DH and I are at odds over after school--thoughts? (long)

heyitsme

DD started a new school today (she went to a different district school last year). When we were looking at after school program options, here were our choices:

#1: Run by the school district, located on the school campus, $25/month cheaper*, closes at 6pm

#2: Run by the YMCA, located about 2 blocks from the school campus (the Y sends a counselor to come to the school, pick up all the kids and walk to the Y center), $25/month more expensive*, closes at 6:30pm

*=The Y advertised $350/mo, the school district advertised $325/mo so we figured the school district would be cheaper BUT we found out yesterday that that monthly cost is even for the month of June (last day of school is the 10th)... where the Y prorates June... so it turns out the Y is cheaper.

OK so we decided on option #1 to keep her on the campus (we were a bit wary of her walking to the Y with a group of kids, even with a counselor present) and because last year she did after school with the same Y (at a different school site) and we didn't love it. The pickup time is not a HUGE concern although the 6:30pm pickup would've been nicer. But anyway, we decided on #1.

Yesterday #1 had an "orientation" at night. That's when I found out about the cost thing, which I mentioned above. Also, I found out that when the last bell of the day rings, they give the 1st-5th graders 10 minutes to gather their stuff and get to after school before they start calling around/looking for them (if they're supposed to be at after school). To me, this seems normal--it's a small program with only 4 staff members (who will be occupied with Kindergartners--there are 30 in the after school who get out 1 hour before the 1st-5th graders), it doesn't make sense to me that they would send someone around to collect all the 1st-5th graders attending the program. If we were to pick up when the school day ended, no one would walk DD to the gate, the kids just go to the gate on their own and wait in the pick-up line... so I'm not seeing how this is any different. DH, though, is upset. He feels like her safety is compromised by expecting her (at newly 6) to walk herself from her classroom to the after school room. Her classroom is VERY close to the after school room--yes, the school is an open campus layout (each grade-level has its own building, with a quad/grass area in the center of them all), so she is walking from one building to another, but we're talk about the distance from one house to another... not very far! I talked to DD's teacher this morning and she said this week and next week she would walk DD to the child care until DD feels comfortable on her own.

Would that be a concern to you? The fact that she needs to go from Point A to Point B by herself after school--and both points are on campus? DH is all about switching to program #2 now (starting in October, as we've paid for September where we are)... Me, I think that's just going to be more of a headache, especially since we're thinking of just taking her out of after school entirely for a few months while I'm on leave (I'll be on leave Nov-Mar but we're thinking of taking her out of after school for Jan-Mar only) and enrolling her in program #2 after that.

I also should mention that I need to contact the Y... my guess is even with program #2, someone isn't going around collecting all the kids from their classrooms, but the kids will have a designated "meeting spot" on campus where they will meet the counselor and then all walk together--so it wouldn't be any different (her going to a meeting spot vs. her going to the child care room)... But I need to check on that.

taagent

So he would prefer her to walk 2 blocks with 1 adult than from one building to another next door to each other?  Hmmmm that doesn't make a ton of sense.  How many kids attend the Y after school program that this 1 counselor would be responsible for?  Personally I would have an issue with my 6 year old walking 2 blocks with a single adult.

littlemermaid

I wouldn't want my child walking off campus 2 blocks for after school care even with an adult.  I would stick with the on campus care.

jenn5-26-07

I'd stick with #1 because:

- while the teacher is only going to walk her there for the first week- I'm sure there are several staff members around campus making sure kids get where they need to be, aren't getting in trouble, ect...

- She'll develop friendships with other kids that are going the same place and walk over with them.

-your going to deal with her walking somewhere either way. short of hiring a personal nanny your not going to get 1:1 attention to make sure she gets to either program. as someone else said the Y staff most likely wont walk to her class to pick her up either.

Can you wait a couple weeks then talk to the teacher and staff from the program to see if she is handling the walk across campus ok?

Could you hubby go with her to school and walk the distance with her so he's reassured she knows where to go?