After school club

[NatJ]

Hi all,
I am just wondering if any of you do or know anyone that does a before and after school club only? I have only one little boy with me at the moment and my own little boy is really struggling with the changes. I feel it would be a good way of settling him in without having children around all of the day. I'm just wondering if anyone could give me advice on how it differs from the under fives and how people find their after school children? Also, if anyone does this, do you also offer holiday clubs and what contracts do you use? Thanks for any advice anyone can give x x

[sarah707]

Older children's needs are different from the little ones - ours need lots of space to move around after sitting in school all day and go through a lot of resources!

I suggest you go and see an after school club locally - see what they offer :D

[NatJ]

Thanks sarah707. That's a great idea x x

[chris goodyear]

Hi all,
I am just wondering if any of you do or know anyone that does a before and after school club only? I have only one little boy with me at the moment and my own little boy is really struggling with the changes. I feel it would be a good way of settling him in without having children around all of the day. I'm just wondering if anyone could give me advice on how it differs from the under fives and how people find their after school children? Also, if anyone does this, do you also offer holiday clubs and what contracts do you use? Thanks for any advice anyone can give x x

After school children eat more, are louder, need more room and often need more entertaining! Saying that if I've had them since young I couldn't give them up when they start school. It could work for you and gives you time with just your little boy and hopefully he will be able to adjust gradually, if you can afford it then give it a go.

[moggy]

Depends on local demand- a lot of schools are opening in-house before/after school clubs. Check out your local schools- where could you walk to easily, or is it going to be by car- how many can you fit in your car... these are all factors you need to work into your calculations. What is on offer already or what do schools have planned for Sept 2017? and talk to parents to see what they need- maybe try asking on a local FB parents page.

[NatJ]

Thanks everyone. Just had a friend get in touch saying her sons school is closing their after school club having given parents a weeks notice, so am taking on her son and hopefully can pick up more children once starting. With regards to your older ones, do you feed them a meal in the evening or a something lighter such as scrambled egg or beams on toast? Only just started so I'm trying to get ideas x x

[BallyH]

I look after 'before & after' school children as well as EY. I find they demand more of me than the EY's children. I've had some of them for 8+ years now. They seem to want to 'off load' their day as I'm frantically preparing dinner, changing nappies and cutting strips of sellotape all at the same time. Some days they decide not to speak to anyone else the next day they love everyone!
But I do think I've got it easy as they all started at different times. Not sure how I would manage if 6 school children started in one week.
I'm now at a stage in life that I try not to have them during the school holidays as they don't always want to mix them with 3 four year olds and I have found in the past that all my attention will go to one 9 year old and the EY's entertain themselves. So I now will only do emergency care if the parents can't find anyone else.
As other's have mentioned they are noisy, always hungry and use a lot of resources. Plus they 'try their luck' a lot! And they come with a big mixed bag of different parenting styles. But they provide a lot of laughs, tell lots of 'tales' about home and I really do enjoy their company.

[NatJ]

Thank you for all of your comments. I definitely think I'd struggle if I had little ones too, which is why I think I might just do before and after school and the one little boy I have, who also only does term time. I appreciate all of you help, thank you x x