Childcare at 7.45am

Spendless

Childcare start and finish times still bind me with what I do work-wise and mine are older!

Re- letting them walk to the breakfast club. First have you checked that the breakfast club will allow this? Mine doesn't, all children have to be taken into and picked up by an adult.

My DD, who is 11 next month walks to school with a group of 4 other girls. Today she fell down, hurt her head and cut her knee badly. Fortunately I hadn't set off for work when they all returned to my door. You need to think about what if something like this happens on the way to the breakfast club and how they would manage.

Re where else to ask about more flexibile childcare. Do they have a childrens centre connected to the school? Ours has a folder full of available childcarers. We also have a private nursery that has extended it's age rage to take upto 11year olds (until 12th birthday) and that does morning and after school runs.

Ask at the school or breakfast club, see if you can pair up with another parent dropping off and you drop off at their house and they take kids. Return the favour by helping out with theirs in the school hols.

supersaver2

daisiegg wrote: »

Don't know about the OP's school, but at ours, the computers automatically power down at something like 8pm.

I don't envy the situation. I would not be comfortable leaving children of that age to walk alone. But I do sympathise with the OP feeling like she has few options

Same at my school, all power is off at 7.00pm and this morning I counted 17 minutes for my PC to start up and get my register open!

Only you know your children OP, definitely call the school and ask their advice, they may have an option you haven't even considered.

I wouldn't be worrying like some on here about strangers abducting your children, my main worry would be traffic. I was nearly mowed down yesterday with my dogs at traffic lights even though the green man was on, the roads are so busy and there are some really bad drivers out there.

Good luck, hope you get sorted, and congratulations to your OH.

Buzzybee90

5 and 7 :eek:

I grew up in a very safe place and I think I was 12 or so before I could go out with my friends around local villages.

bylromarha

supersaver2 wrote: »

Same at my school, all power is off at 7.00pm and this morning I counted 17 minutes for my PC to start up and get my register open

Shush - don't be telling me 17 minutes to get the register up

supersaver2 wrote: »

Good luck, hope you get sorted, and congratulations to your OH.

Thank you. So proud of Mr Byl.

GwylimT

Do you guys use the dreaded sims? Our system doesn't 'open' until 8:15 to login to sims and then it is one big rush as everyone does it at the same time, as registration is between 8:40-8:50 it isn't uncommon to scrawl down a written register, more of a pain is that if the register isn't completed by 9 all children who aren't confirmed on sims have phone calls home, pain in the bum.

Does the breakfast club let them go on their own, at my daughters current school they have to be dropped off by an adult or an older child e.g. sibling as long as mum and dad okay this arrangement.

My son started walking to school when he was eight, I would feel it he was unable to walk somewhere sensibly and safely at that age we had failed as parents to be honest.

bylromarha

Person_one wrote: »

I know (and know of more) a lot of children who've been protected by school staff who might just disagree with you there.

Whilst walking to and from school? Why aren't the school staff in school?

Person_one

bylromarha wrote: »

As a teacher, I think the world has gone child protection mad and it is ridiculous that everyone is guilty until proven innocent with their DBS check. My old headteacher and I agreed that it has gone too far the other way. When did schools get to say that they knew the children better than the parents did?

bylromarha wrote: »

Whilst walking to and from school? Why aren't the school staff in school?

Its clear what I was responding to. Defend it if you think its defensible, don't pretend you didn't say it!

GobbledyGook

bylromarha wrote: »

If what happened at my school?

I have never known of any case in any school in the 2 counties I have worked in to have a child abducted off the street and dragged into a car. I have known of kids be flashed at when walking through alleyways.

However, 3 children throughout my school career have been killed in car crashes.

I have known of several more kids who have been systematically abused by relatives and people known to them.

As a teacher, I think the world has gone child protection mad and it is ridiculous that everyone is guilty until proven innocent with their DBS check. My old headteacher and I agreed that it has gone too far the other way. When did schools get to say that they knew the children better than the parents did?

There is no arbitary right age for this sort of stuff. I know of a 14 year old who cannot cope with crossing the road safely. He has to have an adult tell him when to cross as he's never been helped to make those speed judgements for himself and the mum insists he can't do it, and doesn't enable him to learn to do it "because he can't do it" So he never will.

In all the time I've worked in schools (almost 10 years and as I did learning support I was in at least 3 schools a week) I've never known a single child be abducted by a stranger on their way to, or from school.

I know of at least a dozen abused by members of their family, one by the husband of a babysitter and another left home alone by their negligent mother.

Oh and one man whose van was attacked when he was suspected of being a you-know-what because he was seen 'hanging about' a school three days in a row. He was the boyfriend of a supply teacher whose car was in the garage.

I often wonder if its the fact that it was my parents who abused me and my father's family who utterly let me down that means I have a sensible (imo) sense of perspective when it comes to stranger danger. It baffles me that people are so over-protective and then whinge and moan when 12/13/16 year olds are incapable of doing things for themselves.

Anyway good luck OP. I hope you get it sorted.

GobbledyGook

vsdio 233e289df f1h89hed1 9312p3`9udj09f`2[fu09dn`[2d`d12`-

Apologies! /\ is the two penneth worth of my 3 year old. That'll teach me to not pay attention when he wants to 'tippy tap buttons'

bylromarha

Anyway thanks for the helpful ideas.

Will investigate a regular taxi driver - could work well if both the taxi and I leave home at 7.50am. Kids arrive at the right time plus we can cancel it if hubby has an 8.30 start.

Will also ask school office to see what other parents do if they need an early start and if they know of any childminders not on the county website or on yell.

Thanks for the helpful ideas - knew there must be more than 1 option open to us.