School run Help!!!

Hiya I have 3 kids one goes high school and 2 go to primary 2 different schools in 2 different areas takes me an hour do school run drop my eldest off at 8.35 and 2 Little ones I get there for like 8.50. I used to work in day doing hard 9 till 2 just doing house keeping but kids were always off sick etc too. I decided find an evening job instead when partner is home from 6pm till 9pm you can ask work for flexible hours and they have to do this by law which means you can work say 10 till half 2 . Look up flexible hours. It sounds like you need change jobs I found working part time evenings better xi was always available for school runs and always here if they off sick or had assembly's xx

If flexible working is not possible, find a new job

Hi, I have a solution. It will take a while to implement. Set up your own child minders :)

You could do it especially if you work in child care already.

Alternatively do you really need to wait 10 mins in the playground in the morning?.

Some nurseries want lunch cover staff that would suit those hours, or are you too rural to have one close enough?

Keep an eye out for ta jobs at the school

I'm sorry but you shouldn't have committed to them hour if not possible, unless something changed after working.

I worked and when I spoke to them I made it clear I had school runs. They allowed me 15 mins lateness, which was more than enough TBH, and I always finished at 3 to get the kids at half 3. They used to kick me out the door sometimes if I was trying to finish a task.

Maybe this should have been spoken about before accepting the job. Maybe Dad can help and get an evening job when Dad's around.

Good luck

Firstly - I hope you are doing ok ❤️, this sounds really stressful and I hope you are speaking to your husband and support network to try and problem solve together as this isn't for you to shoulder by yourself. It really is a tough one to solve and I only have opinions and suggestions to give unfortunately, not solutions sadly x

First, get the kids names down on a childminder waiting list whilst you try and sort something. Someone may pull out or move so a space may come up quicker than you think and then problem solved.

Next, I would cut out the teacher and have a meeting with the head. You will be surprised how kind they can be and accommodating when they realise good families are struggling. You could say that it may only be a year or so as your eldest would then be old enough to stand in the playground with their sibling but they may think of something like the children sitting in the school office for 10 minutes reading a book. You would also be able to officially log a need for a paid breakfast club which they could then perhaps scout the need for. Schools can really help when the right people are asked.

I would be keeping an eye out for jobs at the school, your skills would be transferable as an LSA and again during that meeting you could jokingly say that your dream job would be at the school so please "keep me in mind"

Revisiting the childminding thing. Rather than the hours 10-2. You actually could start earlier and offer parents what you actually need. You may need a bigger car/minibus but you could childmind from 7.30 and then take all the kids with you. I know childminders that walk to schools to drop their own children off with prams of younger ones. Then you would do the same bring them to school for pick up. My child minding friends offer care until 6 or later st night so have to do both school runs. Something to perhaps think about in the future.

If there is one, I would be open and honest on any Facebook group or WhatsApp groups there is for your kids classes. There is bound go be someone who can help or gave a solution. Even if a little incentive was offered like "I would be willing to pay for a take away each week" It might help get to know some more parents if you are newx

You also need to future proof your plans, what will happen when your eldest goes to secondary school. That will likely be 2 different sites to visit? Just something to plan as I'm sure you never want to revisit this stressfully running around again.

Hopefully this has come across that im trying to help and not preachy lol. I'm genuinely rooting for you to find a solution and I really hope you do. Things will get easier. Good luck

I am trying. Ive spent every spare moment night and day for the past 8 months trying to find something that can work and I'm constantly looking. We live in a rural area, I've spent hours and hours pouring over jobsites, calling around schools and other companies trying to find something. It is incredibly difficult to find jobs where we are for the times that work for us. At the moment they just don't exist or not willing to be flexible.

Personally I'd be binning off your job and setting up on your own as a child minder or providing before and after school care.

If you are struggling I bet you any money others are also struggling

Is there a demand for a breakfast and afterschool club could you maybe arrange to set one up at the school and run a holiday club by hiring the school hall. We have some great holiday clubs in the area.

Being in a village you could then offer a youth club once a week for the older kids.

Wow!! How similar our lives are! I have twin sons nearly 2 and 2 daughter 8&9 and I work 9-3 4 days a week all year and have pretty much the same problem. Getting my eldest to school for 8:45 which is a 20 min walk from where I live as my kids ride bikes and then I have to be back for 9am which I start work and the childminder picks my sons up it’s stress! I’m exhausted. I have opted to reduce my working hours to 9:30 to 2:30 but with the strain on finances as a single mum with no help towards childcare it’s difficult! So reducing my hours will only make things harder. I would advise getting to know some mums attending school crafts or try the local children’s centre it’s hard for you as theirs no breakfast clubs or after school clubs which I would find frustrating. Maybe speak to a union rep in regards to working hours? I know my life would be easier with my twins in the same school as my girls as then it’s just a simple drop off and pick up.

wishing you all the best!! Xx

The bottom line is it is your job needs you to be there at a certain time and stay there until a certain time. Your kids need dropping of at a certain time and picking up at a certain time. If you can't drop of your kids early enough to get to work on time, or have to leave work too early, or pick up late, then you have to use childcare provision that can have them from when you need to leave until school starts and from when school finishes until you pick them up. You can ask if your job can be flexible, but I guess they can't if they open at a certain time and need you there before the kids arrive. If not, then that job doesn't work for you at the moment. The other thing that strikes though is, could you not set up as a childminder yourself and find other children who go to you child's school who need care with school runs to that school? Like if you are struggling to find childcare then I bet you there are other parents who are too?

Does the school your children go to have any teaching assistant/admin roles? Especially as you have loads of experience with children.

I'd leave ur job u will get universal credit to help till u find something. Kids come first u will find something xx

I was in a similar situation to you and in the end it just got too much. Running around tying to please everyone it really took its toll on me so i decided to leave work and concentrate on the children although my 2 Youngest have autism and other additional needs so it was an easier decision for me to make as my childten really rely on me. So I understand that leaving work might not be something you are thinking of but you could always go back to it when the children are older or you could try find some help. Maybe someone could drop off and pick up your children from school? I really hope It works out for you