Oh so tempting!

Jodi&Joe

I'm not sure whether to scream ....or smile.

So last summer, Joe's mom brought up Catholic school to me for Cam for kindergarten (for this coming year).  It's full day.  She wants her to go. 

Joey goes to our public school here in town and the Catholic school Joe's mom wants her to go to is the same one Joe and his sister went to as kids.  It's 15 minutes away.

I dismissed the notion and said I wanted her to go to the same school here in town that her brother goes to -- and the same school she will be attending for the rest of her elementary education (as I don't plan on keeping her in Catholic school).

So things have changed.  Joe's mom is no longer watching our kids.  Joe is currently home with them now but will be returning to work sooner than later (waiting for the snow to melt).   Which means we have no care for our kids.

I make peanuts right now.  Certainly not enough to afford after school care 5 days a week for Joey and full time daycare for Cam.  Might as well stay home (if it weren't for the fact that I carry benefits).

Joe's mom offered to pay for Cam to go to Catholic school.  It's full day.  It's kindergarten.  Again, it would be swallowing pride on my end since, once again, she has a bit of control in raising our children.  On the flip side, Cam could certainly handle full day kindergarten (our town only has 1/2 day, which is really only 2hr 45 min).  And hell, the money aspect of it is pretty nice as well.

But I'm still not sure I want 1. Joe's mom that involved in our lives again and 2. Cam to go to a different school (Catholic or not) for kindergarten versus the rest of elementary.

WWYD??!

EMT

I feel like you have to do what you have to do these days as far as finances and getting a good education for your kids. So, I'd do it. My MIL would LOVE it if my little heathens went to Catholic school but she has never offered to pay for it. Our public school is amazing but I AM bummed that our kindy is only half day.

If your MIL was offering to watch her all day every day, I'd say you are asking for trouble there. My mom watches my kids two full days and I wish I didn't have to rely on her for it for a variety of reasons but I do.

marigolds

What is your mil like?  Would she hold it over you and make your life hell or would it just be a gift?  I could never accept money from my dad, even if it would make my life exponentially easier... it just wouldn't be worth all the crap that would come along with it. 

soontobemomma

Would she send Joey?  Why not both of them if she wants Cam in there?  Is that a possibility.  I wouldn't like splitting my kids up if I didn't have to, but you might have to.

GL! 

Jodi&Joe

EMT -- previously, she watched both of them all day on Mon/Thurs (except Joey was in school for 2hrs45 min on those days).  On Tues, she just had Cam and would bring her to Joe's sister's house where she also watched our nephew.  Then she also had Cam on Friday afternoon from 2:30 until Joe got home.

She is no longer healthy enough to do any of that.  There were plenty of times that I had to bite my tongue over certain things --- but it was worth it to me as my kids LOVE their grandmother and that bond was important to me.  The last year has gone downhill -- and the last 2 months before she stopped watching them was hell (pretty much) for them and her. 

So I've definitley been there, done that.  And that is no longer an option.  From our perspective AND from hers.  And if she hadn't suggested this previously, I wouldn't even consider it now as I would wonder if she was offering out of guilt.  But since it's something she wanted to do even before any of thisshit went down, I'm considering it.  But I don't know if I'm being foolish and I'm not sure that it's the right thing, overall, for Cam. 

Is staying with your kindergarten class REALLY important??  I wish I had the answer to that.

 

Jodi&Joe

Joey is already attending kindergarten in the public school system.  So I don't think it would make sense to send him to Catholic school for 1st grade since he already has a year here.  And I'm guessing she is trying to help with the cost of things --- knowing that we have to send Cam to daycare full day anyway -- this is her way of avoiding that for us.  She gets what she wants (Cam in Catholic school) and we get what we want (avoid having a full day daycare cost).

The plan is to move Cam to 1st grade here in town -- since full day daycare would no longer be an issue (1st grade is full day here).

 

Jodi&Joe

OMG -- I can tell I've been drinking --- I'm so wordy!!  LOL Well, moreso than usual! 

Anyway -- no, she would not hold it over our heads.  She currently pays for Cam's preschool tuition (about $1200 for the school year).  She has never breathed a word about it. 

AnnapolisLari

How would her going to a Catholic K be any different than if you moved between K and first grade? Stuff happens. People's financial circumstances change. I don't think her social life will be adversely affected by going to one school for K and another for the rest.

marigolds

If this is a no strings attached offer, accept!  I don't think it would be too disruptive.  Switching high schools as a teenager is much more traumatic.  Seems to me like a win-win situation.