A QUICK look around the school gates will confirm findings from the Australian Bureau of Statistics that grandparents are filling the gaps when women return to the workforce.
ABS researchers found 27 per cent of women who started or returned to work after the birth of their child relied on grandparents as the main carer for their child.
This is the case for Caringbah mum Sheridan Buchanan, a relationship manager with NAB, who works about 50 hours a week and travels interstate during the week.
Her mother-in-law Diane Buchanan cares for Chloe, 7, and Isaac, 3, in her absence, and they also have a nanny to care for Chloe.
"I couldn't do my job or have such a busy life without Diane," she said.
"Isaac gets dropped off to Diane's at 7am on Monday and comes home late Wednesday night and also does the odd Thursday all day.
"She does everything for him and is the 50 per cent full-time carer.
"We also have a nanny to take care of Chloe and with the cost of a nanny, it wouldn't have been worth me working if I also had to pay for Isaac in day care. The government doesn't subsidise private care (such as nannies)."
"All of my mum friends experience the same situation as often it is cheaper to stay at home and not work than pay for care.
"I'm not sure I would continue to work if we didn't have Diane's help. Aside from the cost of childcare, the mummy guilt and additional stress of trying to juggle a hundred things at once, it wouldn't be worth it.
"It's lovely to have the peace of mind that the kids are safe, cared for and loved."
How do you deal with the childcare dilemma if you are a working mum?