We have flexible work schedules. Husband works from home 3 days a week and can often schedule around pickups if needed. I have a fully flexible schedule so block out time as needed for activities.

Carpools, but it sounds like your school situation may make that more complicated.

I only work PT, and DH works FT with a 10min commute. All 3 kids go to neighborhood public with bus transportation, and for elementary schoolers we generally don’t allow activities that are more than 10-15min from home/school.

Most families I see have either a SAHP or someone working PT or very flexible. Those who don’t, have involved grandparents. The rest hire a nanny/sitter. Others simply do not allow activities.

We have only 2 kids and I work part time. Our kids also attend neighborhood schools with transportation. These are all choices we made intentionally. What did you expect?

Anonymous wrote:Everyone I know without a SAHP seems to have local grandparents to help in a pinch. I've mentioned carpooling to a couple, but it sounds like I'd be the needier one and it wouldn't be equal because of that. Is it OK to try to carpool if it turns out the other family doesn't want/need the help thanks to grandma?

It’s fine to ask. Whether they accept is up to them - just be clear about what you can do upfront.

Everyone I know without a SAHP seems to have local grandparents to help in a pinch. I've mentioned carpooling to a couple, but it sounds like I'd be the needier one and it wouldn't be equal because of that. Is it OK to try to carpool if it turns out the other family doesn't want/need the help thanks to grandma?

We don’t do afterschool activities unless they are at the school.

If you have a 90 minute commute, then your Covid world is over and you have to go back to pre-Covid protocol. Or hire someone. You can’t keep this up if it already feels unsustainable- it can’t have been more than a few weeks of school!

Anonymous wrote:You’re 90 mins from one of the schools?

Is this right OP?

DH and I both work from home full time and quit by 4. Kids take the bus home after school and we book kid activities that start at 4:30/5 during the week. They are younger elem and so far the activities they have been in are not through the school. We also usually have an activity or two on the weekends during the school year. In your situation I agree you need carpools and/or a babysitter who can drive to make is manageable long term.

We have a HS sitter twice a week. I work 12s. I miss some of our kid’s activities.

You either don’t work in the afternoon and evening, or you hire a sitter who can drive.

Even with the above, you also need to be using carpools if you have 3 kids.

Finally, if you can find activities that the kids can walk/bike to themselves, that’s really helpful.

You’re 90 mins from one of the schools?

DW has always worked PT from home. That’s how we are managing three kids and activities.

A lot of people in my neighborhood either don't work (SAHM) or have an au pair/nanny deal with it for younger elem.

I have a hybrid work schedule and we now have kids in two different schools. All kids don’t attend our neighborhood school and the commute adds a level of complexity to everything. The schools are great so we want to maintain that. We are just finding it increasingly more difficult to get three kids in afterschool activities when we live farther away.

I’m curious how everyone is managing work schedules and afterschool activities. If I need to be at school at 5pm when my elementary student finishes an activity, I have to leave work at least by 3:30pm to make sure I’m there on time. That doesn’t feel sustainable.

Pre-pandemic our kids just didn’t do activities because I was commuting 5 days a week and there was zero chance I could leave to take them to activities. But I also don’t want to go back and cut everything cold turkey.

Is everyone leaving work at 3pm to get their kids from school? After I got home from bus pick up, I ended up working again from 8-11pm.

Finally got to bed and was up again at 5am. Parents with multiple kids and at least 1/2 activities per kids, how do you manage??