

Are there any children in the area that go to the same school that could all walk together?

duchy

I don't think the risk so much is in the walking to school so much as that 15 minutes at home alone. Suppose something happened - that scared them or one of them started vomiting or something more extreme like a fire. They'd be very vulnerable.

I think you either find a childminder ....or even someone to be at the house before school - maybe a student (£30 a week for half an hour a day might be quite attractive to them and probably no less than you'd pay a childminder) or even an au pair if you have the space .

daisiegg

duchy wrote: »

I don't think the risk so much is in the walking to school so much as that 15 minutes at home alone. Suppose something happened - that scared them or one of them started vomiting or something more extreme like a fire. They'd be very vulnerable.

When would they be at home for 15 mins alone?

bylromarha

newcook wrote: »

Granted, it was 25 years ago, but I used to walk to school without my mom from about 8 or 9 years old.

I walked to school alone from the age of 6, which is why OH and I have raised them taking small steps in road safety and they are able to now safely take a short walk to the shop, the park, the postbox and other places without us. One of these routes involves crossing a busy road and they do so safely and sensibly.

Which is why I figured if I dropped them at the bottom of the road from the school, they could then walk up the hill. It would give them a purpose for the rest of the time, rather than hanging around waiting for the club to open. Plus they wouldn't have to cross a residential road: they'd be safe as they cope with far more tricky things on the walk to the park.

We don't live near the school, it's a 40 minute walk/10 minute drive from our house, so we'd need to drop them with someone - and we don't know anyone!

couponqueen123

before u drop them down the road best check with the school , the school my kids go to have to be droped off by parents for breakfast club as its early morning

also have u asked the school if u could drop them to the school then and they sit in the breakfast room till breakfast time, there might be the breakfast helper/cook there who will look after them ,

i think there too young to be on there way to school by them self but im not saying your wrong just what i think ,

is there a babysitter in yr area who u could pay for ?

bagpussbear

I would ask other parents and spread the word around that you need some help, perhaps there is another mum/dad on route to the school that could walk your kids in? put a notice up on the school noticeboard too?

Whilst I think option 2 is extreme, I would feel very uncomfortable with your option 1 if I'm honest. Without being harsh, I think it's a very wrong thing to do.

Hope some other mum's can help you out OP.

double_mummy

at 7 i was doing the walking thing with my younger sister who was 5 for a walk of about 25 minutes make sure you do stranger danger and walk the route with them a couple of times then do a dry run with you at one end and dad at the other if they know the route and are confident in it then let them do it. have you got anywhere like this near you http://www.safetycentre.co.uk/about-us.html very worthwhile and made me as the elder feel much more secure knowing exactly what i had to do in case of an emergency.

congrats to your OH for his new job :):):):):):):):)

krustylouise

Hi,

I'm really sorry but there's no way I'd let DD walk to breakfast club alone. I am in the same predicament as DD currently goes to breakfast club from 7:45 so I start work at 8, however she's starting at a new school and their breakfast club only opens from 8, so I have had to speak to my boss (who is completely unforgiving and a downright bum hole) and have organised to start and finish 15mins later. Could you not discuss this with your boss/OH's boss? Legally they have to take flexible working into account. They don't have to say no, but you won't know unless you try. Good luck.