***lauren&matt***

NewMrs07

Hi, I saw that you mentioned that your MDO program does not follow the school schedule and it's $350 a month. Do you mind telling me what program that is? I currently have my LO going to the Trinity Baptist Church MDO but it's only 2 days a week and they close holidays and all summer. I need to find an alternate place ASAP b/c I can't take the summer off from work. I found the Alamo Heights UMC but they only open 6 weeks in summer. If you can give me the name(s) of other places, that would be great!! TIA

lauren&matt

WELL... sadly my MDO is closing at the end of this year   so it wouldn't do you any good.

What area of town are you looking for? Shearer Hills has a fantastic MDO programs w/ 2 summer sessions. Coker Methodist also does... The JCC is supposed to be fantastic and even better for us working moms (because they are Jewish) they do not take long breaks like at Christmas and they are also open the whole summer. Their # is 302-6846.

Also St Andrews in AH... https://www.standrewsumcschool.org/

HTH!!! GL, would love to hear what you decide  

NewMrs07

Thanks for the info! I didn't know about Shearer Hills, St Andrews or JCC. We live close to Alamo Heights but I work off of the 1604 exit off 281. So I could travel further from home on my way to work and drop off Adrian.

He's 17 months now and he's currently enrolled in the MDO at Trinity Baptist Church. I love it but it's only M-W 9-2pm and I'd like to have the flexibility of having Fridays available for drop-in care. My husband can arrange his schedule to work mornings or afternoons so he's been watching A on Fridays, but he sometimes has to go to work early and we need Friday care too, just in case.

I've looked at St. Peters, Alamo Heights UMC and Coker. AHUMC is great but their fall class is full. I liked Coker a lot too and I think it's the best fit so far, although a bit far from our home, but like I said, then it's on my way to work off of 281. St. Peters has the best location for us but I didn't like the center that much. It seemed more basic, a little run down and not as much fun as the other centers. Still, it's not a bad choice if we need it. Price is more or less the same everywhere, give or take $50 or so. I don't think I'll do JCC b/c I'd like Adrian to learn Christian traditions, even though DH and I are not particularly religious. But I'd like A to have some kind of religious foundation.

Anyway, that was a mouthful, huh? Thanks for the recs, now I have tons of places to choose from in case the one I pick now doesn't work out. Are you going to look for another MDO or you're SAHM when your new baby is born? GL! 

lauren&matt

No, I'm a worker (p/t anyway. I would not do well staying home full time

If I lived near AH, I would probably do St. Andrews for a variety of reasons...  but I don't SO I was deciding between Shearer Hills and Coker. I like Shearer Hills a lot. Elise went there last summer and I have no complaints. However, I chose Coker for 2 reasons. 1, that is actually where my brother and I went when we were little. It has been around forever and has an excellent rep. and 2, they do extended care for $3.  Can drop off at 8:30 and/or p/u at 3:30. (regular hours are 9-3)  I will probably use that a lot... 

hth!!  

NewMrs07

That helped a lot, thanks! I think I might stick with Trinity for the Fall, for M-W only, 9-2, and do drop-in on Fridays at Coker, if I need to. I would have to double-check if they allow drop-ins from outside or if I need to commit to 1 day/wk. I think my husband can still watch him on Friday morning while I work and that would be best since it will save us a lot of money. Right now we pay $145/mo for 2 days and the other places are more. Plus, my husband works downtown and it's nice to have him drop LO in the AM so that I don't have to do drop off and p/u. If I went with Coker for the Fall, I would always have to do both.

I still have to pick a new one for summer though, since Trinity doesn't have a summer program. I will probably go with St. Peter's b/c it's in AH or Coker if St. Peter's is already full. I checked St. Andrews and it seems like a good program but that $350 registration fee is crazy! Plus, they can't guarantee a spot this summer.

So much to think about! But thank you so much for all the info, that was great

NewMrs07

Well, if you're still reading this, I finally chose Coker. St Peters wasn't very flexible with the Friday drop-in option and I don't want to pay for 3 days/wk if we only need 2 days on some weeks. Coker was OK with drop-in for the 3rd day (space allowing of course), so my decision has been made. I signed Adrian up for summer and fall, so that's done. One less thing to think about. I'm excited, I get a good vibe from them and the two times we went to check it out he just wanted to stay and play. I think he got a good vibe too! So maybe I'll bump into you some morning

lauren&matt

That's great! Elise hasn't started Coker yet but she is enrolled for the summer and fall as well, T,W, and Th. I am looking forward to it, they have been around for a long time, like I said, it is where my brother and I went to MDO, and have always had a wonderful reputation.

Looking forward to bumping into you