Schoolie not worth it?

[snufflepuff]

I have a LO who comes at 8.15am and i take him to school.
I am also contracted to have him full days for 5 weeks of the school holidays per year.

It is a 30 minute walk to school, and i have LOs in a double buggy. If we use the car in takes just as long with all the hassle of carseats and buggies and so on.

I do all this for £7 a day and im really not sure it is worth it. In the winter i am going to really hate having to drag the LOs out in horrible weather to get him to school.

Im also worried about when i am to have him whole days- he is a lovely boy but all my other mindees are one year olds. Im worried he will get bored and annoyed with the toddlers- im not sure how i will keep him entertained while caring for the LOs.

Plus he is effectively taking up my last under 5's space- i have had enquiries but they want to start at 8/ 8.30am. I can't take them on because i'd never be able to get 3 LOs and this lad to school each day. The only option would be to hope for someone who wants to start at 9.30am or later, once im back from the school run. Even if it were an older pre-schooler, its too far for them to walk every day.

I dont want to let Mum down, she was so desparate for childcare because of various problems at home and work, so i really did want to help her. I wouldn't know how to explain that i cannot do it anymore!

[flowerpots]

i thought that onc thy startd full time school they are classed as being out of the eyfs age range????

instead of stopping minding the little one, i would charge a set amount for the school run £10 minimum to make it more worth while, and as for the holidaycare, you might find that he helps 'entertain the othr lo's' (mine does).

hope this helps.

[suzyblue]

I have a similar problem coming up...what about saying that you can have this little boy but are finding the school run difficult (or impossible) Maybe someone passing yours on the way to school could take him?

[snufflepuff]

i thought that onc thy startd full time school they are classed as being out of the eyfs age range????

Yes they are, i just mean from a practical point of view i cannot have 3 eyfs aged children with me when im doing the school run- i already have 2 one-year-olds in a buggy, and its too far for LOs to walk. So i could only take on a 3rd child after dropping him off, but not many parents start work at 9.30am or later, they all need care to start earlier.

[snufflepuff]

Maybe someone passing yours on the way to school could take him?

I dont think there would be anyone, i life close to a different school so anyone in the areas would be going there, whereas his school is 30 minutes in the oppsoite direction.

[suzyblue]

You might have to let the mum know the situation and see if she knows anyone that could help out.