What do you do for childcare if you both work?

DevilsAdvocate1

My children did not like the after school club. The older two went to it for one term and only for one night a week. Its a long day for them and I think they just wanted to get home to chill out.

So I ended up registering as a childminder so that I could be at home and do the school runs. I was very lucky as I was the only childminder at their school, so I became full very quickly.

But things change. My husband works from home now. I'm now self employed but often work away. So when I'm away my husband and dad do the school run. My dad is a carer for my mum and I think he likes doing the school run as it makes him feel needed. He often does it even when I am available and could do it.

If I was in your situation I would cost it up and see how much better off you would be with your husband working full time. It might be financially better for him to work part time. There are 13 weeks of school holidays every year and the school day is only 6 to 7 hours long. So they are not there as much as you might think.

Also, when they first start they often pick up every bug going. So you might find they are off a fair bit the first term or two. Also, unless money was very tight, I'd probably leave finding a new job until the new year to give your little ones a chance to settle.

Good luck.

Spendless

Happier_Me wrote: »

Most before/after school clubs run from 7.30/8am to 6pm so you both need to work out a 'childcare run routine'. My eldest is now 10 and DH has always worked 8 to 6 so he has never been in a position to help with any form of childcare (a little bugbear of mine). I work an hour away from home so have to time everything to perfection. My childcare set up would definitely affect a job search for me as this means I am somewhat inflexible in terms of start/finish times.

This was exactly the problem I had and it affected me being able to find a part-time job, as the ones available here were outside of the childcare times and I also had a DH who couldn't guarantee he could help out as he spent part of the week working away. Part-time office jobs are practically non-existent here in the private sector. Ironically f-time jobs were better for 'set' hours.

Running_Horse

Could hubby consider shift/night work? That's what I do, with my wife doing office flexi hours, and a childminder filling in the gaps. It's not perfect, nothing in life is, but it more or less works, and I get lots of day time with my child while others are chained to a desk.