Driving Forever

All I do it drive!
Now that Steph has a job that is full time, and she can't pick and choose the hours, we have needed to find full time daycare for Jack. Everything was great because Steph's sister, Joann, wanted to quit her job and be at home with her 1 years old son, Austin. Killing two birds with one stone, we decided that she would be the best person for our daycare, and she agreed as she wouldn't lose as much of the income!
The only trouble with that is that she lives in St Helens which is 40 miles away! Now I know what you are thinking. Why drive out there and spend the money on gas etc, when you could spend the same money to just have him locally in town? Well the answer, unfortunately, is two-fold.
First is that Joann is family, and we know that when Jack is with him there will be absolutely zero chance of negligence and abuse. Not saying there would be at a daycare, but Joann has a ratio of two kids to her one adult. At a daycare the ratio is more like 7 to one, and that ain't good.
Second, Joann gives us the flexibility we need. A daycare is 7-6 every weekday. No compromise. You're late, you get charged extra. Joann is flexible enough for us to call last minute and say 'Hey, I am stuck in a meeting, and won't be there until 6:30pm" and she'll be cool.
The driving however is not good. I spend 90 mins in the car going to her house, and then 90 mins coming back to work every week day. Then I do the same in the evening. That is about 160 miles a day. It also means I have to be up and out of the house by 6:30 AM to make it to St Helens and back in time for work!
We have worked out something now where we will pay her extra to meet us in the mornings. That will take some toll off me, and some mileage off the poor little car!
All in all though, to have our little man looked after correctly, will be worth it.