childcare for cabin crew?
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childcare for cabin crew?
I am curently on a career break after maternity, due to return to work on a month on month off basis in November.
However, childcare looks like it will be a problem as my husband also works on a shift pattern.... has anyone out there managed to return to flying without the help of freinds or family?. I have not appoached any chilminders yet and am not even sure if any will exist with the sort of flexibility that i need. Any advice would be welcome as I dont want to give up a job that a really enjoy if I can possibly help it!
However, childcare looks like it will be a problem as my husband also works on a shift pattern.... has anyone out there managed to return to flying without the help of freinds or family?. I have not appoached any chilminders yet and am not even sure if any will exist with the sort of flexibility that i need. Any advice would be welcome as I dont want to give up a job that a really enjoy if I can possibly help it!
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Sorry, I cant be of any help, I just wondered who you worked for. I am in a similar position but trying to find an airline who will take me part time, I have loads of experience etc, but opportunities seem non existant. There isnt really any options at the mo on the ground either unless Im prepared to take £5 ph, which Im not.
Thanks
karen
Thanks
karen
Lady Lexxington
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I work on the ground and have extended my mat leave, I can't find anyone who is willing to take my baby on different days and times. Maybe we should all start a nursery at the respective airports we are based at.
I work at MAN.
I work at MAN.
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Hey Lexy, Not a bad idea!. I am currently based at LTN but have applied to transfer to MAN as we have recently moved to the area.
Karen, in answer to your question I am with Thomsonfly. I think I'm right in saying that you have to have a permanent contract and then have to appy for jobshare (or have a baby and get it automatically!). Sorry I cant be of any help, have you tried Easyjet out of Liverpool, Am probably completely wrong but I did hear that they employed part timers.
The Nanny share also sounds interesting, does anyone know of crew who do this?
Thanks for the replies!
Mel
Karen, in answer to your question I am with Thomsonfly. I think I'm right in saying that you have to have a permanent contract and then have to appy for jobshare (or have a baby and get it automatically!). Sorry I cant be of any help, have you tried Easyjet out of Liverpool, Am probably completely wrong but I did hear that they employed part timers.
The Nanny share also sounds interesting, does anyone know of crew who do this?
Thanks for the replies!
Mel
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I work for Ej. The reason there is difficulty getting into LPL is because it is over-crewed as it is with even more waiting on the internal transfer list.
I also have a 2.5 year old and I now fly part time in LTN. My hubbie is a pilot with EJ as well, so we have some difficulty with childcare. There is not many childminders out there who is willing to take a child at 5am or to keep them until midnight. We do rely on family, but the nearest one is still 1.15hr away. I tried to get our rostering dept to roster my hubbie and I on opposite duties, allowing my daughter to go to a childminder during the day, but apparently that was too hard
Even tried to get them on the new flexible working law, but that came to nothing.
There is a nursery at the airport, but that opens at 7am and closes at 6pm - helpful then
Massive gap in the market - maybe us girls could fill and be millionaires!!!
I also have a 2.5 year old and I now fly part time in LTN. My hubbie is a pilot with EJ as well, so we have some difficulty with childcare. There is not many childminders out there who is willing to take a child at 5am or to keep them until midnight. We do rely on family, but the nearest one is still 1.15hr away. I tried to get our rostering dept to roster my hubbie and I on opposite duties, allowing my daughter to go to a childminder during the day, but apparently that was too hard
Even tried to get them on the new flexible working law, but that came to nothing.There is a nursery at the airport, but that opens at 7am and closes at 6pm - helpful then
Massive gap in the market - maybe us girls could fill and be millionaires!!!
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Ooh, forget to mention that you can't be employed as part time straight away. Have to work full-time, and I think after a year, you can apply to go on the part time list. Theres a long list as well for that.....
185 Lbs of Ballast,
My other half is cabin crew and I work shifts. We found ourselves in exactly the same situation as you a few years back. However we found a fantastic 24/7 nursery that caters for 6months-4years kids. It is a highly professional firm, only employing trained and registered childrens nannies giving complete peace of mind. From experience it seems to be mainly airport/airline staff that use the facility and as a result the staff are familiar with, and understand the disruptive and irregular/anti-social hours style of work we do.
