Move Closer to Work OR Family when having children?

ZeroSum

Is working from home an option?

Spendless

My friends who have solely relied on Grandparents for childcare have become unstuck when one or both Grandparent developed health issues or even unexpectedly died. That has happened when child/ren have been older too still at Primary school. I would give yourself a contingency/back up plan for childcare even if you do decide to go down the Grandparent route. 

oystercatcher

I am the grandparent and have been called for emergency childminding quite a few times recently as the nurseries refuse to take a child who is even slightly unwell. One family is an hours drive away and I really wish they could move nearer to us !

Spendless

oystercatcher said:

I am the grandparent and have been called for emergency childminding quite a few times recently as the nurseries refuse to take a child who is even slightly unwell. One family is an hours drive away and I really wish they could move nearer to us !

That's a really good point. Maybe the compromise is to move closer to family AND use some paid for childcare, to give the Grandparents a break but they're also on hand to help. 

Sky_

Have you considered living halfway between both, if this is possible, so that neither is too far. And mainly using a nursery, with grandparents doing 1-2 days a week and/or as backup care. 

It would mean that total work commute is about an hour a day, but that grandparents are also only 30 minutes away and possibly less than that outside rush hour times.