I am trying to get my head around the difficulty she had with childcare on her return to the fire service. The shift pattern is 2 day shifts, followed by 2 night shifts, followed by 4 days off.
Her mum was a foster carer, so was around during the daytime, therefore able to cover the two daytime shifts. I am sure that as she was willing to look after foster children, she would be willing to do the same for her grandson. The child was attending a nursery, so the care needed would only be before and after nursery.
The child's father worked daytime in a bakery, therefore able to cover the two night shifts. He is the child's father and was willing to take his share of parenting. The child was again attending nursery, so he could have dropped him off on his way to work, and pick him up on his way home.
She says that one of his other carers forgot to pick her son up from nursery, she is accusing either her parents, or the child's father. I can only assume that it was because Jack, in her chaotic way, was not clear with her timetabling. Either that or they were just a little late because of traffic. Or there is the other possibility, she is lying.
She then had 4 days off with her son, a luxury many working mums (particularly single mums) do not have. Most single mums that work a 9-5 day job drop their child off in the morning, work all day, pick their child up on their way home and then feed and put the child to bed. Weekends are then shopping/housework, with little spare time to spend with their children. Many of them would love 4 days straight where they could have time at home with their child.
She had a well paid job, great work pattern that many working mums would love, a support network that many new mums could only dream of, but she wanted more. She then, in a fit of temper, played right into the hands of the fire service by handing in her resignation. They clearly wanted her gone.
She believed the stories she had heard from her right wing parents and grandparents, that single mums on benefits have it easy. They get money and a free house and they don't have to work. It was a shock to her that these stories were not true, that life on benefits is hard. Such a shock, that she has never got over it!