School Hols – how to balance work etc.

“The previous posts/discussions were mildly entertaining that would just be tedious “

Au contraire: you’re moderately amusing.

Both Mrs Me and me work full time, me Monday to Friday, her Monday to Saturday with Friday off. We relocated oop north three years ago, away from family. Got two kids, both at school.

In term time we have to use a child minder to drop kids off and collect from school five days a week. Now, during the school holswe’re both still at work so still have to rely on child minder. However, since its holiday times we have to pay for all day cover. For August this is going to come in at c.£1k for the month. Now, we’re away for 10 days of that on a family holiday, but still have to pay the full child care costs. That winds me up. Obviously when the child minder takes holiday we dont have to pay her, but at all other times fees are charged.

For August this is going to come in at c.£1k for the month. Now, we’re away for 10 days of that on a family holiday, but still have to pay the full child care costs. That winds me up. Obviously when the child minder takes holiday we dont have to pay her, but at all other times fees are charged.

It’s the same with our nursery. You can understand it though – it’s not as if they can take other work on to cover the loss in income.

Classic post, amazed that having decided to raise a child your now asking on a bike forum how to deal with balancing work and childcare on a bike forum… God help mankind we really are doomed…maybe sit down with OH and agree if raising a child is something you think should be a serious decision or ask on here instead. Reign in the spending, downsize and one of U work parttime it worked for the previous generations.open

Raising children in expensive shocker…

This thread is ace. Bernard may not be lucky but we are lucky to have him. Keep it up everyone.

Never said I wasnt lucky…..

The problem is, bernard, that your posts imply that anyone can succeed if they work hard. Now the implication of that is that if you haven’t done well, you haven’t worked hard enough.

That’s a very damaging point of view imo.

Back on topic, have you considered cryogenicly freezing the kids for the summer holiday – would solve the whole childcare issue until term starts again, at which point you could just thaw them out?

Dear Mr Molegrips….Nope I disagree I think if you work hard you can succeed the measure of that success is purely your own measure of what you consider sucess.

I never implied that if you havent done well it is due to lack of hard work, I stated that in our case I beleive we are in the position we are in due to hard work and planning not luck.

Other than the fact I do not work and my wife does and we own our house (along with the bank) you do not know if we are ‘successful’. At no point did I hold up our situation as a measure of ‘success’ that was other members of the forum with their own agenda who said that and then tried to imply I was using it as a stick to beat people who are not in our situation.

nwilko – Member
Classic post, amazed that having decided to raise a child your now asking on a bike forum how to deal with balancing work and childcare on a bike forum… God help mankind we really are doomed…maybe sit down with OH and agree if raising a child is something you think should be a serious decision or ask on here instead. Reign in the spending, downsize and one of U work parttime it worked for the previous generations.

Not sure what your problem is tbh. I never said regretted my kids hadn’t got my own ideas or couldn’t afford the solutions. I have of course googled options myself. It’s a weaker man that pretends he can’t ask the advice of others IMO, and such is the diversity of life something I haven’t thought of may be posted by another.

How the **** did you surmise I somehow didnt consider raising my kinds as “serious”?

Idiot.

… and we own our house (along with the bank) …

You own a bank??

You own a bank??

well how else do you think I can afford not to work I have to fund the estate and fancy cars somehow and the nanny wont work for free

well how else do you think I can afford not to work I have to fund the estate and fancy cars somehow and the nanny wont work for free

See, some people make their own luck…

But hang on, if he owns a bank, and the UK government owns most of the banks since their luck ran out, does that mean we get his money?

Dear Mr Molegrips….Nope I disagree I think if you work hard you can succeed the measure of that success is purely your own measure of what you consider sucess.

I never implied that if you havent done well it is due to lack of hard work, I stated that in our case I beleive we are in the position we are in due to hard work and planning not luck.

😆 brilliant

I never implied that if you haven’t done well it is due to lack of hard work

I’m admittedly not very bright (I wasn’t lucky enough to be, unfortunately), but that is exactly what you implied. Actually, you pretty much stated it. Repeatedly.

What’s it like, being you?

binners – Member

I’m admittedly not very bright

+1

Although Binners, you are now a journo for one of the UK’s premier bike mags – was that luck or hard work on your part, and do you consider yourself to be successful?

😀

Unlike bernard I avoid hard work like the plague. Though this has had a consistently detrimental effect on my luck. Actually…. he may have a point after all. Curses!

😉

Go on then binners where did I imply that?

I don’t think I mentioned anyone’s situation other than my own

Unfortunately I can play much today much I have things to do

Now see, I’m not very bright and on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being red eyeballs work ethic I work about er, 7? I rely on a bit of luck.

