Fiona&malc

I need your advice, my youngest starts school on 1st of Feb and im now in a postion to look for work, ive been really lucky and found a job straight away doing what ive always done (finance) but ive to call back tomorrow and advize whether im accepting the job or not, however ive just be thinking (and yeah i know i should have thought about this earlier) but what am i going to do on school holidays, i dont have my mum here to look after them, is it really worth it?? and ive also got this guilt now that i wont be able to pick my youngest up from school, ive always picked Louise up since shes started and this job ive been offered finishes at 4.30pm so id need to put the kids into after school care, which again i feel guilty about. I should be feeling happy that ive found a job with decent money, but i now feel sad and guilty

just wondered what all you other working mums do ??
any advice greatly appreciated

Fee x

steandleigh

Does your daughters school do 'vacation care'?

Failing that...
You could hire a childminder for the holidays...(get a pro though...)

OR hire a nanny or nannyshare with another mum...

Lots of resorts with kids clubs do vacation care...

Some sports centres do all day / all week vacation care with sports / movies / arts and meals etc but that tends to be for kids 8+...

Do you have a friend willing to babysit and offer to pay them a decent wage?

Hope all turns out well for you and yours . x

232Bar

If you don't take the job you won't have the spare cash to do all the 'fun' stuff with them when they are off school. Might find they are quite happy to go to after school club

SarahB

Give it a go and see what happens....sounds like a good job!!

My son is only 2 but I want to go back to work part time and I'm having a nightmare trying to find any decent part time work here.... so you are very lucky to find a job that you will love, so quickly.... anyway, hope you make the right decision for you!!

SarahB

SarahB

So true!!! Because we only have the one income coming in right now I have absolutely no money at all to take my son anywhere or do anything with him.... its frustrating and making me depressed.

chatty34

[QUOTE=Fiona&malc]I need your advice, my youngest starts school on 1st of Feb and im now in a postion to look for work, ive been really lucky and found a job straight away doing what ive always done (finance) but ive to call back tomorrow and advize whether im accepting the job or not, however ive just be thinking (and yeah i know i should have thought about this earlier) but what am i going to do on school holidays, i dont have my mum here to look after them, is it really worth it?? and ive also got this guilt now that i wont be able to pick my youngest up from school, ive always picked Louise up since shes started and this job ive been offered finishes at 4.30pm so id need to put the kids into after school care, which again i feel guilty about. I should be feeling happy that ive found a job with decent money, but i now feel sad and guilty

just wondered what all you other working mums do ??
any advice greatly appreciated

Hi Fee
I am having exactly the same thoughts. I started a new job on Monday, I have gone full time for the first time since I had children and it means my 14yr old daughter must now walk about 1km to my sons school to pick him up and then they will both have to get the bus home.
I have always picked my children up from school and am feeling terribly guilty about not being able to do that anymore.
I am also going to have to look into some kind of school holiday care for my 11yr old and feel bad about that too.
I have to look at the positive side and that is that we will have more disposable income, meaning a nicer house and will be able to do more at weekends and have nicer holidays.
I do also believe that it teaches children to be a bit more independent and hopefully more organised which for my two wont be a bad thing as I am realising lately that I really have done everything for them, admittedly I have been happy doing it that way but dont know that it has taught them a great deal about life.
So I am looking forward to more Independence on my part more on my husbands and children's part and more money for the pot.
In reality I will probably just run around after them all more than I do now and spend more money on them to make up for the guilt
I say go for it, I did and will just have to cross each hurdle as it comes. Better to take the job and see if it all works out than to knock it back and not know.
Good Luck!!

Fiona&malc

Thanks for all your advice, i really appreciate it.. I phoned the after school care and they dont have any places at the moment so the kids are on a waiting list !
My cousin (who isnt always the most helpful at times) said she could help out and pick the kids up sometimes, failing that i call tomorrow and ask if they could consider letting me finish early, then i risk them withdrawing the offer, nothings easy is it! i mean the extra cash would be wonderful, but these are times when you miss your family stepping in to willingly help you out.
i think i'll have to sleep on it and work out something, either way i would really like this job!! will keep you posted.

NickyC

When my kids were smaller we coped with school holidays by:

1. Husband and I would each take a few days off seperately. That way one or other of us would be around for at least some of the time.
2. We would share the holiday care with a friend. When we were at home, we also had their kids; when they were at home, they had ours.
3. They'd spend some of the time at either school holiday care, sports camps (excellent one run by the UNSW just near us) or holiday care run by the local council.

I preferred to vary where they went so it was more variety for them. The school based care did some local excursions (like the movies) but tended to stay in the same place and run games, handicrafts etc

The UNSW sports camps were fantastic as the kids had the run of all the sports facilities (pool, gym etc) at the uni. This was my kids favourite as they could swim every day and try lots of different activities.

The council-run care was also excellent and they did some fantastic excursions to places I would never have gone to.

Best way to find out what's available is to ask other working mums in your area what they do.

Siren & Brian

How old are the kids, what years they in, where do you live. There are plenty of peopel that all they do is after school care from their homes. They can pick kids up from school take about 6 kids max and they just stay at their home till you pick them up. All registered trained etc.

moneypenny20

This is my major headache at the moment. Like others I haven't worked since having the girls so over 13 years. First off I have no idea what I want to do but really want to do something. Hubby has a job and the girls will be at school so I don't want to be the larry loner who wants to go home to her mates

But hate the idea of not being around during the holidays. Shame there aren't unlimited jobs in schools earning loads

Will start looking properly after the 23rd when school starts but who knows what for

Fiona&malc

My kids are 8 and 5 , the youngest starts school this year.
I will phone the council today and see about what you mentioned, i take it thats called the equivilant of a child minder. Thanks for your help anyway

Fiona&malc

I know what you mean, working in a school would be the perfect solution wouldnt it.
You should register on www.colesmyer.com.au i know they can let you know when any jobs come up for Coles, K-Mart, Myers etc

Good luck

Mrs Rangersman

I have had this problem, where abouts are you? Where I live there are loads of day care centres that do before/after school and vacation care. My 6 year old has had to go to 2 different places and both have been ok. A few open from 6.30am mostly 7am until 6pm. The cost is about $10 per session and I pay $47 a day vacation care, they go various excursions i.e. skating, movies, bowling etcWith family assistance depending on how much you earn you will get soem rebate on child care plus tax deduction. Ring the local shire daycare centres or look in White pages.
Hope this helps, the guilt lessens and children are very resiliant.
Nicola

Fiona&malc

Hi Nicola, I am in Northern Victoria, Mildura, which is pretty much the middle of nowhere so my choices are more limited than if i was in or near a city, im going to head down to the sports centre today and see what (if any) programs they do.
And thanks for the tip on the guilt, im really bad at feeling guilty when i know i shouldnt

Parker

YOu can look on www.childcare.com.au for lists of child care options available in your area.
If you can't get the kids in after school care and vacation care in the school they attend then there are often local groups run in churches/town hall etc and they will have staff who will pick them up and take them there.
Failing that there are family day carers (child minders) who will pick them up and look after them until you get there. And they may also offer vacation care.
There are also private vacation care clubs. Your local council will be able to give you all the options for you to look into.
There seem to be always a wait list so get them on it asap.

I am returning to work next week after 6 months off. My daughter is 17 months old and will be attending day care full time. I am also finishing at 4.30 and consider myself lucky to have found a job which allows this. Not too many companies are family friendly over here, I've found.

It breaks my heart to leave my daughter. And it breaks my heart that I will never be able to pick her up from school or be there in the holidays. So I completely sympathise. Good luck with finding care.