Shift Work and Childminding

allgirlz

I am due to go back to work in a few weeks and need to organise childcare, (daughter in junior infants) I will be working shifts (8-8/8-5) and my husband travels a bit with work so if your situation is similar, how do you manage? I am dreading going back to work to be honest, I would far rather stay at home with my daughter and hate the thoughts of shift work/working nights/weekends etc. The thing is I loved the idea of this job but the more I think about it the less I want to do it!!

Moonbeam

Some childminders will be able to facilitate you but maybe a nanny might be your best idea.
If you hire a nanny or childminder in to your house you need to pay them minimum wage and their prsi.

wmpdd3

I work in retail where the usual working week is 45 hrs and 1 late night (11-10). Days off are usually during the week. A few of he women in work have a creche 4days a week and a child minder for the late night. You'd be surprised how well this works.

The weekly changing hours / days are the worst problem, you'd need someone who will be happy to find out when that are working with 14 days notice.

The problem arises after 6pm, most creches dont cover this so you have to resort to a child minder too.

Kildrought

You must have some days off during the week though?

Perhaps you could have a standard child minder arrangement for the day time when you are working and also consider having an au pair at home to cover the odd hours and provide some help in the house.

bbam

I worked shifts for near 13 years and managed shift workers for most of that... to be honest unless you can afford either a permanent live in au pair, or have family near by, it's going to be hard..

Even at that I'm not completely comfortable with the whole au pair thing, both having someone living in my house full time or the feeling of having someone working for such a pittance..

By the tone of your post I get the feeling that you know this in the back of your mind...

Then there is the thing of homework... there needs to be someone there to support children with homework, no one only your self or your husband will really have the dedication to ensure it's done and understood..

Moonbeam

If you are using an au pair for full time childcare you would usually hire one with some childcare experience and pay them a little more.
If you don't need to go back to work and really do not want to then maybe cut down to part time or give it up.

allgirlz

Thanks everyone, I don't want to go back at all! This is hard as I am fighting with myself, we are ttcing at the moment too and have been for a while so its quite stressful allround. This job is permanent which is unusual in this day and age, but there are as many pros as cons, the money is not fantastic as there are all the levies associated with the HSE. So per month I am not sure its worth it. I have agreed to start the job but am not looking forward to it, I keep telling myself that I am being silly which I am sure I am being.
My husband is a contractor and very well paid so logistically we could survive just fine on his salary however passing up a permanent position at the moment seems crazy!
Sorry for rambling, I am a mess at the moment trying to work out my thoughts on this. Appreciate all the replies, I think I will have to do a big list of pros and cons, hopefully I can come to a good solution.

daheff

How do people get their kids to school where both parents work 9-5?

Do you have somebody drop them off or do you drop them off at 8 & go to work afterwards?

And what about after school?

we're nearly (in sept) at the stage where our youngest is going to school....so we're trying to figure out how to get him there...and keep our jobs.

Moonbeam

The childminder or creche usually so school drop off and collection.

Chief of

We are in a similar situation. Wife and I both work full time and have a 16 month. Currently wife's sister looks after the baby. She won't be able to do it soon so an alternative needs to be found as we both have to work.
My wife is looking at going down the au pair route but I'm not too sure. The thoughts of having a stranger living in the house and the guilt of paying them so little( I'll end up paying them more and defeating the whole purpose). Then I hate the thought of leaving the baba in a crèche from at least 7 to 6 every day plus the cost of that.
A nanny ? How much would that cost?
How does that work?

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated

Thanks

deisemum

Chief of wrote: »

We are in a similar situation. Wife and I both work full time and have a 16 month. Currently wife's sister looks after the baby. She won't be able to do it soon so an alternative needs to be found as we both have to work.
My wife is looking at going down the au pair route but I'm not too sure. The thoughts of having a stranger living in the house and the guilt of paying them so little( I'll end up paying them more and defeating the whole purpose). Then I hate the thought of leaving the baba in a crèche from at least 7 to 6 every day plus the cost of that.
A nanny ? How much would that cost?
How does that work?

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated

Thanks

You can have much higher heating, lighting and food bills if you have an au pair or someone come into your home that you wouldn't have if your little one went to a creche or childminder.

Themarshall

My wife has been asked by her friend to look after her 3 kids while the friend returns to work doing shift work. It involves my wife making herself available to mind these children sometimes only for one hour on one day in a week, sometimes for 2 hours on 3 days in a week and some weeks she's not needed at all, because of the way the shifts operate. She's being asked to only charge per hour which means per month some months she's coming out with less than €150. I would have thought she should be getting more than that for making herself available whenever she's needed, but is this normal? Would other child minders be ok with this arrangement or would they insist on having a more structured arrangement / income?

jlm29

Themarshall wrote: »

My wife has been asked by her friend to look after her 3 kids while the friend returns to work doing shift work. It involves my wife making herself available to mind these children sometimes only for one hour on one day in a week, sometimes for 2 hours on 3 days in a week and some weeks she's not needed at all, because of the way the shifts operate. She's being asked to only charge per hour which means per month some months she's coming out with less than €150. I would have thought she should be getting more than that for making herself available whenever she's needed, but is this normal? Would other child minders be ok with this arrangement or would they insist on having a more structured arrangement / income?

You should probably start a new thread of your own rather than digging up an old one. There's no solid answer. Some minders only take kids full time and get paid for holidays etc. Others are happy to do part time and get paid per hour. In a situation like your wife's friends, which looks a bit unusual, then I'm sure finding a minder who will just charge per hour is preferable.
Your wife can, if she wishes insist on a flat rate payment, but her friend can also go elsewhere for childcare. It probably boils down to whether your wife actually wants to mind the kids, and if she needs the money, or if it's just a handy little earner as a top up to your household income.
It's not exactly regulated. If your wife is Garda vetted, registered, insured etc, then she will probably have her pick of children to mind, and be in demand full time. It wouldn't be reasonable of her friend to expect full time places to be held just for those short hours. But it seems more of a friend doing a friend a favour scenario, in which case an hourly rate is acceptable, imo

jlm29

Also, I'm assuming the friend has a rota fairly far in advance, in which case your wife isn't making herself available all the time really. Unless the friend works on call and is literally dropping off the kids at the drop of a hat, your wife should know a couple of weeks in advance what the hours will be.