My kids really enjoy their school's aftercare and that's where most of their friends are after school so it's not important for me to work school hours. In fact, I was a SAHM for DS's first couple years of ES and he was begging me to go back to work so he could go to extended day with his friends.

I love my schedule -- I'm in the office by 7:30 while DH handles the a.m. w/ the kids. Leave by 4:30 to get them by 5:15, which gives them 2 hours of playtime with their friends. I then handle dinner/check homework while DH works later. I also WAH on Wednesdays. On that day the kids come home on the bus, unless they have some enrichment class that day. I plan for all dr. appointments, home services, etc. to come that day so I'm not having to break up my in-office days too often. I also often will meet a friend for lunch on that day if I don't have to take time for another appointment.

Since your schedule is flexible, I would look into the various childcare options and see what looks best to you.

There's a fantastic after-school program in my neighborhood with arts enrichment that I would love for my kids to have, but isn't otherwise available on the weekends. So I'd definitely sign them up for that in your shoes - but if the after school program was less impressive, then maybe I'd choose something else, like an after school sitter who can take care of some child-related chores for us to make our lives easier.

Working school hours is my preference. If I couldn't do that, I would want to hire someone to be at my house from 3-6 who could handle the school run, supervise homework, start dinner and get a few things done around the house so it wouldn't be so overwhelming when I got home.

Would going PT be problematic for your career? Where I work, slightly reduced hours are no big deal, so a 35 hour work week (with frequent telecommuting) works very well. I mostly work during school hours, with a couple early mornings and one later night, with DH and neighbors stepping in on those days. I also put in some hours at night.

If you work well in the morning, before care may be the way to go. If you find shutting out family commitments for awhile lets you be more productive, you might do well with a couple longer days balanced by a few short days (my one long day is by far my most productive). Think about what might work best for your kids too. Mine are early risers, so getting everyone out in the morning is pretty easy. One found K to be a very long day, so aftercare wasn't a great fit - though now that he's older, he enjoys the time to play with friends.

Anonymous wrote:I really like working two long days (from 10-12 hours on those days) and then working shorter days the other days, so I am able to do before and after school on those days. It is actually great for the family, because my spouse has to be the one in charge after work on those two days and it makes things much more equitable in the marriage. Also, I can really crank out work on those days.

Nice to see an example that involves two parents!

I really like working two long days (from 10-12 hours on those days) and then working shorter days the other days, so I am able to do before and after school on those days. It is actually great for the family, because my spouse has to be the one in charge after work on those two days and it makes things much more equitable in the marriage. Also, I can really crank out work on those days.

My ideal schedule has been working during school hours, which means about 6 hours days from 9:30 - 3:30 (totaling 30 hours per week, or PT). If you could have someone else take your kid(s) to school, would it be possible for you to work 7:30-3:30 and still pick them up, as you'd planned to do? This would require a flexible partner, less of a commute (though it sounds like you work from home), and a breaking in period where you learn how to work while your kids eat breakfast or pop in to say goodbye before school starts. That would work for me.

My ideal schedule is early, on the condition that morning care is a nanny that comes to the house early.
However I find that harder to come by for part time care.

I know this question has been asked before but I have a slightly different take. I am a researcher, been working full time for my employer for 6 years. Two kids. Hours are super flexible. I make up hours at night or on the weekend as needed. Can take leave without approval. Basically heaven. Except that I find it really hard to get good work done when my hours are all broken up during the days. Older kid is entering k next year and my plan had always been to drop to a formally reduced schedule and pick her up after school. Well, it turns out I'm really into my work right now. Don't really want to lean out. But I do need to set up a childcare situation that works for me. I could work during school hours and every evening. I could get early childcare a few days a week and get in a full day but come home early. I could do aftercare and work a normal 42.5 hr week. Really can't figure it out. What would be your ideal schedule?