What do you do about emergency childcare?

[Ellie78]

Both from a familial and organisational PoV?

Son is sick and I'm going to nursery to pick him up.

I'm looking forward to the cuddles but I cannot miss tomorrow's work for all sorts of reasons

All my usual routes are proving fruitless.

And I'm generally annoyed that it's always me that this impacts on. My other half - whose job is far more established (civil servant)- always says it's impossible for him to miss a day.... Argh!

[Mariamadeit]

There is a nanny agency that does ad hoc cover for this, you have my sympathies though, it isn't easy.

[etta166]

Neighbours, friends, other people's nannies that you know, then emergency nanny from an agency in order of preference. In a total bind, I've worked from home with sick child in front of the TV or on my lap...

We also alternate who takes time off in emergencies, unless there is a very good reason to need to swap turns. I have to admit that I think employers are more understanding to mothers than fathers in these situations.

[BeccaL]

Sitters is the agency I think - try googling them. Feel your pain - we take in turns but as I work closer and am not freelance unlike husband am more likely to be first port of call. There is always the chance (depending on how old your child is) that a good night's sleep and plenty of Calpol will fix him - was always surprised by how quickly daughter bounced back. Fingers crossed for you

[cornelia]

My workplace is signed up with this agency and they can send someone on very short notice: http://www.tinies.com/childcare-agencies/nanny-agency-south-east-london/?pc=se22&t=1

Can be pricey but not as much as missing a day's work.... good luck, however it works out. x

[Indiana]

My work pay for 5 days a year for emergency childcare....but it can be booked in advance.

It used to be via a nursery but now its via a childcare provider where you can nominate local servcies/nannies....so they will basically pay the day rate for an emergency nanny for 5 days.

Check whether your/your husbands work don't have a similar policy?

[simonethebeaver]

Dulwich Childcare provided emergency childcare for us at a very decent price. Highly recommended. We ended up taking on our temporary nanny permanently and are very happy with her.

[oimissus]

is your OH your son's dad - in which case 50% of the childcare is his responsibility, so either he can take the day off or he can sort it out, if you've been the one to cover for every previous occasion.

DH and I split it. About a week after I started a new job DD came down with chickenpox - DH covered the entire 3 weeks (3 days a week) quarantine. Because he hadn't had to for the previous 3 years when I was at home. His work benefitted from the fact that I was a SAHM - now it's their turn to bite the bullet alongside my employer.

Sorry, I have zero tolerance for dads who won't step up for this kind of thing.

Rant over!

[Convex]

I'm with oimissus on this.

We share it.

[Monkey]

We used to share but now the hubby's a teacher so not easy.

[midivydale]

It is awful, i live in constant fear of illnesses. A hard one but I am with omissus too. Probably the scandinavian in me but ultimately it is impossible for just one person to take all the responsibility in a two income household.

[david_carnell]

As a fellow civil servant I'd give your OH a kick. If there is one thing the public sector is good for it's this.

You don't even have to take it as annual leave, but it is taken as caring for a dependent.

Easy peasy.

[Ole]

Threaten to withhold carnal relations unless he takes the day off. A civil servant who can't take a day off to look after a sick child???

[uncleglen]

Yes the public sector is very good with emergency childcare stuff- my male colleague has 2 young children and is off now and again when one or both of them are sick. His wife is a teacher too and they share the burden.......there is probably something definitive in the teachers' pay and conditions book- see your union rep or look on line

[esme]

Dulwich childcare do emergency childcare and babysitting :)

[Ellie78]

Thanks everyone

Stupid week. Son sick until Friday. We ( myself and husband) have a take away that night because we are exhausted and fed up. I get food poisoning. Hurray!

I feel I have somewhat maligned my oh. He is completely involved in childcare - he's happily looked after our son on Sundays whilst I desperately try to finish the phd, and does absolutely everything he can to support me. I

Shouldn't have moaned, I'm really lucky. We just haven't ironed out this emergency issue and it frustrated me. Because my work is technically far more flexible it ended up falling to me on default mode. He recognised that this wasn't fair.

But we have now sorted it out I think. He talked to his boss and said that from now he's going to take on half of this.

It's a really difficult thing to get right though, isn't it. My son went off to nursery on Friday not infectious or overtly sick but he really could have done with another day of rest I think. And I felt awful about that all day. And I don't like that my immediate thought when nursery calls is a quick 'I hope he's ok' followed by a terrified 'how are we going to do this!

I love nursery in many ways but these are the times I wish we could afford a nanny.

[RichJ]

Don't know if this is any consolation or not but affording a nanny wouldn't necessarily be the cure - our last nanny was sick way more often than our kids!

[Dulwich Childcare]

Dulwich Childcare are taking a number of bookings for half term at the moment if you need a short term Nanny!

We still offer emergency cover, ad hoc, temporary, permanent, long and short term nanny solutions so please get in touch!

Dulwich Childcare Team

Web: www.dulwichchildcare.com

Email: [email protected]

Tel. 0208 333 7431

Mob. 0797 136 7974

[sdurham]

Another recommendation for Dulwich Childcare. We used them recently when our daughter had chickenpox & need emergency cover for one day (similar issue where neither husband nor I could get off work for that day). Great service & we were very happy with the childminder provided.

[shelly2012]

Registered childminder . I do emergency childcare and childcare trou school holidays half terms .