I Got In! But Now I Don't Know If I Want It

In Fairfax County where I live, they have a public program for after school child care. It is much cheaper than the day care, and the programs are great (according to word of mouths), so it's very popular. As soon as Kyleigh turned 4, all my coworkers urged me to get on the waiting list. So I have been on the waiting list since July 2011 (yes, over a year ago), and I finally got the notification today that it is our turn to get in!

But now I am having second thoughts. The public program is cheap (about half price of what I am paying now), but they only open till 6:15 PM. This is not so bad for this year because her school is only a mile away and it would be less than 10 minutes to get there with a few traffic lights and slow neighborhood traffic. Next year, it will be a nightmare because the new school is 8 miles away in the traffic direction, and I don't think I can get there in less than 30 minutes.

The day care is double the price of the public program, but Kyleigh likes the people there (and so do I), and they open till 7:30 PM (used to be 8:30 PM). Not that it is a good thing to leave Kyleigh there for very long, but I do have the option to leave the office by 7:15 PM and still make it in time. Right now we are really busy at work and I have been picking her up around 7 PM frequently. But it won't work next year because they do not service the new school (too far).

So now I am torn. I don't know if I should accept the enrollment invitation for the public program or not. If I do, I will save some money but my work hours will be limited (by an hour a day now and 1.5 hours next year). But then of course I can spend this extra hour with Kyleigh instead of my computer.

Staying with the day care also gives me a little more bargaining power next year when I request to stay at the current school, but there is no guarantee they'll let me stay anyway.

What would you do?

Should I ask Kyleigh if she wants to switch? (Should she be given a choice?)

Comments: 19

Betty S. Sep 20, 2012, 7:17pm UTC

I would go with my gut feeling. A Mother's intuition is seldom wrong.

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William M. Sep 20, 2012, 7:19pm UTC

This is one problem I think you are going to have to answer yourself. Any advice I give might turn out to be wrong.

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Alison H. Sep 20, 2012, 8:26pm UTC

Before you go to bed at night, ask for an answer, in daily life or in a dream. It might take a few days or nights, but you'll either hear something, dream something or get an inkling about what to do.

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Nancy S. Sep 20, 2012, 10:07pm UTC

What does your husband think about it? Is he free to pick her up some days? Just a thought.

Selene N. Sep 21, 2012, 10:12am UTC

He's not even available to discuss this topic right now. He works at a different location and is "out" a lot.

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Sophie S. Sep 21, 2012, 12:30am UTC

I would go with the best long term solution.

Selene N. Sep 21, 2012, 10:20am UTC

I don't really know what's going to happen next year. I think in any case next year will be a brand new game. I am already on the waiting list for the new school for the public program (the current year enrollment is at the old school so it does not help me with the new school -- each school is separate. Of course, if we DIDN'T have to change schools, then my enrollment this year at this school will automatically carry over to the next year. The problem is becuase we are changing schools, so my enrollment this year has nothing to do with the next year at the new school).

If I do day care, that's only also for this year because they don't service the new school next year. So I'll have to find another day care, which probably won't be open till 7:30 PM anyway. Most of them open till 6:30 PM or earlier.

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Janet "Jax" B. Sep 21, 2012, 12:41am UTC

I actually would go with the public program, as I bet quite a few of her friends are in the program too. I used both with my kids, and boy the public program really saved us money. Since we had friends and neighbors in the program also (different ages though), it made it easy if we had a problem picking up the kids....just called a neighbor or friend.

Selene N. Sep 21, 2012, 10:13am UTC

Oh that is a thought.... about the neighbors. I guess I have to be more social with them. There are a few people I say "hello" to in the morning when we drop off at the school bus. But I guess I need to do more.

Janet "Jax" B. Sep 21, 2012, 4:41pm UTC

Oh yes, meet the neighbors and become friends.....then Kyleigh will have friends around her too.

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Karen E. Sep 21, 2012, 1:15am UTC

I would not ask your daughter. This is a grown up decision. If you have someone reliable to get her each night before closing time, I would switch her over. Money is hard to save, but you sure could with this choice.

Selene N. Sep 21, 2012, 10:21am UTC

Well, that someone will have to be me. I just have to say sorry to my coworkers that I have to leave, period.

Selene N. Sep 21, 2012, 10:22am UTC

I did bring up the idea to Kyleigh that I am thinking about switching her. She wasn't very happy with the idea. I didn't really tell her it's her choice. I just told her I was still thinking about it.

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Selene N. Sep 21, 2012, 10:23am UTC

I am hoping that I can talk to my husband this weekend and get his opinion. I called the public program and they told me I have until mid week next week to respond, but they prefer that I respond by Monday because otherwise they'd give the opportunity to the next family in line.

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Beth J. Sep 21, 2012, 1:48pm UTC

Thanks for posting on Helping Out One Another

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David K. Sep 23, 2012, 3:36pm UTC

Could you get to work earlier so it wouldn't be a problem to leave earlier? Or catch up at home after picking up Kyleigh?

Selene N. Sep 23, 2012, 10:12pm UTC

I can't get to work any earlier than after I drop off Kyleigh at the bus stop. And Kyleigh practically will not allow me to work at home. I think I'll just have to shorten my hours and try to make sure I can get my job done somehow.

David K. Sep 24, 2012, 9:08pm UTC

I'm sure they must be flexible since others will have similar child care issues. Best of luck finding a solution...and I know you will.

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Visionaerie B. Feb 16, 2013, 10:42pm UTC

You and Kyleigh could make a list of things you like about your current day care, and what you would gain or lose from the new one. It's too bad we aren't back in the days when one paycheck was enough to provide for the family -- if we had lower taxes I think we would have a lot more flexibility! Thanks for posting this.

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I Got In! But Now I Don't Know If I Want It

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