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redshoegirl
member
so...MIL is going to be my day care :( (a little long, sorry)
redshoegirl
member
We've been on waiting lists at daycare centers around town since I found out I was pregnant (which means we've been on them for 1.5 - yes, ONE AND A HALF - years).
So far, the only offer we've had for places is at a center that can only take the boys two days a week, and not until Christmas/early January. Meanwhile, I'm starting back at work three days a week on Oct 20. So needless to say, I've been pretty stressed about this lately!
A good friend of mine who works parttime has offered to watch them for two of the days (we'll pay her, of course) - she has young children herself and I trust her, so that's all OK. But that still leaves one day. So we've had to suck it up and ask MIL to take care of them on that day. It's not the end of the world, and thankfully it's only one day per week until the end of the year so there is an expiration date...but you all know my history with MIL.
I don't know what we'll do after Christmas. I'm hoping we'll get another offer from another daycare that can take them for all three days...otherwise we'll probably have to make it into an ongoing arrangement with MIL. 
(Oh, and a nanny is not an option. They make $30-35 an hour here and generally work full time,
which means when we would eventually need one 5 days a week, it would
cost about $6k per month. Sooooooo not happening.)
And now I'm also worrying about what the hell we'll do when I go back to work full time next June - I know it's still months and months away, but it's taken this long just to get an offer of two days a week, so how much longer until we can get five days?
I knew the daycare situation in my town was crazy, but I didn't realize just HOW bad it was until now. There are less than 30k people in this city and like 10 daycare centers, and there still aren't enough places to go around. People here must breed like rabbits.
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Re: so...MIL is going to be my day care :( (a little long, sorry)
that is crazy that daycare is so hard to come by in your town. As rough as it maybe, at least you can depend on your MIL. I don't know if this is an issue or not, but if she gets to see the boys regularly while you are at work, I would think that would mean she would come around less while you and Ben are both home (so more family time for just the 4 of you). (My inlaws can be frequent visitors so that would be a plus for me!)
I understand worrying about when you go back to work full time but like you said, it is not until June. I am sure something will open up by then. I mean by that time you will have been on lists for over 2 years...at that point some of the kids that are currently in daycare will have grown up enough to not need daycare anymore!
if daycare is so limited in your town, maybe opening up one of your own would be a good business venture! clearly there is enough demand!
whew - at least it's just one day/week. I was REALLY worried when I saw the title of your post!
I hope you do get some good news around Christmas.
That's insane that the wait is so long. There are waits around here too but they are usually around 6 months, so it's best to get on them while pregnant too. I would just be sure that you give your MIL specific instructions and explain to her how important routine is. I think once she has the boys by herself, she'll have an entirely different respect for you, which may benefit your relationship in the end.
Could you share a nanny with another family? Lots of families around us do that...
Thanks for the encouragement, ladies!
Sarah, no on sharing a nanny. No one I know even has one - they're not only expensive, but pretty scarce in these parts since we live in the country. Only very wealthy people hire them, and I don't think those people would want to nanny-share.
It's possible, but a friend of mine had her daughter on lists since she was 6 months old. The daughter is now 9 and my friend NEVER heard from several of the places.
It is really, seriously, crazy.