Friday, October 21, 2005

Daycare blues.

Back when we were still pregnant, we put in an application for the daycare at the boy's place of employment. For lo, we were good little worker bees carefully getting all their ducks in a row. Only, as it turns out, not. Despite putting in applications before we even had settled on a name, despite our crossed fingers and well-knocked wood, when last we checked, we were still about two years away from an opening. So, we've been looking at our other options.

It's grim. I mean, I knew it was grim before I had a kid, but I knew it in the abstract, "Gee, this metro area really needs more childcare that working families can afford!" way with a side of "Gee, this metro area really has its head up its ass as far as childcare regulation goes." The concrete reality of it is far worse. The pickings are slim, and once you've narrowed things down to places you'd feel safe leaving your only child that don't currently have outstanding complaints filed against them with the state, the pickings are closer to none.

We toured the single in-city KinderCare today, and will need to decide soon if we're going to put in the $60 application.

The pros
  • Probably will have an opening when I find full time work
  • Looks like a good program
  • Comes recommended by friends
The cons
  • $350/week
  • Will do cloth, but only with a doctor's note
  • Downtown, so out of our way in the worst way
  • Did I mention the part where it's $350/week?
I'm starting to see why people move out to the 'burbs. Sure, with the longer commute, you pay more for gas, but the KinderCare our friends send their son to is $125 a week cheaper, and they're only about 15-25 minutes away from the city, and $125 a week is a lot of gas, even at today's prices. Plus, there seem to be plenty of centers out there, one for every subdevelopment. It's daycare heaven. Too bad that a: we're not in a position to move to the 'burbs; and b: I find them hellish, even if we were.

If I had any real way of knowing when and where I'd be working outside the home again, it would make things easier. Right now, all we know for certain is that there may be a slot opening up in December somewhere that I may be able to fill. The uncertainty of contract work doesn't mix well with motherhood, but it's about all that's out there in my field. Staying home's not an option. I need to be pulling in a regular income by next spring at the latest, and it has to be enough to take care of both daycare and the non-essential expenses.

Bleh. Two or three more places left to call. One of them has an application fee of $100. Just to apply. No information about cost per week.

Why do I suspect KinderCare is going to start looking like a blue light special?

posted by mohmlet @ 12:33 AM

2 Comments:

At 3:34 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yup. Been there, eating that not very palatable t-shirt right now.

If you haven't already, you might explore hiring an in-home person. If you can overlap your schedule with Paul so you reduce the number of hours per week you're paying, it can be less than the KinderCare a week, and a damned sight more convenient (it's okay here at least to pay $10 an hour). And flexible if you're expecting to have intermittent employment. Then look again for center-based child care when she's older - it's much much easier to find spaces, and cheaper, the older they get.

 
At 11:13 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Holy crap - that's 18+K a year! I would think for that much you could find a really good nanny/in-home provider (if you are willing to go that route). Just for comparison purposes (because I doubt you would want this), a full-time, live-in au pair is around 13K a year.
--Stephanie

 

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