(1) Push your husband on his hours - is he really not able to handle the morning shift a couple times a week? Most places want you to stay late, but don't care or notice if you come in early.

(2) Look into this Friday only nanny share. A lot of families in the DC area are on compressed schedules, so don't need childcare on Fridays. That's your opening - either a nanny share, or a daycare - with a Friday only slot. Write your neighborhood listserve and you'll probably get a few responses.

(3) Get a half day babysitter for Friday afternoons. The only trouble there would be holding on to some one consistently when you're offering so few hours.

(4) Do you have back-up care? Between my employer's back & my husband's, we can cover 35 working days per year. That's a lot. If your employer had flexible schedules available after you've put in 6 months, then talk to your boss - you're not asking for the flexibility now, but hope it will be on the table after your first mid-year review. You could use the back-up care option to cover you through then, and then reassess what kind of childcare arrangement will work long term for you after that.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
However, my AP isn't even close to her hours, I just am very respectful of their weekends and only use ONE weekend a month for AP hrs, but now we go out nearly every weekend, so I pay a sitter or our AP, but it normally is our AP.

Wait. Just so I am sure I understand: AP is under 45 hours and you still pay her additionally to babysit if those hours fall on the weekend? Is this typical? We are looking into an AP but would require weekend hours due to our residency schedules. Are you telling me these need to be paid for separately? even if they fall into the 45 hour agreement and under 10 hours on a day?

What would be her weekly schedule?

4 10-hour shifts, MTW and Sat. 5 hours we figured to use for discretionary date time (flexible with APs schedule). But I've never heard of this before: paying AP for babysitting while she is still under 45 hours a week. Granted, we've never been an HF before so just gathering our info.

No, not a requirement, but I probably approach the AP program much diffently than most. I personally would never have an AP for kids not in school. I view APS as afterschool babysitters/ summer sitters/ drivers. I take the cultural exchange part seriously and am very aware that they view this as a travel program first. As long as they work hard when on and take the babysitting seriously, I offer great perks.

We've had nothing ,but great APs and a very positive experience.

If more people were like you, the program would be a success.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
However, my AP isn't even close to her hours, I just am very respectful of their weekends and only use ONE weekend a month for AP hrs, but now we go out nearly every weekend, so I pay a sitter or our AP, but it normally is our AP.

Wait. Just so I am sure I understand: AP is under 45 hours and you still pay her additionally to babysit if those hours fall on the weekend? Is this typical? We are looking into an AP but would require weekend hours due to our residency schedules. Are you telling me these need to be paid for separately? even if they fall into the 45 hour agreement and under 10 hours on a day?

What would be her weekly schedule?

4 10-hour shifts, MTW and Sat. 5 hours we figured to use for discretionary date time (flexible with APs schedule). But I've never heard of this before: paying AP for babysitting while she is still under 45 hours a week. Granted, we've never been an HF before so just gathering our info.

No, not a requirement, but I probably approach the AP program much diffently than most. I personally would never have an AP for kids not in school. I view APS as afterschool babysitters/ summer sitters/ drivers. I take the cultural exchange part seriously and am very aware that they view this as a travel program first. As long as they work hard when on and take the babysitting seriously, I offer great perks.

We've had nothing ,but great APs and a very positive experience.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here - DH has a 1 1/2 HR commute each way (DC traffic). Mine is 20 min each way. Hence, I get it from both sides.

We are going to try to shift morning schedule a little later and see if that works. We spoke to AP and she understood. We told her we will work not to go over hours. We also offered 3 more vacation days since we are now maxing her hours. She seemed ok. She noted that her 1/2 days off now aren't useful since all her friends are working or in school. We shall see when the new schedule actually starts.

If not, I like the idea of the nanny share but not Friday. Great idea.

Why are you hesitant about doing the nanny share on Friday? We had it on Friday, and it was great for our au pair because she got a three day weekend every week (and she took the opportunity to travel). I also told her I didn't care who was watching our child (between the two of them), so she would occassionally arrange with the nanny to switch the next week's day from Friday to Monday so she could have a four day weekend without taking any vacations days. She was watching a 5 month old baby with us (and working 40 hours a week) so we were happy to give her the flexibility.

We are nowhere near 44hrs, but give our AP every other Friday off. He loves it because he uses it as a travel day. He gets on the megabus and heads to NYC. He gets there by mid afternoon on Friday and gets pretty much a full weekend up there.

We're in a similar situation on Spring Breaks and will be in the summer when we don't have the afternoon preschool break for our current AP. DH used to work from home most days but right now we need the AP to work basically 8am until after we get home from work (9 or 10 hours depending on which one of us) so on the days when I'm home it's 7pm. So anyhow, what we need to do is free up a few hours on a weekday by getting a sitter to relieve her and that helps it work out okay.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
However, my AP isn't even close to her hours, I just am very respectful of their weekends and only use ONE weekend a month for AP hrs, but now we go out nearly every weekend, so I pay a sitter or our AP, but it normally is our AP.

Wait. Just so I am sure I understand: AP is under 45 hours and you still pay her additionally to babysit if those hours fall on the weekend? Is this typical? We are looking into an AP but would require weekend hours due to our residency schedules. Are you telling me these need to be paid for separately? even if they fall into the 45 hour agreement and under 10 hours on a day?

What would be her weekly schedule?

4 10-hour shifts, MTW and Sat. 5 hours we figured to use for discretionary date time (flexible with APs schedule). But I've never heard of this before: paying AP for babysitting while she is still under 45 hours a week. Granted, we've never been an HF before so just gathering our info.

It is not the norm to pay extra for hours that fall within 45hrs. But if the parents want to go out 3 Sat nights out of the month, it's pretty crappy for AP's social life and giving extra is a nice gesture.
But if you need 5hrs on a Saturday morning/afternoon, you shouldn't go into this thinking you have to pay extra for those hours. It's completely fine.

That makes perfect sense--very helpful, thank you.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
However, my AP isn't even close to her hours, I just am very respectful of their weekends and only use ONE weekend a month for AP hrs, but now we go out nearly every weekend, so I pay a sitter or our AP, but it normally is our AP.

Wait. Just so I am sure I understand: AP is under 45 hours and you still pay her additionally to babysit if those hours fall on the weekend? Is this typical? We are looking into an AP but would require weekend hours due to our residency schedules. Are you telling me these need to be paid for separately? even if they fall into the 45 hour agreement and under 10 hours on a day?

What would be her weekly schedule?

4 10-hour shifts, MTW and Sat. 5 hours we figured to use for discretionary date time (flexible with APs schedule). But I've never heard of this before: paying AP for babysitting while she is still under 45 hours a week. Granted, we've never been an HF before so just gathering our info.

It is not the norm to pay extra for hours that fall within 45hrs. But if the parents want to go out 3 Sat nights out of the month, it's pretty crappy for AP's social life and giving extra is a nice gesture.
But if you need 5hrs on a Saturday morning/afternoon, you shouldn't go into this thinking you have to pay extra for those hours. It's completely fine.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
However, my AP isn't even close to her hours, I just am very respectful of their weekends and only use ONE weekend a month for AP hrs, but now we go out nearly every weekend, so I pay a sitter or our AP, but it normally is our AP.

Wait. Just so I am sure I understand: AP is under 45 hours and you still pay her additionally to babysit if those hours fall on the weekend? Is this typical? We are looking into an AP but would require weekend hours due to our residency schedules. Are you telling me these need to be paid for separately? even if they fall into the 45 hour agreement and under 10 hours on a day?

We do this too actually. I definitely don't think it's necessary at all, but our "normal" schedule is 45hrs during the week M-F and she does a great job, so if we do ask her to work a weekend night, we pay her extra, even if technically she is under hours that week (for example, if Monday was a public Holiday or we were away for a long weekend or DH came home early one day or something like that).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
However, my AP isn't even close to her hours, I just am very respectful of their weekends and only use ONE weekend a month for AP hrs, but now we go out nearly every weekend, so I pay a sitter or our AP, but it normally is our AP.

