Joined: 17 June 2005 United Kingdom Posts: 3492 Gender: Female
Posted: 26 March 2008 at 5:01pm | IP Logged
Just called my local nursery with the best reputation to see about places for the twins in August just in case I need to go back to work (perish the thought!)
The twins will be 8 months by then- but there's no space in the baby room until the end of 2010! By then, of course they'll be toddlers, not babies!
The lady at the nursery said, in order to get a place in the baby room, mums need to put in a request as soon as they find out they're pregnant!
Joined: 17 June 2005 United Kingdom Posts: 3492 Gender: Female
Posted: 26 March 2008 at 5:29pm | IP Logged
I'm not sure I'd trust anywhere else around here to be honest. It's really looking like I'll not be able to go back to work for the foreseeable future- I'd be working just to pay nursery fees or childminding fees, which is just madness.
Joined: 12 June 2005 United Kingdom Posts: 5825 Gender: Female
Posted: 26 March 2008 at 7:04pm | IP Logged
I had this exact same conversation with a friend of mine who had twins in April last year. Her maternity leave is coming to an end and she's trying to work out if its even financially viable for her to go back to work. By the time you've worked out the cost of 2 wee ones in nursery, its hardly worth working...
Joined: 12 June 2005 United Kingdom Posts: 3030 Gender: Female
Posted: 27 March 2008 at 12:11am | IP Logged
Must be a gooden lynie, our schools are like that around here, i was advised to put Molly's name down when she was just 3 months old she has a place secured but i know loads of people who cant even get there children in - its a shame perhaps if they employed more people more children could get a place, good luck in finding a suitable nursery if not enjoy the time at home with them both, xx jue xx
Joined: 12 June 2005 United Kingdom Posts: 8670 Gender: Female
Posted: 30 March 2008 at 8:26pm | IP Logged
It's like that round here. I lost Tom's place when we came back to the UK for being too late registering him and had to go to a childminder instead - it cost me a fortune.
My fees per month for full-time nursery places (8am-6pm) amounts to 1000 squid. I can only just afford it, as well as pay a mortgage and all the other bills that come in. Fortunately, I get 70% of the fees paid for by the Gov because I'm low income and in employment. If I had a partner earning that would be stopped or at least reassessed. I guess it's a system that helps those that help themselves and encourages those capable to work and contribute to the economy instead of taking from it.
I love working though and couldn't bear being a sahm - sorry, but that's just me. If it wasn't financially viable for me to work, then of course I would do what is best for the me and the children, but work keeps me sane!
Joined: 17 June 2005 United Kingdom Posts: 3492 Gender: Female
Posted: 30 March 2008 at 10:56pm | IP Logged
OMG- Other folk's children in a domestic situation-No way!
I love my children more than ever, I feel so fortunate, and am actually finding raising the twins and finding time for my big ones challenging in a completely different way to when I just had two. I'm just so busy all the time just doing what needs to be done for 4 small children.
I'm lucky that my career is one I can pick up at any time after a break as I'm a teacher- although in saying that I know it'd be hard to find a permanent job again as there's been a flood of newly qualified teachers up here- for one job alone there was 350 applicants.
We've never been as skint as we are now- Stewart is just earning just enough to pay the bills and feed us all- and now I'm faced with the choice of trying to find childcare for twins- which as Diz said negates my wage pretty much. But I'm seeing this as a challenge. I'm having to budget for things and count the pennies and juggle my time between household chores and quality fun time with the kids- it's a bit like a new 24 hour career!
I do love my job but something I've realised is that these early years pass really quickly and I'd prefer to be skint but there for my kids at home during these formative years. I NEVER thought I'd say that.
I'm lucky in a way that Stewart is here and can provide for me and we have this option. If Stewart was to loose his job to redundancy again however I would have no qualms going to work full time and earning for the family and he could stay at home for the wee ones. I'd be sad, but do it in a heartbeat.
Sorry- are you still reading this? These are all the thoughts that are going through my mind at the moment...
Just reading back your post Zoe- through Stewart's redundancy and all we've been through this past year we've found that it's a system geared towards helping single parents. I was told about all the help we'd get if I was single and living on the money we were JOINTLY receiving at the time- but because we are together and married and had a mortgage and not rent we were entitled to nothing. I've worked since I was 16- payed my taxes and couldn't believe it at all. We couldn't even get help with council tax.
And- as you say- if I was a single parent I'd get help with childcare costs- but because I'm married I'll get very little help or incentive to get back to work.
And- isn't bringing up our own children adding to the economy and society as a whole? This is a job that all mums do- and is even more important than our other careers- it's devalued in todays western societies and is seen as the woman having a lack of aspiration.
Joined: 11 September 2007 United Kingdom Posts: 2098 Gender: Female
Posted: 30 March 2008 at 11:08pm | IP Logged
Awww lynie i know what you mean about kids growing up so fast. When i had my first i thought no it's not going too fast this is ok, but 2nd time round omg where has the time gone. For starters tomorrow is april the 1st and towards the end of the mth my little one will be 2yrs. It's just gone all so fast.
I think it's lovely that Stewart is there for you and is happy to provide and let you stay home and it's still lovely that you'd swap roles in a heart beat, it just shows your dedication to one another and your family is so strong.
You could always look into supply teaching when the twins get to the age where they can get the free government nursery places or look into teaching at night school (appologies if i've not twigged the age group you teach.... i'm getting a gut feelingnow it's primary! lol so forget that last bit... but i'll leaveit there in a hope it'll make you laugh!)
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Topic: baby nursery places
By then, of course they'll be toddlers, not babies!
