Working parents with large families

[dizzycooks]

I have had the privilege of taking 2 1/2 years off work without losing my teaching position, but now I have to decide if I'm going back.  DH is ok either way, if I return we will be spending the equivalent of my salary on childcare for several years, but I get to keep a teaching position.  If I resign obviously childcare isn't an issue, but I lose my longevity and tenure.  I'd need to keep my license up independently and obviously, go through the hiring process again at some point.
We are expecting our 4th child in April and I am really not sure how it would work to have 4 kids in daycare. dd1 is 6 and attends kindergarten ft, but we would need to pay for back up care for all the days off they have (way more than the district I work for) and figure out how to handle sick days.  We do not have family that would watch them, cover sick time or do bus pickup/drop off.  Can anyone here explain how they manage this as a larger family?  What am I missing?

[oldbaylover1024]

I don't have a larger family - my kids are 4.5YO and 1YO. But we both work and don't have local family, so I'll weigh in.

It's tough that you'd be working to pay for childcare. But would you also be saving for retirement? Keeping your resume up-to-date? Would your employer cover your licensing costs v. you paying out-of-pocket? I think the other benefits (outside of salary) are big considerations.

Regarding the childcare situation, I know some centers offer aftercare for kids. Ours has a bus system that takes the kids from the elementary school to the center. That way I only have one pickup at the center, can work later, etc. Is that an option for your 6YO? Can she be transferred to the center so you only have one pickup?

Sick days and closed days are tough in any situation. I only get a set number of days off, as does MH, so when we have a sick kid we just suck it up and figure it out. The scheduled closed days we often try to set up a play day or something with friends. Our family is not close either, so we don't have grandparents/other family to help out.

Maybe you and YH need to consider the non-pay benefits of working, and see what options your center offers for aftercare.

[hangry]

I think the other option that could work for you is a nanny instead of daycare. I don't know where you are but they are very common where I am. You don't have to worry about kid sick days or before care after care for the school age one.
The down sides are if the nanny is sick you have to find alternate care (but much less often than the alternative), and less structure/ socialization than daycare. The cost for a nanny would most definitely be cheaper than daycare for 3 and before/after care for one.
To bypass missing daycare, I personally would sacrifice some to money for 2 days a week for a year before the next one starts school so that school isn't such a shock.
To bypass missing socialization, get info about all the programs available in your town. Free library time, set up standing park dates with other families or if the nanny knows other nannies.

I think care.com is a good place to start looking.