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Working mom's in India with school goers and After-school hours care

Discussion in 'Schoolgoers & Teens' started by prishen, Jan 20, 2010.

  1. prishen

    prishen Bronze IL'ite

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    Ladies,
    We are currently out of India and are planning to move back to India shortly. My daughters would be around 4 yrs and a year old when we come back. I am having some questions within me that I hope , ladies here would help me to get through.

    I am skeptical about working in India because of the work timings. I worked in Bangalore before my marriage and I would be expected at the office atleast till 6.30 or 7.00 p.m. Is the conditions same in the MNC's still?
    Also, could you help me with the school timings for LKG. If its going to be like 9 - 3.00 p.m. , how the working women in chennai are handling. Is that the schools have some after -school hours where in they keep the kids and give them snacks till we come and pick up in the evening around 6.30 p.m. if that facility are not available, are there any after-school hour schools separately that she can be dropped from her morning school.

    I am pretty sure that there are lot of working moms here managing the time balance between school going kids and work time at office. But some how, it is scaring me and I feel that I may not be able to spend time with my kids if I go to work in India. Please share your views.

    Thanks
    Priya
     
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  2. anupamag

    anupamag Gold IL'ite

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    Hi friend,

    I do not know about chennai in particular, but I live in Bangalore and I know it is very common here to put school going children in after school daycare where, they have lunch, relax and have snacks and milk and will be dropped off at home/picked up by parents.

    My own daughter, now 5 yrs has school from 8.30 to 12.30(LKG) and from 12.30 to 5.30 she is in daycare. The school bus drops her off in the afternoons and daycare van drops her in the evenings.

    All the best.

    Luv
    Anu:)
     
  3. prishen

    prishen Bronze IL'ite

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    Dear Anu,
    Thanks a lot for your reply. I am feeling better now. We havent yet decided on the place.. may be chennai or Pune.. Both places, I was worrying about after school day care and now I think it should be there in chennai too as in Bangalore.
    Can you give me a rough idea of how much does it cost for the after day care for you in bangalore.
    We are planning to come down to India in another few months.

    Thanks,
    Priya
     
  4. asha_karthik

    asha_karthik Silver IL'ite

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    Could be the same. depends on your company and your boss. things haven't changed in the past few years.

    LKG - between 9-12:30 mostly. differs from school to school.

    day cares or employ maids at home to take care till mom/dad return.

    Most regular schools do not have attached day cares. none that i know of. the school van drops the child in the day care and that can be worked out.

    You cannot ofcourse do everything that a stayat home mom does, for your children. thats the tradeoff. but it isn't very difficult to manage it either. some of the points that i would suggest to you -
    (1) ensure there is less travel for all of you.. home to office, home to school, office to school, office to day care.. anytime of the day, it is extremely difficult in chennai if you have to travel. if they are all closeby, you can even plan to go to the day care during lunch time and spend with your children. also be on your own when it comes to travelling.. be it a 2 wheeler or car. depending on hubby might also not work out.
    (2) ensure both children are in the same school
    (3) am sure you already would be maintaining a good timetable for your children when it comes to studies. you may have to alter them here if you work. early sleep-early rise-studying in the morning and weekends work the best with my kid
    (4) some daycares offer homework help - you may want to explore that if it works for you
    (5) not all daycares provide lunch/snacks/milk for the children (some do). you need to choose the right one..
    (6) employ someone to cook/pack for you if you find it difficult in the mornings

    any more specific question you have? ok so it isn't very tough with proper planning/routine set. but my kids are very young at this point. so i haven't been there in a demanding situation yet when it comes to kids' studies. i would probably take IL's help at a later point of time when it comes to time management.
     
  5. anupamag

    anupamag Gold IL'ite

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    Hi,

    I am paying around 2600 PM for the daycare inclusive of the van drop facility.
    I provide all the food. I am satisfied with this arrangement, though I am not sure if it will work once she comes to 1st STD, since she might feel out of place there with all younger kids. :bonk

    Luv
    Anu
     
  6. prishen

    prishen Bronze IL'ite

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    Dear Asha, Anu,
    Thanks a lot for your suggestions. The information provided by you both would help me a lot in taking a decision. Now I feel more ease to work after we are back.
    Asha,
    Thanks for the more detailed information. hmmm.. As you said we cannot depend on husband for commuting everyday. But I don't drive in India. I think I need to work on that too. I was always depending on Auto when I was working. Thank You for giving me an insight. I would have to look for a school and a day care that are close by as my first one would be going to school and second one to day care. Is it easy in chennai to get a nanny who come home and baby sit the kids? Are there any agency or some website to put in ads? Pre-KG in schools would be after 2 1/2 yrs right? But then, those too would be again half a day..

    Anu,
    Do these day care offer full day care during Quarterly, Half yearly and Annual holidays. How are you managing those?

    Thanks,
    Priya
     
  7. asha_karthik

    asha_karthik Silver IL'ite

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    Priya - its not quite easy to get a nanny employed here. leave alone nanny.. you should consider yourself lucky if you at least get a 'good' domestic help. there are agencies, but there should be someone to supervise them. maids taking care of our children on their own, theres lot of news around, not all good. so i wouldn't recommend. i am more comfortable with day cares, and thats where i have put my DD age 3.7 years. she is going to pre kg now and the same school (small one so) has attached day care. so its all in one. next year, i would put her in a nearby regular school and have the van drop her at the day care. my DD's day care timings - 8am to 8pm, and they charge hourly. that is, i leave her there between 10 and 6.. charges are lesser.

    and most daycares work on all holidays, unless they are government declared holidays, when we wouldn't work too. have you decided on the school for your child?
     
  8. anupamag

    anupamag Gold IL'ite

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    Hi Priya,

    Yes they do offer full day care for school holidays(summer and winter vacations), but my kid does not have any structured activity for her age. It is more of rhyme time, nap time, sing time, free play kind of structure.

    We are really worried about the upcoming summer vacation. I do not know how to keep her engaged during the 2 months of holidays.

    Anu
     
  9. ridgemma

    ridgemma Gold IL'ite

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  10. asha_karthik

    asha_karthik Silver IL'ite

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    ridgemmaits kancha patti..
     

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