Community Posts, Tips & Support on Childcare & Education

Honest, unfiltered, and in real-time: what women like you are talking about. Peanut group chats, support, and posts on Childcare & Education

Childcare cost

I'm due back to work in September. I have an okay job where I earn around £40k / year but with the cost of the childcare (even with the funding included), I will have nothing left at the end of the month. I'm planning to go back 4 days a week so my salary would reduce accordingly. I am in absolute shock as before I have saved around £600 / month. How can people even afford to live?? I am literally heartbroken..

Child care payment when on UC

I am on UC how do I apply for childcare? I thought I would just upload the cost and get 85% paid. The school said apply for childcare tax credits which I thought was different. Can anyone advise

30 hours Funding

Please can someone clarify, do you have to be working for 3 months in advance of claiming the funding and sending little one to nursery? Or do you just need to be working with an expected income for at least 2 days a week from the time your lo goes to nursery. For reference, my lo will go to nursery in January 2027. Thanks!

Spending

If your a single mum with one child. How much do you spend on food and toiletries? Does £450 a month seem a lot?

30 hours free childcare - partner earns almost over the threshold

Does anyone have experience with HMRC calling to talk about this? My partner works on commission and may earn over the threshold to be entitled to it this year. I don’t know what to expect from the phone call.
Are they helpful? Or are they doing their best to take the childcare hours away from us??

Can’t afford baby no.2

Anyone else love a second baby but just simply can’t afford to. Can’t afford to go on mat leave whilst paying nursery fees, also the worry of just food costs, house bills, mortgage, new clothes ect.
People say to me ‘oh it’s just money’ but actually it’s important to be able to provide a warm home with food on the table and clean clothes that fit as an absolute minimum.
Hoping once he gets funded hours that we will feel we are able to give him a sibling! We’re in Scotland so don’t get any funded hours until 3 years old.

Daycare vs SAHM care ?

I am a SAHM and looking to baby sit someone local. However I understand some would rather place kids in daycare despite flexibility and lower rate. What would you do?

Side hustles??

I’m 20 weeks pregnant , I have a 1 yr old , and I’ve just found out I’m in almost a grand of debt … so mums please let’s not gate keep 🙈😂 how are we making money on the side with our toddlers clinging off us 😭 I need help please

Ps Ik this isn’t a lot of debt compared to some people but this is just the start I’ve just managed to get us out of one debt just to find out the other half wasn’t paying the other bills 😔

Mums without a village!

Hi everyone, I'm doing a bit of research into childcare logistics for anyone without family nearby. Is anyone in the same boat and wondering what you do/your plan is with childcare for nurseries/going back to work? xx

Tax free child care

How often does this renew as it says I’ve reached £0 left to get from the government .

University

Has anyone completed a masters whilst having a 1 year old? Or baby of similar age. Thinking of returning to uni, not sure if it’s a good idea…

Daycare questions

I might have to put my son in daycare ASAP! I have a job opportunity that came up and during my interview they said if I get picked then I have to start Monday. I don't want to put him in daycare and was hoping I would never have to but I can't pass up this position since I've wanted it for almost 12 years.

When touring daycares what questions should I ask and things I should look out for that you'd consider being a red flag?

How many of us have relatives nearby that consistsntly provide hands on help?

Not talking sending gifts or clothes in the mail, im talking about grandparents and other relatives that are close enough to drive and comes over to physically help care for the kids or cook a meal or help in your home some other way fairly consistently.

Daycares

Does your daycare still charge you on the days your child doesn’t attend?

What about holidays. For example 4th of July is on Saturday. But my daughter’s daycare is closed on Monday and Tuesday. But yet I’m still being charged full rate.

Starting kindergarten

Anyone else have anxiety about their little one starting kindergarten soon 😔 Im so sad and happy for him at the same time.

Moving Nursery?

Has anyone successfully moved their toddler from one nursery to another and they’ve settled okay?
My son has been in his nursery since 9 months old (he’s 2.5 next week😢) and he absolutely loves the place. It’s a literal 2 minute walk from our house I can see the nursery from my office window! He’s so settled there and we’re always told how popular he is and he definitely has a lot of friends there! That’s not to say it doesn’t have issues such as an extremely high turnover.
We’re moving house shortly and there is another nursery 10 minutes away walking whereas his current nursery is a 10-15 minute drive and on days I don’t have the car a 40m walk or 2 buses.
Do I move him to another nursery for my own benefit and it might be slightly cheaper or do I put his happiness first even though he won’t even remember this nursery when he’s older?

School nursery funding 15 hrs ?

Is it compulsory to do 15 hrs for a 3 year or is it ok to send him 3 mornings which is 9 hrs
We tired looking around the school nursery they want him to attend all 5 morning for the 15 hrs
Is it only the school nursery or the private nursery does the same ask us to send the kid for all 5 days ? Which covers 15 hrs
Suggestions please

15 hrs funding school nursery

Is it compulsory to do 15 hrs for a 3 year or is it ok to send him 3 mornings
We tired looking around the school nursery they want him to attend all 5 morning for the 15 hrs
Is it only the school nursery or the private nursery does the same ask us to send the kid for all 5 days ?
Suggestions please

Would you hire a nanny if one of her references was written by AI?

Im a career nanny and I ran a letter of reccomendation from a previous family through 2 different AI detectors and it said it was 100% AI generated. The family has a AI tech background so I understand why but as a parent myself if I saw a letter of reccomendation was AI generated it may make me think the family did not like the nanny enough to personally write a letter or the letter is completely made up by the nanny. All of my other references are AI free but im not sure if I should even include this letter in my portfolio.