My schedule as a performer is very irregular. Calls can come in 2 or 3 hours in advance of the job. With all the grandparents living 2500 miles away, short-notice childcare can be a challenge. We were at the studio from 9 am to 6 pm and both kids were done school at 2 pm. Then he went back to pick up my son.
Necessity is indeed the mother of invention.
The kids are also old enough now that I can rely on something that I was hesitant about before - playground supervision after school. Even if the school were close enough for the children to walk home, we would never allow them to. The most important thing to remember in any family is to keep your sense of humour, and remember why you do what you do. Children are a gift from God. Being a parent is a big responsibility, but it's also a privilege.