Unfortunately, as far as I am aware, the nursery group concerned don't yet operate in your LTN area but I gather that they do have expansion plans and if nothing else it may be worth giving them a call and see if they opening up in your area. If not they may be able to point you in the direction of a similar facility around LTN. PM me if you would like the contact number. Hope this helps.
My other half is cabin crew and I work shifts. We found ourselves in exactly the same situation as you a few years back. However we found a fantastic 24/7 nursery that caters for 6months-4years kids. It is a highly professional firm, only employing trained and registered childrens nannies giving complete peace of mind. From experience it seems to be mainly airport/airline staff that use the facility and as a result the staff are familiar with, and understand the disruptive and irregular/anti-social hours style of work we do.
Unfortunately, as far as I am aware, the nursery group concerned don't yet operate in your LTN area but I gather that they do have expansion plans and if nothing else it may be worth giving them a call and see if they opening up in your area. If not they may be able to point you in the direction of a similar facility around LTN. PM me if you would like the contact number. Hope this helps.
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My children are now older, however i worked as both full and part time crew with 3 kids (my husband is also crew).
As i had no family support i fould the only workable solution for all concerned was a Nanny!
I only ever employed trained experienced British nannys and never had any major problems. in fact many of the girls have become firm family friends.
Yes it is expensive, but your children have the best possible care and its only until they go to school, when you can change to a cheaper option.
Nurseries/childmindres are all well and good ,but what happens when your child has one of the (on average) 6 bugs a child under 5 gets a year, (nurseries dont want a sick child)? Do you want to drag your child out of bed at 5 in the morning to take it to your childminder, before you go off to work a 12 + hour day?
These early years should be enjoyed by all, whether you work or not and a nanny will give all concerned the best possibe chance of that being achieved.
Best of luck !
As i had no family support i fould the only workable solution for all concerned was a Nanny!
I only ever employed trained experienced British nannys and never had any major problems. in fact many of the girls have become firm family friends.
Yes it is expensive, but your children have the best possible care and its only until they go to school, when you can change to a cheaper option.
Nurseries/childmindres are all well and good ,but what happens when your child has one of the (on average) 6 bugs a child under 5 gets a year, (nurseries dont want a sick child)? Do you want to drag your child out of bed at 5 in the morning to take it to your childminder, before you go off to work a 12 + hour day?
These early years should be enjoyed by all, whether you work or not and a nanny will give all concerned the best possibe chance of that being achieved.
Best of luck !
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Similar to chipmunkj, we solved the issue "in house".
We lived in a small 3 bedroomed terraced house when our second baby arrived, not in the UK and couldn't afford a British Nanny. We could afford Au Pairs, so we moved the 2 kids into the smallest room and advertised for an Au Pair from my husband's country (for the kids' language development).
Once she arrived, life became immensely better.
We had Au Pairs (male and female) until the kids were 10 and 12 years old, and only ever had 2 bad apples we had to send back home to Ireland and the USA.
Kids now 19 and 17 and still talk fondly of the luxury of having a Nanny/driver/swing pusher/story reader all to themselves, the way they loved never having to go to childcare, the fact that they (kids) speak 3 languages fluently and the fact that the Au Pairs were young enough to have great god fun with.
With the caveat that nobody loves the kids like parents or grandparents, these Au pairs certainly made life liveable for us, and allowed both of us to go to work feeling fairly confident that the kids were happy and cared for.
We lived in a small 3 bedroomed terraced house when our second baby arrived, not in the UK and couldn't afford a British Nanny. We could afford Au Pairs, so we moved the 2 kids into the smallest room and advertised for an Au Pair from my husband's country (for the kids' language development).
Once she arrived, life became immensely better.
We had Au Pairs (male and female) until the kids were 10 and 12 years old, and only ever had 2 bad apples we had to send back home to Ireland and the USA.
Kids now 19 and 17 and still talk fondly of the luxury of having a Nanny/driver/swing pusher/story reader all to themselves, the way they loved never having to go to childcare, the fact that they (kids) speak 3 languages fluently and the fact that the Au Pairs were young enough to have great god fun with.
With the caveat that nobody loves the kids like parents or grandparents, these Au pairs certainly made life liveable for us, and allowed both of us to go to work feeling fairly confident that the kids were happy and cared for.
