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Daycare Drama
JaclynnGail
Posts: 204 Member
So this isn't about losing weight or eating healthy at all, but I am having childcare issues and figured a group of moms might be the place to look for advice.
My stepsister and I had our baby boys close to the same time last winter. My stepmother decided, at the time, that she wanted to watch the boys while we worked. I'm a teacher and started work after maternity leave on March 1...she watched T and his cousin the next couple of months...everything seemed to be going great.
My stepmom has just told me, though, that she's decided it's too hard to watch both boys. Rather than choose to watch neither, she's decided to keep watching my nephew and to cut us off. On the one hand...she was doing us a huge favor so I can't really fault her...it IS hard to watch two boys. On the other hand, though, I'm really irritated that she's keeping her daughter's son and cutting mine off.
So, I go back to work in August. Like I said, I'm on a teacher's salary. My husband just graduated law school and is still trying to find a job...he will be taking the classes this coming year for his specialty, which is why he can't watch the baby while I work. Until he has finished the tax law classes and passed the BAR (this fall also...we don't see much of him these days, due to all the studying), there will most likely not be fantastic job opportunities. So...to wind up my rant...we need to manage daycare on a serious budget. In our area, in-home daycares are a minimum of about $500/month...centers, of course, are way more. We simply don't have an extra $500 a month. I've cancelled my gym membership (I would rather just run and so things at home anyway), cancelled my massage membership (obviously), we've cancelled our cable, and I am about to pay off my student loans. Still, the only frees up about $300 each month. Do you guys have any recommendations of ways that you have managed daycare expenses that I'm possibly not thinking of? The only other costs we have are our mortgage, car payments, internet (we both need that for work), utilities, and insurance...we can't really get rid of any of those things, and I would appreciate any advice. I don't know how people with multiple kids manage!
My stepsister and I had our baby boys close to the same time last winter. My stepmother decided, at the time, that she wanted to watch the boys while we worked. I'm a teacher and started work after maternity leave on March 1...she watched T and his cousin the next couple of months...everything seemed to be going great.
My stepmom has just told me, though, that she's decided it's too hard to watch both boys. Rather than choose to watch neither, she's decided to keep watching my nephew and to cut us off. On the one hand...she was doing us a huge favor so I can't really fault her...it IS hard to watch two boys. On the other hand, though, I'm really irritated that she's keeping her daughter's son and cutting mine off.
So, I go back to work in August. Like I said, I'm on a teacher's salary. My husband just graduated law school and is still trying to find a job...he will be taking the classes this coming year for his specialty, which is why he can't watch the baby while I work. Until he has finished the tax law classes and passed the BAR (this fall also...we don't see much of him these days, due to all the studying), there will most likely not be fantastic job opportunities. So...to wind up my rant...we need to manage daycare on a serious budget. In our area, in-home daycares are a minimum of about $500/month...centers, of course, are way more. We simply don't have an extra $500 a month. I've cancelled my gym membership (I would rather just run and so things at home anyway), cancelled my massage membership (obviously), we've cancelled our cable, and I am about to pay off my student loans. Still, the only frees up about $300 each month. Do you guys have any recommendations of ways that you have managed daycare expenses that I'm possibly not thinking of? The only other costs we have are our mortgage, car payments, internet (we both need that for work), utilities, and insurance...we can't really get rid of any of those things, and I would appreciate any advice. I don't know how people with multiple kids manage!
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We shopped around for our daycare, and we pay about $400-$500 per month. That's actually a VERY good price for our area also (most other places were $700-$1200 per month). Just keep asking around and shopping around. Daycare is very expensive. You also need to ask about the waiting lists. Most of the places near us had 3-12 month waits.
How long is your husband in class? If it's just a few hours a week, then it might be cheaper to hire a babysitter part time for just those hours.0 -
First, congratulations to your hubby. I'm a lawyer myself, so I know how time consuming studying for the bar exam is...and I didn't have kids at the time. I take it he is also getting an LLM in tax law? I argued a tax case to my state's Supreme Court a few years back, but I can't say that tax law is a favorite.
But, regarding daycare options: we are lucky to have my mother in law watch our two little ones (3 and almost 6 months) 3 days a week. That way we only pay for daycare 2 days a week. Is there any way that your stepmom would agree to keep your little one a couple of days a week instead of full time? Or could you get her to agree to watch him just until hubby is working? (Not sure after reading your post if he will be working after the bar or still studying). Would you qualify for any assistance or a sliding scale rate since hubby is not working? Are there any other family members that may be willing to watch him a day or two a week. Any friends of yours who are stay at home moms who may be looking to make a few extra bucks (in my state you do not need to be licensed to watch one unrelated child...hubby, of course, could research the tax implications). If not, then try to look for a place that let's you pay only for the hours you use. We send the girls to a Montessori program two days a week and they charge hourly. You set your schedule when you sign up. So, since you are a teacher you may be able to pick him up earlier in the afternoon than a parent who has to work until 5. Why pay the same flat rate? Same goes for school breaks. No need to pay for time you don't need, yet many places don't offer that flexibility.
It sounds like your budget is pretty tight, so there's not much to cut back on. I'm sorry I couldn't be more helpful.0 -
Finding a part time babysitter might be your only choice.I feel your pain.I have two girls and it was going to cost me 1000 month to put them in daycare,not to mention the cost of a weekend babysitter as well.I ended up quitting my job
Ask around and see if there are any stay at home moms who need a little extra cash or maybe an older woman who is on a fixed income.A church is a good place to look. 0
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