Care Arrangements

[lilblakduk]

Just wondering what kind of care arrangements you have in place for blended families of younger ( under 5 ) children.

What days of the week etc and how it is divided up.

Just wondering how everyone else does it and what works and what doesnt.

[MummyCharmzy]

For Alex from when he was about 3 until he started school the arrangement was he was with hubby/us from Sunday at 1pm until Thursday at 3pm. I cant remember how they had it before then though

[lilblakduk]

anyone else?

Ive tried googling but cant come up with anything?

Does week in week out work?

I am interested how you do it when one parent is a SAH parent to other children and the other works full-time? Does the working parent put the children in before and after school care instead of allowing them to spend that time with the SAH parent?

How are weekends and school holidays divided?

[Starlet]

My kids are with me fulltime. They will spend ONE night with their dad ever now and then(very rarely though).

My stepdaughter is with us for the week that DP is home.

Works ok for the moment, but not sure what will happen if he comes back and works in the city(he works fly in fly out atm) as her mother moved them a few hours away and we can't afford to make that trip every weekend. And I dunno what will happen once she starts school.

[mythreelittlemonkeys]

My Dh's children (now 10 & 5) have lived with their mother as DH works away, and before that she lived 4 1/2 hours away. We have had them for the past 3 years every 3rd weekend for 3 nights (when she hasnt witheld access) and for say 2 weeks at Xmas and in the other school holidays :) Works pretty well, DSS only has really been upset when he naughty or overtired then he wants his mum...like Starlet said not sure what will happen when DH comes back to perth to work as they still live 40 mins drive away - bit impractical for school etc...

[mikaylasmummy]

My DSS is 9 not but from when he was 2 DF and his ex wife had the arrangement that DF would have full custody and DSS would go there on the weekends.

[pegasus]

my step kids are now 12 and 14 but my hubby's been separated from their mum since they were 1 and 3. He's always had them every second weekend and extra during school holidays, but now it's when they want to come as they have other commitments (sport, friend sleepovers etc).

I got together with him when kids were 2 and 4 - did the every second weekend thing then and they seemed fine with this. They went through phases of not wanting to come and then also not wanting to go home.

I guess they were testing their boundaries a fair bit. I think stability is a major thing in helping kids of this young age and consistency.

If the kids said they didn't want to come we didn't push it as it may do more harm than good at the young age.

This is probably where things might differ for some