Single working parents.

[Mum2Lucas]

just out of curiosity i was just wondering out of the single parent's who are working part time and get given their hours per week. how do you go with working out childcare and stuff? I'm looking at working and my mum works too. and i just don't know how to work it out if i get hours that change every week. i saw a job at the cinema's the other day that i want to apply for and my friend can get me a bar job where she works too so i'm just trying to suss it all out before i do anything.

[justme77]

morning,
I work full time but my boys are at school so its a different.
If you are thinking about taking on a job where you would be working weekends or after hours, then maybe family daycare is a better option? rather then an actual centre. problem being they are almost impossible to get your kids into-well at least I dont know anyone who managed it.
Basically with daycare though, if your booked in and dont even use that day you still have to pay. and often it actually works out cheaper to have them booked in full time rather then for few days.

[SimplyMum]

I am a single working part-time and studying part-time. I have set hours though. If at all possible I would reccomend trying to get a job in an office because of 2 reasons. 1.They usually pay more and 2. you know your hours week in and week out.
When I was looking for a job, I stated that I needed to have a minimum hourly rate of $20 because otherwise it wouldn't be worthwhile me even having a job (childcare and everything). Well, they didn't give me $20 but I'm on $19 so close enough.
My daycare is really good as well, for the 2 days that I work DS goes they're from early in the morning. I can drop him off anytime and pick him up anytime and they give him breaki- I love it!

It can be good, but you've got to work out other considerations. Where you're willing to travel to, what for a min hourly rate etc...

[SweetSerenity]

Hi there...

Im currently on break but was a working single mum for a long time.

I worked 3 days per week in pharmacy. One of those days (being sunday) my son stayed with his father, and the other two week days, I was lucky enough to have Peter stay with my mum.

I am going to go back to work pretty soon though as money is tight, and depending on the days I get, I will most likely do the same arrangement.

I am planning on putting my son on a waiting list for daycare though so I can put him in a day or two a week as I am wanting to work more than 3 days a week in the next year or two.

I have no idea about child care costs I'm sorry.

Like Baileymoo said though, take into consideration how much you will be making, the cost of travel to and from work (whether it be public or car) and the daycare costs...

Good luck :hugs:

[mz sv6]

im a single also and i work fulltime i work from 10-12hrs a day 5 sometimes 6 days a week. my mum looks after my ds as i still live with her and she doesnt work anymore but im a manager in one of the retail store and we have alot of mums who work and some of them have set day and times to work alot of the retail store are really good and flexiable with mums who wonna work.

[Chanelc]

I am permanent part time working mum - Chanel is in day care three days a week and one with the ex factor.

I strongly recommend an office job or where the hours are set as routine is the key.

Chanel is happy in day care as she knows Tues, wed, Thurs we have a set routine so we can drop her off at day care and pick her up

Just make sure you get the right day care and you are comfortable with them - as that is the most important factor as I couldn't focus on work if I wasn't comfortable with the day care centre

GOODLUCK ON THE JOB HUNT & DAY CARE

[Mum2Lucas]

Lucas is already in daycare 1 day a week at the moment. and i'm not experienced with office work so there's not much of a chance of a non-junior getting a job like that. i'm looking for bar work. or their's a job at the cinema's that i'm going to apply for.

[MissBrightside]

Is there anyway you can ask for set days/hours?

Im pretty sure most childcare centres wont let you swap and change days every week, but I could be wrong. I do know of one place near me that has half days and casual childcare places, but Im not sure about how it all works with keeping a place for your child when you need it.

Im probably going to go back to work or even study next year as my older son will be starting school and childcare will be a bit cheaper with only my younger son going. I don't want him in there full-time but depends how it all goes. My mum also works and I don't have anyone else to watch them during the day so childcare is my only option to.

Can you speak to your current childcare cemtre and ask them if they might be able to help you out? I know they have changed things for me in the past. I got a job which I had to work every second Friday and the director was only going to charge me the fridays they went, which I really should have been paying both Fridays. So they may be able to help you out? Depends how helpful they are I suppose.

Good Luck with what you decide!

[munchkin05]

i start work in a little over a week :eek:

bens going to be going to day care 3 days a week which are the 3 days im going to be working im lucky i will be working at the daycare ben will be going to other wise i dont know if i could do it

so far the daycare has been really good and said that if they need me to work other days and that they will swap or not charge me for the extra days ben goes and if my mum can look after him on the odd day they wont charge me ( but daycares dont normally do this )

good luck with going back to work though

[mayzie82]

hi i work 5 days a week as a TAB/bar i have been lucky to now have a job at a hotel for those 5 days though i was able to get extra days before by working for a big company doing the days at other hotels for the same tax i have one at school and one starting next year so currently in daycare i did work out what was neede in my work compared to the cost of daycare but if you only do part time then you shouldnt lose all your benifits therefore keep any childcare rebates if you want to do bar work it is a matter of going in honestly and saying what hours/days you can work before applying for a job so from the start they cant be disappointed or roster you for shifts you cant do so maybe looking at doing bistro lunchtime shifts or something similar so they get to see what you can offer as from my experience it seems to be the fulltime old timers who get all the cushy shifts cause they have been there for awhile good luck:wave: