School aged kids questions

[k3am]

DD starts kinder next month.  (WHAT?!?!?)

We are waitlisted for the on-site before/aftercare program. I was not very impressed with it, but it provides coverage from 6:30am-6pm and is convenient. We have no idea how we find out how many kids are ahead of us, the likelihood of getting in, etc. I think the cost ends up being somewhere around $800. (We only have paperwork for the 2017-2018 school year. They seemed shocked we asked for the upcoming year. During JUNE.)

Her current daycare can pick her up afterschool and provide care afterschool, but nothing in the morning. The cost would be ~$610 when you include our discounts at the center. So we at least can have that covered. 

But what am I supposed to do about before school care? School doesn't start until 8:50, and the earliest she'll be allowed on campus is 8:30. DH currently drops off at daycare by 7:15 and I leave the house by 6:45. His commute is 1-1.5 hours, so leaving at 8:30 or 9 means his workday would start... very late. And end very late. I can potentially shift to starting my days later, but that would mean not starting work until after 9 and also having to make it to daycare by 6 for pickup... And needing to build in at least a half hour for the commute. 

What do I do to make this work?

[2chatter]

I’d find before care - a hybrid - two late starts/week - one for you and one for DH and three days of before care. We do a TON of weird hybrids because it allows for live able routine while keeping costs down.

[kimberlybb]

My DD will also be starting kindergarten next month I called the school to get a list of daycares that provide before school care and transport when we didn’t get into the care program at the school. If the school office is closed do they have a Facebook page where you could ask other parents about before care options? People here also use Nextdoor to find stay at home moms willing to transport kids to school. I hate the late start time since it makes logistics more challenging!

[mommyatty]

Can you look for a mom who can provide before care? My parents did that for me one year. They dropped me at a classmate’s house before school, I hung out for an hour and ate my from-home breakfast there, and the mom dropped me with her kids.

[phdmomma]

I second the weird hybrid, 2chatter, we are an early start school (the bus picks up at 7:15am), but do this for after school. Every Monday in our district is an early release day (bus gets to the house at 1:43pm), while the other days are 3:15pm. As a side note, last year was our first year in the district (K), and I wasn't prepared for how many early releases (10:30am) and random days off that there would be. This about killed us. You may want to check if either of the programs that you are considering have coverage for those. We found one that we use a few days a week for aftercare (along with a hybrid of other things) that allows us to pay extra for all of the early releases and random days off.

[2chatter]

mommyatty - kind of related - I had another parent I don’t know well ask me to provide before care for her child starting at 7. I told her my kids go at 7 to socialize and her response was that her child prefers to get there after the bell to go to class so would I take the three of them at 7:40. It was bizarre - My kids leave early and that’s great because I can start work — so that’s what I told her and she was baffled by my unwillingness to work with her. Entitled parents....entitled kids....

[k3am]

Jul 12, 2018 10:02:31 GMT -5 phdmomma said:

I second the weird hybrid, 2chatter , we are an early start school (the bus picks up at 7:15am), but do this for after school. Every Monday in our district is an early release day (bus gets to the house at 1:43pm), while the other days are 3:15pm. As a side note, last year was our first year in the district (K), and I wasn't prepared for how many early releases (10:30am) and random days off that there would be. This about killed us. You may want to check if either of the programs that you are considering have coverage for those. We found one that we use a few days a week for aftercare (along with a hybrid of other things) that allows us to pay extra for all of the early releases and random days off.

Tuesdays are an hour earlier dismissal. There's a handful of minimum days. The on-campus program covers early dismissal/minimum days, and any teacher/in-service days as well as the fall and spring recesses, I think. I think her DC will cover the early dismissal day, but any full days she gets care there would be at a per diem rate. 

[mommyatty]

Jul 12, 2018 10:02:49 GMT -5 2chatter said:

mommyatty - kind of related - I had another parent I don’t know well ask me to provide before care for her child starting at 7. I told her my kids go at 7 to socialize and her response was that her child prefers to get there after the bell to go to class so would I take the three of them at 7:40. It was bizarre - My kids leave early and that’s great because I can start work — so that’s what I told her and she was baffled by my unwillingness to work with her. Entitled parents....entitled kids....

Lol! That’s some chutzpah! If the school offers an option, you don’t ask others to provide a different option without a darned good reason. 

[k3am]

Jul 12, 2018 9:58:55 GMT -5 mommyatty said:

Can you look for a mom who can provide before care? My parents did that for me one year. They dropped me at a classmate’s house before school, I hung out for an hour and ate my from-home breakfast there, and the mom dropped me with her kids.

This was my goal. I don't know anyone well in the neighborhood, but when I've casually floated out that .." how do you handle the drop-offs or pickups" and found out that they were a SAHM mom or had flexible schedules and started to ask further, I eventually got shut down with a "you need to find a center." 

Eventually, we'll get desperate and post on Nextdoor for a local crazy person willing to do it since most people on nextdoor are crazy. 

[twinmomma]

We just used our on-site before/after care this past year. It's not great, but it gets the job done and provides coverage for school vacation weeks, closed days, early releases, etc. for an additional cost. Ours is run by a daycare in town that contracts with the school, so all communication goes through them. Is yours run by the school or a separate org? Maybe you can get more details if you go directly to the provider instead of through the school?

[mae0111]

2chatter - my face looked like this when I read that 😳

WTF is wrong with people??

[k3am]

Jul 12, 2018 10:40:11 GMT -5 twinmomma said:

We just used our on-site before/after care this past year. It's not great, but it gets the job done and provides coverage for school vacation weeks, closed days, early releases, etc. for an additional cost. Ours is run by a daycare in town that contracts with the school, so all communication goes through them. Is yours run by the school or a separate org? Maybe you can get more details if you go directly to the provider instead of through the school?

It's run by the community development center. We've tried going through the school, they refer us to go through directly to them. They have never answered a phone or returned a phone call. We only ever got any information by just showing up one afternoon. 

[mae0111]

k3am - are there any colleges near you? Maybe a college kid that’s commuting could do before school. I had luck with a college student for back up care. My next door neighbor hired a college student to get 2 of her kids to 2 different schools since she leaves at 545am every day.

[186momx]

Jul 12, 2018 10:36:43 GMT -5 k3am said:

Jul 12, 2018 9:58:55 GMT -5 mommyatty said:

Can you look for a mom who can provide before care? My parents did that for me one year. They dropped me at a classmate’s house before school, I hung out for an hour and ate my from-home breakfast there, and the mom dropped me with her kids.

This was my goal. I don't know anyone well in the neighborhood, but when I've casually floated out that .." how do you handle the drop-offs or pickups" and found out that they were a SAHM mom or had flexible schedules and started to ask further, I eventually got shut down with a "you need to find a center." 

Eventually, we'll get desperate and post on Nextdoor for a local crazy person willing to do it since most people on nextdoor are crazy. 

I would then ask if they have any good suggestions as you are on the wait list for the one at the school and your current daycare will only do after care and see if they say anything.  

I have a couple neighbors that I can rely on in a pinch if needed but I wouldn't want to have to rely on them every day.  What time does high school or middle school start?  Would you be okay with a 8th grader or high schooler coming over and walking her to school before they go to school?  

[k3am]

Jul 12, 2018 11:18:17 GMT -5 mae0111 said:

k3am - are there any colleges near you? Maybe a college kid that’s commuting could do before school. I had luck with a college student for back up care. My next door neighbor hired a college student to get 2 of her kids to 2 different schools since she leaves at 545am every day.

We have a college about 20-25 mins away, so we'll see how that works. My sister has a former student going there next year, so there may be a chance she wants to get up really early and drive for not a huge amount of money...

[k3am]

Jul 12, 2018 11:41:59 GMT -5 186momx said:

I have a couple neighbors that I can rely on in a pinch if needed but I wouldn't want to have to rely on them every day.  What time does high school or middle school start?  Would you be okay with a 8th grader or high schooler coming over and walking her to school before they go to school?  

It looks like middle school first bell is 9:15, so that could possibly work. HS first bell is 8am, so HS probably wouldn't work. 

I'm just kind of in awe that we're apparently the only ones having this problem. I'm sure that once we've been in school a few weeks it will be easier to figure this stuff out, but it would be nice to have it figured out in advance. 

[sandandsea]

We do the on site before school. It’s not the best but it’s a short time and they provide breakfast. You could do a morning nanny or find a friend at the same school and split mornings. We know of friends in ds’s class that go to a friends house almost daily before school.

[waverly]

I would show up at the aftercare place in the afternoon and request information if you will get in.

Also get a phone number that works or an email or a cell phone for texts. Tell them communication has been an issue so you need to know who and how to make sure you are calling, texting emailing the right person.

If you have no choice find a babysitter/ nanny. The bus picks the kids up here at 8:15. I am in work at 9. I take a half hour lunch and work 37.5 hours rather than 40 which is considered full time, so I am out at 5 or a bit earlier boss doesn’t care. Pick up at 5:30.  ETA- I also have a half hour commute one way.  

A lot of couples have one spouse that goes in early and one that goes in later.

[covergirl82]

So right now the kids get on the bus from one of DS's friends house (which is only about 1/2 mile away, so super convenient). The mom offered to do that as she doesn't have to go to work as early as DH and I get the kids on the bus.

Once she finishes her teaching degree, that probably won't be an option anymore, so at that point we'll probably just have them go to before care at school. Not ideal because of cost, but it's the next most convenient option. (I did work out with my manager that I will WFH every Tuesday and then most of the Fridays that I work (I have every-other Friday off due to working a 9/80 schedule). That will save us some money, as I can get the kids on and off the bus from our house on my WFH days.)

2chatter, that mom is crazy. I would never assume a mom that WFH could get more kids on the bus/off to school than their own.

[186momx]

k3am, I have this problem and I feel like I'm the only one who does too.

