WOHMs of school aged kids

peekaboo716

WDYD for care in the summer months? Do you hire a nanny? Have another daycare option? Is there programming through your school?

This is our first summer that I need to figure out what to do for a school aged child. It seems like many of the programs (around me anyway) are designed for short times during the day, like the local park playground from 1-4 PM, or Sports-type programs from 9-12. I had no idea I had to figure out all this stuff now.

I didn't think it would bother me, but I wish I could just be a SAHM for the summer. I remember those days as a kid when you had nothing to do but play, go to friend's houses, swim, bike, etc. And my mom was at home ready with lunch, snacks, and to drive us around as needed.

ccm1203

I just "add" Evan to the daycare that DD goes to during the school year.  My mom watches DD 3 days a week and a good friend watches her 2 days / week.  DD is starting K in the fall and I hope that we can work something similar the next summer.   I would love to be a SAHM for the summer unfortunately where I work is very summer dependent.

august06mom

We're struggling with this now. We have  PT nanny, but she's really here to care for the baby. I don't think she's interested in occupying a 6yo this summer. I'll probably do a hodge-podge of weekly camps, trips to the grandparents, and me using some vacation time. It's expensive, though. Our town offers free camp for July, but it's from 9-2, not exactly full-day. All of the full-day camps here are outrageous ($5k for the summer -- so not in our budget).

Cbidt's girl

I'm not there yet - but it's been a topic discussed among our preschool/childcare set. Many of the local public schools run "camp" for the same hours that school runs (8-2:40). There are also day camps around here for kids 6 and up. This summer I'll have a month to fill but next year I'll need to figure out 3 months. Ugh.

joseysbride

Thankfully, the home daycare that my son goes to will take her over the summer.  She went there before she started school, too.  She also takes her on the random days when there is no school, but we still have to work.  It makes it so much easier to just have to take them both to one place.  T

joseysbride

Thankfully, the home daycare that my son goes to will take her over the summer.  She went there before she started school, too.  She also takes her on the random days when there is no school, but we still have to work.  It makes it so much easier to just have to take them both to one place.  The

joseysbride

Thankfully, the home daycare that my son goes to will take her over the summer.  She went there before she started school, too.  She also takes her on the random days when there is no school, but we still have to work.  It makes it so much easier to just have to take them both to one place.  The only

katie277s

I hired a HS girl to come watch him in the summer.  This year, DH will be home to watch the boys until he starts work in July.  Then, I should be done with working (for awhile at least).  

EliseB0323

The daycare DS went to through Kindergarten has a school-age summer "camp," so we did that most of last summer. This year we are likely doing a few weeks of martial arts camp, a few weeks of the "camp" at our gym so DS can swim everyday, and possibly the rest of the summer at the daycare summer program.

I am considering hiring a high school/college student as a nanny for the summer, but DS is an only child, and I would rather he spend more time with other kids.

StJess88

The before/after school program is called Kids Club. They run a summer program at the school. They do field trips, swimming, etc.

cooker71

I'll be registering Nora for a school-aged program through the same YMCA she and Miles attend now.

It's either three, four or five days a week, you can pick which weeks and even days you want them to attend in advance, and includes things like science experiments, field trips, sports, art, etc.

I don't have many other options than full-time care. 

MarchMom06

Honestly, last summer's child care dilemma just about killed us. We also did a hodge podge of summer camps (through our kids schools), vacation days - I used more than 4 weeks of vacation - and I'll just say that it was expensive, time consuming, hard to track, & cost me career wise. I got feedback from my manager that I wasn't seen as "available" during the summer. It was hard to disagree, given that I'd take 4 weeks of vacation. . .

I shiver at the thought of the upcoming summer.

surprise3rd

I work part time at home and hire a high school girl.

warriormomerin

cooker71:

I'll be registering Nora for a school-aged program through the same YMCA she and Miles attend now.

It's either three, four or five days a week, you can pick which weeks and even days you want them to attend in advance, and includes things like science experiments, field trips, sports, art, etc.

I don't have many other options than full-time care. 

 This will be my first summer not on a teacher's schedule so we'll probably do this. DD already attends there for before and after school care, so it won't be much of a transition. 

Angela814

Our local YMCA has summer camps with free before and after camp daycare. It's for ages 4 and up. They even had a bus to take kids from a local school to the YMCA (about 10 minute drive).

Most daycare centers in our area have summer programs for school age kids too.

shouldbworkin

Our school district, park district and gym offer FT day camps.  Each run about the same as daycare at $160/week.  DS will do a couple weeks at the gym, a couple weeks at the park district and July at school PT since they're offering a month long enrichment program there every morning too. 

camrude

DD will do the YMCA summer program.

Jodi&Joe

StJess88:

The before/after school program is called Kids Club. They run a summer program at the school. They do field trips, swimming, etc.

Same.  But it's not called Kids Club! 

And it's not at the school. 

But other than that, it's a before/after (paid) program.  The kids go to after school (well, Joey's last day is 02/09 but Cam will continue going from 11-2:30 Tues,Wed,Thurs).  They go there during the summer.
This summer we are switching it up though.  There is a beach club at the beach house where we spend a lot of time during the summer.  I told Joe that I will likely commute from there this summer.  So Joe's mom is going to bring the kids to club in the morning (it's from 9-11:15ish).  Then they come back up to the house and she will walk them to the beach for swim lessons (club instructors).  Those last about 30 minutes (from what I remember) and then she will keep the kids at the beach until I get there around 3:30.  So she'll have them 5 days a week from about 12:30-3:30. I'm still a bit nervous about that but it's only for a few weeks (July 9 through end of August) and we are going to play it by ear.  If she can't handle it, we will find alternate care (probably at the after school program they go to now).

KellyGreen

Similar to the pp's who use a YMCA summer program, we use a JCC summer program.  It's awesome.  They are open 7am until 6pm.  Last year, DS went 3 days a week, MIL watches my boys one day a week and I'm off one day each week.  He swam every day, played sports, etc.  We paid $1600 for two months (mid-June through mid-August).

jlw2505

I have another year before I have to deal with this and I'm dreading it.  I hear all the other moms at book group talking about it and it gives me a headache.  Our school has a summer program that is open the same hours as during the school year (6:45am -6pm).  You pay for when you go so if you are doing a week vacation or other camps, you can come and go throughout the summer.  That will be the main thing we do at least in the 1st few years.  My girls will do 3 weeks at daycamp that is run through our Temple although the logistics are harder since they don't do before/after hours that really help me at all so I need to figure out to get them to and from the bus at 8am and then 3:45pm.  I will have a few days at the beginning of summer and 2 weeks at the end of summer with no care as the school program is closed and those last 2 weeks, most of the camps are also closed already.  Another option is to send them to the daycare summer program which would cover the entire summer but I have to look into the costs and see how they work it if you miss time for other camps or vacation - not sure if you pay by week or for the whole summer.  I might look into a nanny once the girls are a little older (later elementary) but again, it depends on what I do with the whole camp thing and once the girls hit 4th or 5th grade, we plan to start doing over night camp starting at 1 week and working up to a few weeks a summer as they get older.