Vent: after school care.

MirandaHobbes · June 2013

My son starts kindy at the end of August. Basically since he was born I've been looking forward to him being able to take advantage of the after-school care program at his elementary school- it's cheap, it has a great reputation, and it is insanely easy and close to our house. All things we have never had with a daycare. So fast forward to early this month, it occurs to me that I better get him signed up. I go on the website and see that his elementary school is FULL- as is ALL of the programs within our busing zones. I panic, and start calling every other program I can think of (after getting on the waitlist at his school, of course), and every program is either full (parks and rec) or outside of our busing zone (YMCA).

I had to shut my office door and have a little pity party cry when I realized that (1) DS is going to have to ride the bus now and (2) the elementary school offices are closed until just a week (!) before school, so I can't even find anyone to help me out with setting up special ed busing, revising his IEP, etc; and mostly (3) that I'm literally having to pull out the yellow pages now and go down the list of child care centers and in-home daycares trying to find a daycare. AGAIN. I had really thought this part of our lives was over!

Background: DS has autism, and has ridden the public school bus every day from daycare to his EI program since he was 2. It doesn't have the same "allure" to him that other kids have, and I would be so happy if he was just at the same place all day and I didn't have to risk transporting him to another place to be watched for a mere 1-2 hours after school.

So far I've found exactly ONE center that is licensed for after-school care within our busing zone and it is NOT cool. The licensing violations confirmed my suspicions after I toured it and got a bad vibe- just 6 months ago the school-aged room was cited for having stains in the carpet and a "strong urine odor" in the bathroom. Now I get to tackle the inhome daycare list. Or call nannies, which sounds like an even bigger hassle. We don't have any neighbors that stay home, and the neighbor kids go to their elderly grandma's after school which I'm not comfortable with.

And all of this just because I was too stupid not to sign up on May 1 like all the other smart parents!!! Gah, it is eating me alive.

Sorry for the length, it's therapeutic for me.

thedash · June 2013

I'm sorry that's awful! I just found out from a neighbor that the after school program in our county always books up the first day or two of enrollment - which is many months before the school year starts. I never would have thought! Fingers crossed that you get in from the wait list at some point.

jf198400 · June 2013

That is awful! I would never have thought it could be full either, how is that even possible?? I would be absolutely livid. Saying a prayer for you that something works out.

MirandaHobbes · June 2013

Thanks, guys. We are waitlisted, although they said the waitlist is "long" and the only way people come off it is if they move out of the district, so I'm not holding my breath.

I can.not.believe someone didn't jump up and down and wave a big sign at the Kindergarten Roundup this Spring telling all of us to "sign up early- on the same day registration opens- for the after school care program!!". We didn't even get a brochure, probably because the program is not run by the school, it is an outside company that just uses their space.

My only consolation is that next year I'll be first in line to sign up, and I'm telling everyone I know to sign up early and avoid my pain!

MammaBear81 · June 2013

That's tough, I'm sorry you are going through this. Our school has an enrichment program and they have a table when you go into kindergarten evaluations (in March!) and if you don't sign up then, good luck! Our transportation sheets are also due in April (so if your child isn't going home after school you need to fill out this form to tell them where to take your child) so we've been warned that you need to sign up EARLY.... I can't believe your district didn't give a heads up to new parents!

litzo27 · June 2013

I'm sorry you're going through this! I would suggest considering a nanny/babysitter again. Especially since it's just for a couple of hours a day a responsible local college student or SAHM may be very interested in the opportunity. Yes, interviewing and vetting them are a hassle but there are gold nuggets to be found.

morrkim · June 2013

I'm sorry your going through this. Is your child receiving any support services since he has autism? I used to work for a group called Disability Supports and I went to a home of a child with autism and helped her or her parents. I was kind of like a babysitter, but I was provided because she needed extra help. I was considered a personal care assistant. Could you find someone or something like this? I hope this makes sense.

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