WOHMs: go from FT to PT when twins start school?

I know I don't really have to worry about this for a few years, but somehow the subject keeps coming up in conversation. I'm a full-time WOHM, and our twins have been in daycare since 8 weeks old. But when they start K, they'll only be in school from about 9-2 (at most).

I've been figuring that I'll go part-time when they start school, because trying to get childcare for the whole work day is complicated and expensive. (Plus, of course, I'd get to spend more time with them.) But my SIL said among the moms she knows who have tried this, they felt like it was the worst of both worlds. They still had to take time off to cover the numerous in-service days and weeks of vacation, but the work still had to get done, so they were always struggling to keep up.

Anyway, has anyone done this? What has your experience been like?

 

Our school and daycares in the area offer after-care for kids whose parents work. For those in full time school (not pre-K or K) they offer before and after care--for those in the part time programs, they can get before care if they are in the AM, and aftercare if they are in the PM. Also, all 3 local daycares will drop off when school starts, and pick up when the kids get out. I would think that would be more feasible. Also, the daycares cover days like early dismissals and off days.

 

Oh, that would be my dream! Unfortunately our daycare (and none of the other ones around here) offer that, as far as I can tell.

The elementary schools do offer a kind of aftercare, but it only goes until 4:30 or so, and it costs a lot. Plus, it's always oversubscribed, so they can't take every child every semester -- it's a lottery.

The YMCA also offers aftercare, but they don't provide transportation, so I'd need to leave work to pick them up from school and take them to the Y.

 

The Boys and Girls Club here in town offers after school care (for K-middle school). It's inexpensive and the bus drops them there after school. It's awesome and has allowed me to get a part-time job