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Take great care if you decide to employ a young au pair--by nature they are probably very young, away from home for the first time and with no first aid/medical or childcare training. Because of the nature of our job they could be left for long periods of time in sole charge--a challenge even for an older mother!!!
One of our kids would not even be here today, had we not had a trained "first aider" (in the form of a trained nanny) as my son inhaled a small bit of dried fruit and would have choked to death had the nanny not intervened.
Very few people can actually AFFORD a nanny, however a "cost neutral" situation for a few years could be the solution.
One of our kids would not even be here today, had we not had a trained "first aider" (in the form of a trained nanny) as my son inhaled a small bit of dried fruit and would have choked to death had the nanny not intervened.
Very few people can actually AFFORD a nanny, however a "cost neutral" situation for a few years could be the solution.
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Chipmunk, a very valid point.
Regarding the cost-neutral option; our Au Pairs were almost cost-neutral.
They only cost us a little more than what I made at the time...
Not working in the UK, with us there was and is no such thing as sector pay, overtime pay and all the other baffling extras I read about on this forum. I have worked 50% since our eldest was born and didn't actually make any money on it for as long as we employed the Au Pairs. When we moved abroad, I had the cost of my tickets to get to base, and then it actually cost us money. As my husband used to say "I have heard about women who play bridge and tennis and golf. You go out flying darling, and it costs about the same"
Regarding the cost-neutral option; our Au Pairs were almost cost-neutral.
They only cost us a little more than what I made at the time...
Not working in the UK, with us there was and is no such thing as sector pay, overtime pay and all the other baffling extras I read about on this forum. I have worked 50% since our eldest was born and didn't actually make any money on it for as long as we employed the Au Pairs. When we moved abroad, I had the cost of my tickets to get to base, and then it actually cost us money. As my husband used to say "I have heard about women who play bridge and tennis and golf. You go out flying darling, and it costs about the same"
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Child Tax Credit and nannies - there is help out there!!
Hi there - I have four children ranging from 16yrs - 4yrs and have kept up my aviation career throughout..... I am in management now and STILL get the chance to fly with the outfit I am with - so am very lucky!
My husband works away also and childcare has been a juggle .....we have had au pairs - some good some bad - but never when the children were small! I have tried to stay with childminders and nurseries in order to keep costs down - but of course they aren't open at 0300hrs are they.
Anyway - we have had a nanny at home for the past year....for ease as the children are in their own setting and when I get back at 0200hrs I dont want to be collecting them from places and putting them to bed.
Until recently you only got child tax credit from the Government if you used registered childmonders/nurseries etc - but now if your nanny joins the Childcare Approval Shceme - set up by the Government - you can apply for child tax credit for your nanny - and the savings really do make the difference.
Have a look on the Childcare Approval Scheme web site and advertise yourself for your nanny - you know what type of person you want and you dont have to pay massive agency fees.
Good Luck - and enjoy your children - and your career!!!
My husband works away also and childcare has been a juggle .....we have had au pairs - some good some bad - but never when the children were small! I have tried to stay with childminders and nurseries in order to keep costs down - but of course they aren't open at 0300hrs are they.
Anyway - we have had a nanny at home for the past year....for ease as the children are in their own setting and when I get back at 0200hrs I dont want to be collecting them from places and putting them to bed.
Until recently you only got child tax credit from the Government if you used registered childmonders/nurseries etc - but now if your nanny joins the Childcare Approval Shceme - set up by the Government - you can apply for child tax credit for your nanny - and the savings really do make the difference.
Have a look on the Childcare Approval Scheme web site and advertise yourself for your nanny - you know what type of person you want and you dont have to pay massive agency fees.
Good Luck - and enjoy your children - and your career!!!
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Thank you for all of your responses.... its nice to know I am not alone in this situation. Not so sure about the nanny/au pair option.... although I ran it past my husband and he agreed as long as 'she' was a gorgeous blond!!.
Seriously though, think I will explore all of these options.....
Any more input greatly appreciated though!
Cheers
Mel (with a large glass of wine and the baby in bed!)
Seriously though, think I will explore all of these options.....
Any more input greatly appreciated though!
Cheers
Mel (with a large glass of wine and the baby in bed!)