I invested in Gold once and made £2.5k in six weeks. That was lucky. However, the Lottery has cost me more than I’ve won.

nwilko , your spot on.I’m with you on this one.I work with couple’s that say. I’m lucky that I can afford my wife to work parttime.there is no luck,do you think my wife’s likes cleaning offices five daysa week at four hrs every evening.we put our children first, we are not a two car family don’thave expensive phones,sky tv.our holiday coming up its 10days in the new forest.yet those who say my wife can’t afford to pack up ,.have two cars two iPhones -one is even paying £110 month for sky, other spending £ 2500 on a holiday abroad.my children break up today and my wife wil be with them every day.then go to her cleaning job.rant over.

Woooohooooooooooooo

Someone else has come along to tell us how ****ing great they are, and loftily pontificate on how much better (and morally admirable) their life choices are than everyone elses!

Oh goody! Do go on…….

The OP was, perfectly reasonably, after some advice. Not repeated lectures from the moral high ground of the Daily Mail corner 🙄

Coxy17 – What difference does any of that make to my OP, which is about organising our time in the School holiday period?

Why have people entered into lifestyle bashing on this thread?

Edit: Ah, realisation has dawned – as a family we I need to be a real man and force my wife to give up her career and take up meneal work, and my kids to expect less from life.

Well, thanks for that sparkle of advice, I’m choosing not to take it.

Because parenthood is about suffering, clearly. If you’re not consumed with bitterness at the rest of society, you’re doing it wrong 😉

Damn me to hell for enjoying myself working, at the expense of a higher quality of life for me children!

Hold on though – is this leading to the fact that leaving work and going on benefits is the best form of parenting – ie get paid enough, yet be at home all day?

Because parenthood is about suffering, clearly. If you’re not consumed with bitterness at the rest of society, you’re doing it wrong

Reminds me of when my brother went to his GP saying he had symptoms of depression (this was about a year after their first son was born). The GP said, it’s not depression, it’s called being a Parent – but the symptoms can be very similar. Give it 20 years and it will clear up of it’s own accord.

🙂

binners still waiting for you to prove where I have done anything other than describe how we got to our situation …you seem to be a balanced person I will admit it is lucky you have a chip on both shoulders.

Hello Mr Pot, meet Mr Kettle……

Bored now….

As I imagine I’d have more luck* explaining the nature of your posts to my desk, than getting you to realise why some statements come across as patronising, pompous, preachy, self-righteous, arrogant, and self-aggrandising controversial

* See what I did there?

binners still waiting for you to prove where I have done anything other than describe how we got to our situation …you seem to be a balanced person I will admit it is lucky you have a chip on both shoulders.

Does your head get cold?

here is ransos to join in right on cue maybe you can help binners out

the measure of that success is purely your own measure of what you consider sucess

Indeed.

I never implied that if you haven’t done well it is due to lack of hard work

You may not have intended to imply that, but you definitely did. Perhaps if you worked a little harder on your language skills…?

You said:

I disagree I think if you work hard you can succeed

So IF everyone can succeed if they work hard, then logically those who have not succeeded have not worked hard.

So IF everyone can succeed if they work hard, then logically those who have not succeeded have not worked hard.

did i say everyone?

bernard, I’ve never seen goalposts move on their own, so I’m guessing you’ve worked very hard and are being successful at moving them every few posts.

Biscuits anyone?

Bernard – another 50 posts and this be my biggest ever STW thread.

As you were…. 😉

Kryton, how do you feel about starting this thread now? 🙂

here is ransos to join in right on cue maybe you can help binners out

I think it’s pretty clear who needs the help round here.

How did you get to such a lofty station in life with such poor communication skills?

did i say everyone

Well in English, generally, we use the word ‘you’ in a non specific context meaning anyone. So I assumed you meant ‘anyone’. If you mean me specifically, then yes I can succeed if I work hard (although how you’d know that about me, I dunno). For the purposes of text-based communication you may find it easier to be more explcit. Something like this: “I believe you, molgrips, can succeed if you work hard.”

However, if you believe that SOME peope can succeed if they work hard, and some cannot, then what’s the difference between those who can and cannot?

molgrips – like i said i cant play much today, however I have enjoyed debating ‘luck’ with you.
I prefer to beleive that we are in our situation through hard work and planning and not ‘random chance’. I have never said i havent had ‘luck’, I have never held up my own situation as a success nor have I ‘implied’ that if you deemed someone elses situation as not a success it is down to not working hard enough. I have tried to keep the discussion about my situation not other peoples. I would prefer my kids to grow up beleiving that if you work hard and plan rather than leave it to ‘random chance’ you can be successful (how ever you chose to measure that. I think to say for example my wifes ‘sucess’ is down in part to ‘random chance’ belittles the work she put in to acheive her measure of ‘sucess’

You may disagree with this and that is your choice, you may interpret it in a different way to how I intend it to be interpreted that is unfortunate and maybe in part down to my language skills.