DD was on the wait list for her current before/after care starting December 2016 and she was able to get in for September 2017 so as a 1st grader. They just don't have much openings mid year and I had to call and bug/show up and bug and bug to get her enrolled. Since then the communication is awesome (texts, emails, online bill pay, flexible days/times). For her school the center has a full van in the afternoons but only a few in the mornings. She also doesn't start until 8:45 but campus opens for free breakfast at 8:15. This is the only center that does before/aftercare for her school, most schools only have aftercare so it makes it hard if you have to go to work early. I would love to know who actually starts work after 9am in the professional setting!

[ilovelucyvv]

I don't have any suggestions, just want to say that sucks and I hope you are able to work something out.

DD will be starting K at a private school next month. They do before care from 6:30-8:05am when school starts and then after care until 6:00pm for $7/hour. On Fridays, school ends at 1:30pm so that is going to be $$. H was talking about doing drop-off at 8:05 to save money but he works 1.5 hours away so I don't know how feasible that will really be. He also wants me to plan to drop DS off at daycare at 6:00am when they open so that I will be able to pick up DD earlier in the afternoon, which sounds pretty painful.

[k3am]

Victory: I got a real live person on the phone!

Defeat: She doesn't know how many kids are on the waitlist or when they'll know if we'll get off the waitlist. She "thinks" they probably let people know a "few" weeks before school starts. School starts in a "few" weeks. (My expectations are too high.)

186momx, I'm with you on wondering who works and finds the 9am start time convenient. The teacher at her assessment commented that they like the late start time because she gets to sleep in.. well la-di-da, talking about sleeping in to the woman who gets up at 4am daily. I'm not bitter at all.

[phdmomma]

k3am, See, I love early start. Because that means we don't need to do before care. I get to take him to the bus, drop off his sister on campus, and then finally get to my office, all by 8am. Granted I only live a couple of blocks from my office, and DD's daycare is on campus. We keep getting proposals from the school district to move to a later start, but I love our early start school.

[waverly]

Jul 12, 2018 13:31:01 GMT -5 k3am said:

Victory: I got a real live person on the phone!

Defeat: She doesn't know how many kids are on the waitlist or when they'll know if we'll get off the waitlist. She "thinks" they probably let people know a "few" weeks before school starts. School starts in a "few" weeks. (My expectations are too high.)

186momx , I'm with you on wondering who works and finds the 9am start time convenient. The teacher at her assessment commented that they like the late start time because she gets to sleep in.. well la-di-da, talking about sleeping in to the woman who gets up at 4am daily. I'm not bitter at all.

I would call back in 2 weeks.  I am assuming school starts in 3-4 weeks?  

[2chatter]

Here elementaries start first, then middle, then high. It sucks because middle and high school students can’t help after school. But wait, they can! If they have “zero hour” or a “free period” they can start late AND/OR finish early. Our afternoon sitter had both - a late start and early finish. I bet you can find a high school kid who would be all about the extra cash who has a later start. I found her on NextDoor and she was awesome so there is hope!

[k3am]

Jul 12, 2018 13:34:51 GMT -5 phdmomma said:

k3am , See, I love early start. Because that means we don't need to do before care. I get to take him to the bus, drop off his sister on campus, and then finally get to my office, all by 8am. Granted I only live a couple of blocks from my office, and DD's daycare is on campus. We keep getting proposals from the school district to move to a later start, but I love our early start school.

This is my dream. We're an early start household in general. Our weekend "sleeping in" schedule could still easily accommodate an early start time for school. 

[katrine05]

DD's school schedule is 840-310. We avoided before and after care by shifting our schedules. I drop her off and work 9-5, DH picks her up. He works 530-130. I hate starting at 9am but it makes the most sense financially. We technically live out of district so bussing isn't available anyways. It worked out well for us this year.

[helenahhandbasket]

My DD has the same start time. I was having a cow last year as well.

Do they bus any of the kids? Our district offers buses to most, even though my hood is really small and we live only maybe a half mile from the school. The bus picks up at 8:20 (for the 8:50 start)

Or, does the school have any early programs you can get her into? DD's school now does breakfast. It starts at 8:15 am (so I drop her off and if I race to work I can make it there by 9:15).

Wed do not get home until late though-- like 7:30 ish. It's a schlep.

[shakinros]

When DH worked in town too, we staggered schedules just a little. School starts at 830 here. So our days went like...
DH at train at 8, at work at 845
I drop off DD at 820
I get to train at 830, work at 915ish
School over at 255, DD to aftercare
DH leave work at 445, get DD at 545
I leave work at 530, home at 630

After we pulled her out of aftercare, we hired a high schooler to pick her up and bring her home. High school here lets out at 230.

Yeah, the early dismissals really killed me last year. I’m ready(er) this time!

[waverly]

We have half days and those days the aftercare opens at 11:30 to take them after the half day. But K is already half days and they alternate who goes on those days so days she doesn’t go which is maybe 2 per year I would have no care until 11:30 am. Not sure if that makes sense.

It wasn’t an issue for DS because we were at the day care center which was always open.