Childcare network

Hi everyone

We finally became 'parents' after a long journey. In 2017 I became a mom to my first daughter, and in 2018 to my 2nd and last little girl. I'm now 40+

I currently work part-time and both kids go to daycare 3 days a week. I'm home on Monday afternoons but then do all the housework (cleaning, ironing...)

Currently I'm taking parental leave (a sort of time credit from the past).
I've been back at work since January so I'm home with the kids on Wednesdays and Fridays...which are pretty tough days as moms well know.
I'm very happy with my children, love them immensely and am also glad I can be home to get to know them. What can they do, how do they evolve, what do they like to do...
Especially now that our oldest is starting school in September I see how strongly they change in a short time.
I lost my mom when I was 6 years old and between 6 and 12 I was mainly looked after by family. My dad then went to work in France and was only home on Wednesdays and weekends.
I found this very unpleasant as a child, also because you always end up with someone else and you quickly learn to look out for yourself...a bit too quickly in my opinion, but well I still came out pretty okay (I think)
My husband works full time and I notice he leaves a lot of the 'arranging and worrying' to me. He's not a fan of the baby period he says himself (changing diapers, soothing...) and has less patience than me in that regard. I can more easily deal with my stubborn toddler and have more patience and try to steer them towards other behavior as much as possible with positive methods. My husband on the other hand is 'shorter', says 'no, not allowed...' more often but doesn't give alternatives, but well everyone does their best.
Soon my oldest will start school and I sometimes consider going back to working 4/5th but then I run into certain things.
E.g. who will pick up the kids from school? I work e.g. until 17:00-17:30 so I can't be at the gate at the end of the school day. (Which I myself would like and think my daughter also)
That means then that my daughter would always have to go to after-school and pre-school care.
Not on Wednesdays, because then I'm home.
What about all those holiday periods? Back to out-of-school care? Because then we both work again and my husband also can't be at the gate by 16:00.
Does it ultimately come down to me that more 'strangers' take care of my child than ourselves...my opinion (I only speak for my situation)
Many of our friends rely on their parents for that. They bring or pick up the kids from school. During holidays they can also go there...
This is not the case for us. Our dad and mother-in-law are already serious seniors (75+ and 86+) and don't live nearby.
Now our mother-in-law exceptionally takes care of 1 of the kids and we also notice that she has a hard time with it (even if she says no) Lifting kids and changing...walking behind them (especially the oldest then)
I find it a difficult puzzle.
I doubt enormously and then think to myself that I would be a bad mother if I worked more hours. That I would also think of myself and not of them.
Financially I don't need to do it. I only want to do it because I myself think part-time is too little and especially when the oldest starts school I would have liked to do more hours...but I can only switch to a 4/5th with that parental leave. Another solution would be to change my schedule, but that wouldn't be so wise...lose the allowance and no chance to go back to your old schedule.
When I discuss this with my husband he doesn't see much problem in it himself...doesn't dwell on the fact that they then always need care after school. He takes little to no leave for the kids. Only if it's necessary or if care exceptionally closes its doors and I work those days (or he asks his mother anyway)
How do you do it? Who looks after the kids after school, during illness, during holiday periods...?
What, if you e.g. don't have parents to help? What would you have to do then?
I'm curious how others do this.
Giving opinions is of course allowed, I'm open to feedback