Advice on sending children to breakfast and after school club?

Kayalana99

Just wanted other parents opinion's really, currently our set up is Husband comes home at 6pm and I leave for work, I get home around 12:30am in morning and have around 6 hours sleep before getting up to do school run.

In theory it's great and money is good because no childcare costs, and we never have to worry about childcare but Husband is not happy about 'feeling like a single parent' which I get, and I end up being over tired all the time (esp since I'm working a phyiscally demanding job)

But if I go full-time during day, I would have to send kids to breakfast and after school club which works out at 8-6pm, I know part-time will be suggested but it's really difficult to find a part-time role that isn't a weekend or evening job or spread out over 5 days, so you're taking less money and more childcare costs as you'd be paying similar amount anyway esp during school holidays when most groups seem to be full days.

PrettyKittyKat

I presume you don't work full time at the moment due to the times you leave / come back.

If you work part time why would you need childcare costs? Is it for shifts that may start before school or end after school? Lots of people have part time jobs that are school hours, or a variety of shifts so you may only need to pay for afterschool club on some days. My SIL works 3 days a week, so pays for before/after school club on those days and my niece loves it! Infact she hates the days she gets picked up and can't go!

You may need to work a weekend every now and then in some jobs but if it means you get quality time with your family it may be worth it.

Have you had a look at what jobs are available with suitable hours in your area? Obviously depending on your current wage and the wage of these jobs will determine what the financial impact may be!

Kayalana99

I have been looking but everything is either full-time or silly shifts. I don't mind working odd weekend but as Hubbie works 6-6pm and goes to bed early even without doing the evening shifts, weekends are really our family time. I'd love to work 10-2pm, and not have to worry about CC costs but unf it's not that simple to find something with them sort of hours! We will have to take a financial hit regardless but I think it's something we're willing to do, but I just worry how kids will take being in full day CC.

I will keep looking for something part-time with decent hours but so far I've only found 1 in a school admin but I'm assuming they will get a lot of applicates as it's the perfect job for someone in my postion with kids as you get all holidays off etc...

Savvy_Sue

How old are your children?

I ask, because when I was running after-school clubs I used to suggest to parents that reception children shouldn't come to the club five days a week: it was just too much for them. And that was without breakfast!

Spendless

Totally understand where you're coming from. I could never find a p-time job that fitted in to available childcare hours either and my kids are now 18 and 15 - so that might give some indication of how many years we're going back that I looked for! Some areas just don't have p-time jobs like that, as you say the p-time jobs are early mornings or evenings or weekends.

I now work permanent f-time. What I would say is look at the hours in each job. Obviously I don't need childcare nowadays, but I work 8-4, which is a huge help in terms of taking my youngest to the various extra curricular stuff she's involved in. When younger 9-5 suited better because it eliminated the need for breakfast club.

custardy

Kayalana99 wrote: »

Just wanted other parents opinion's really, currently our set up is Husband comes home at 6pm and I leave for work, I get home around 12:30am in morning and have around 6 hours sleep before getting up to do school run.

In theory it's great and money is good because no childcare costs, and we never have to worry about childcare but Husband is not happy about 'feeling like a single parent' which I get, and I end up being over tired all the time (esp since I'm working a phyiscally demanding job)

But if I go full-time during day, I would have to send kids to breakfast and after school club which works out at 8-6pm, I know part-time will be suggested but it's really difficult to find a part-time role that isn't a weekend or evening job or spread out over 5 days, so you're taking less money and more childcare costs as you'd be paying similar amount anyway esp during school holidays when most groups seem to be full days.

we are the same really. We have a breakfast club (cheap and they pick up at the house!)
We used afterschool club for P1 to P3/4.
Now a slight change to my hours and getting older allows us to use various after school activities/clubs.
my son loved afterschool and used to moan if I collected him to early.

I get the single parent thing,however myself and OH do different things.
She does crowded busy things,Im more an adventurous day out type of person.

choccyface2006

A childminder might be more flexible and more cost effective than breakfast/after school clubs?

BrassicWoman

you're getting up after only 6 hours kip to do the school run and hubs is moaning about looking after his own children? Pthhtttth!!!!

Kayalana99

BrassicWoman wrote: »

you're getting up after only 6 hours kip to do the school run and hubs is moaning about looking after his own children? Pthhtttth!!!!

Haha. I think it's a bit of being on his own as well Monday-Friday. They are 4 and 5, youngest will be reception age in September.

It's annoying as the gap is 8-6pm, and I've noticed a lot of jobs start at 8am. I don't think a childminder would be more cost effective by far as I think a lot charge extra for drop off/collection, and I'm not 100% sure on what is out their on the childcare front, but we would not be entitled to any help with working tax credits due to my partner's wage.

I guess I will just see what I can find and hope for the best...partner is not really understanding the whole kids being in childcare 8-6pm thing atm but I will try talking to him again about it...

suejb2

How about school dinner lady or lunchtime supervisor.

custardy

suejb2 wrote: »

How about school dinner lady or lunchtime supervisor.

High demand jobs for the very same reason as the OPs issues.