linz3112

Hi all,

I was wondering what people, who work full time, do with their kids either after school or during the school holidays?

At the moment, i only work 9-3 (still in the UK) and have family and friends to help with Childcare during the holidays but obviously i won't have their support once we move so i was wondering what people do with their kids?

I would like to be able to work part time hours to fit school hours once we move but i know that these jobs are hard to come by. I also know that there are summer camps etc but that can work out expensive surely?

So basically, what do you do for childcare when you both work full time and throughout the hols?

Thanks

nikki dreaming

my youngest is in day care full time starts school next year, this goes all year round.

The same day care provides after school hours, so son gets bus straight from school to the daycare for a couple of hours until I finish work. In the holidays, he is able to increase his hours to full time as he has a space there during school time, works out fab!, they also provide cover for snow days etc

I pay $27 per day for the full time and $12 per day for after school.

linz3112

Thanks Nikki,

I know it must be different in each After School club but what kind of things do they do at the club?

If you don't mind me asking - how old is your eldest?
Our son will be about 7 by the time we move.

Thanks again
x

nikki dreaming

my son is 7, was 6 when we moved over, they have a separate area, they play games , watch a dvd etc, nothing that exciting, but its only for a couple of hrs, they just relax and have drink and snack etc after school. There are a few kids who go, in the warmer months they play soccer etc outside

linz3112

Thanks again.

The school clubs here don't have very good facilities for the older kids and some don't even have a separate area for them! The nursery that he went to before starting school used to have breakfast club and after school club with the pre-school room!

Luckily when my son started school, my boss agreed to reduce my hours to help.

Over there, it sounds more like the kids get to hang out with their friend's in the same way they would if they had gone straight home?!

Are you able to take the kids out of the full time care during the summer, if they want to go to Summer camps etc, without losing their place?

xx

nikki dreaming

I would have had to continue to pay the after school fee during the summer if he didnt go, in order to keep the place for September

Piff Poff

A lot of parents who both work will employ a live in Nanny. My Manager has a live in Nanny, she has two little ones, on is just starting kindergarten now and the other is in grade 1 or 2. My Mangers Husband works in Fort MacMurray and she is in retail so it makes sense and probably works out a whole lot cheaper than if there was regular hours and day care.

I know the prices I paid in the UK for childcare were horrendous and it would have been cheaper for a Nanny but I didn't have the space. I found that better school holiday care was available here for cheaper but I was able to get a homemaker shift at work so didn't need pre or post school care. It's one reason I went back to retail as I was able to get a shift that suited.

linz3112

Hiya!
Thanks for the reply,

I am thinking of going back to Retail once we get there too as i thought it would be easier to get a part time job.
I have also been considering trying to set up a business as i am quite a dab hand at Photography and Cake Making/Decorating. I have also thought about Ironing services etc. Will see what i can get when we move!
Child Care prices don't sound as expensive as they are here so that will help!

Thanks again
xx

iaink

Summer vacation is an expensive nightmare for those that dont have close friends or rellies to call on, or a stay at home parent to look out for them till they are old enough to take care of themselves.


Really thats partly the reason for summer camps, but that only covers two weeks of a two month or more vacation. It all adds up.

Piff Poff

IRONING! You must be mad, I HATE Ironing I'll do anything to avoid ironing


I used to pay 120 pounds per week for care for my little one in the UK, she went to the pre-school place that she went for breakfast and after school club, yep you guessed it all the the equipment was for pre-school age kids, it was all that was available, so you can imagine how happy she was when I was paying 100 dollarsish for weeks that she would actually enjoy, with equipment and activities suitable for her age group. I do agree though it is a financial nightmare.

Here in town one of the Catholic schools is year round, they only have 4 weeks off at summer, could be an option in other places too.

charlottyb

My kids go to the After School Club at their school which is $6 per child until 6pm. In the holidays I put them in Day camps through the local Rec centre which costs approx $200 per week per child!
I also used friends this year and paid them.
Or we juggle it between us so that we only have a week off together as a family.
I think the juggle is hard wherever you live.
In the summer it sometimes costs me money to work

TheThornes

In the UK I worked part time in a law office and, like you, had the support of family to cover the child care aspect. I'm now working part time again over here but with a job that fits in perfectly with my kids so I never have to worry about child care. I drive a school bus! My kids are 5 and 9 (today!) and, although I don't drive a bus to their school, it works out fine. They get on their bus at the bus depot as opposed to being collected near home and then meet me back there after school. Obviously, a lot of drivers get routes to and from their children's schools which is even better. The majority of the drivers are other mums, like me, who want a job that fits in with the kids. I obviously get all the school holidays off etc so never need to worry about childcare. The only downside is that I don't get paid during the summer holidays but at least I'm home with my kids having fun with them and not paying out a small fortune on child care.

iaink

Thats my OHs plan once offspring #2 is at school full time. I get the impression the money isnt that great.

Seems a bit of a waste of a Master degree to me, but as its in History I dont suppose I should be too worried about it The main attraction as you say is in coinciding with school holidays, snow days etc.

linz3112

I saw a job advert today for a School Bus Driver and thought it would be a good idea! Will definitely keep it in mind for when we move. I can always do Photography etc during the holidays to bring an extra bit of cash in!

ann m

I know about 8 people who started out doing the bus routes for schools for their first year or two in Canada.

It's slow to build up a network of friends or neighbours who can help out at short notice, let alone find longer-term good care facilties. But it will come, or you just accept it may cost a small fortune.

I did nothing, Starbucks, nothing, garden center and then nothing for the first two and a half years! (I can highly recommend the nothing part, if you can afford it )

Otherwise, get ready to book up - and pay for - numerous camps - and then work opposite weeks to your partner to sort out school holidays.

Honestly, it's a bit of a nightmare at the beginning 'cos we do all rely on friends and family quite a bit - or at least know they are a back up plan. But you'll muddle through and be all sorted before you know it.