Wait. Just so I am sure I understand: AP is under 45 hours and you still pay her additionally to babysit if those hours fall on the weekend? Is this typical? We are looking into an AP but would require weekend hours due to our residency schedules. Are you telling me these need to be paid for separately? even if they fall into the 45 hour agreement and under 10 hours on a day?

What would be her weekly schedule?

4 10-hour shifts, MTW and Sat. 5 hours we figured to use for discretionary date time (flexible with APs schedule). But I've never heard of this before: paying AP for babysitting while she is still under 45 hours a week. Granted, we've never been an HF before so just gathering our info.

Assuming you get a decent AP, the better you do for her, the better she'll do for you.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
However, my AP isn't even close to her hours, I just am very respectful of their weekends and only use ONE weekend a month for AP hrs, but now we go out nearly every weekend, so I pay a sitter or our AP, but it normally is our AP.

Wait. Just so I am sure I understand: AP is under 45 hours and you still pay her additionally to babysit if those hours fall on the weekend? Is this typical? We are looking into an AP but would require weekend hours due to our residency schedules. Are you telling me these need to be paid for separately? even if they fall into the 45 hour agreement and under 10 hours on a day?

What would be her weekly schedule?

4 10-hour shifts, MTW and Sat. 5 hours we figured to use for discretionary date time (flexible with APs schedule). But I've never heard of this before: paying AP for babysitting while she is still under 45 hours a week. Granted, we've never been an HF before so just gathering our info.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
However, my AP isn't even close to her hours, I just am very respectful of their weekends and only use ONE weekend a month for AP hrs, but now we go out nearly every weekend, so I pay a sitter or our AP, but it normally is our AP.

Wait. Just so I am sure I understand: AP is under 45 hours and you still pay her additionally to babysit if those hours fall on the weekend? Is this typical? We are looking into an AP but would require weekend hours due to our residency schedules. Are you telling me these need to be paid for separately? even if they fall into the 45 hour agreement and under 10 hours on a day?

What would be her weekly schedule?

Anonymous wrote:
However, my AP isn't even close to her hours, I just am very respectful of their weekends and only use ONE weekend a month for AP hrs, but now we go out nearly every weekend, so I pay a sitter or our AP, but it normally is our AP.

Wait. Just so I am sure I understand: AP is under 45 hours and you still pay her additionally to babysit if those hours fall on the weekend? Is this typical? We are looking into an AP but would require weekend hours due to our residency schedules. Are you telling me these need to be paid for separately? even if they fall into the 45 hour agreement and under 10 hours on a day?

We do a babysitter for 1/2 a day on Friday. Our AP does 4 10 hour days and a half day on Friday. I know many other families who do this

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here - DH has a 1 1/2 HR commute each way (DC traffic). Mine is 20 min each way. Hence, I get it from both sides.

We are going to try to shift morning schedule a little later and see if that works. We spoke to AP and she understood. We told her we will work not to go over hours. We also offered 3 more vacation days since we are now maxing her hours. She seemed ok. She noted that her 1/2 days off now aren't useful since all her friends are working or in school. We shall see when the new schedule actually starts.

If not, I like the idea of the nanny share but not Friday. Great idea.

Why are you hesitant about doing the nanny share on Friday? We had it on Friday, and it was great for our au pair because she got a three day weekend every week (and she took the opportunity to travel). I also told her I didn't care who was watching our child (between the two of them), so she would occassionally arrange with the nanny to switch the next week's day from Friday to Monday so she could have a four day weekend without taking any vacations days. She was watching a 5 month old baby with us (and working 40 hours a week) so we were happy to give her the flexibility.

What about Monday? If AP only works Tues-Fri, you'll have a few extra hours in case you run late or want to go out.