January 17, 2007 - 4:41 pm
So if feelings aren’t your thing, look away. My babysitter has stopped showing up. Just stopped coming. Says her driveway is too snowy (even though it’s 50 degrees) so I’ve begun the slow, gut-wrenching task of trying to find childcare for my kids.
Part-time childcare.
Ever done something so sad? Not sad because the poor dears will be cared for by someone other than me, but because one faces the grim edge of the childcare crisis in this country when one attempts the audaciously hopeful but ultimately vain task of finding care for under $2,000 per month even in a crap hole backwater like Bellingham.
What I’ve found today: waiting lists, waiting lists, they can fit one of the kids but not the other, they have room for Chloe but not Zander, they can take them but only for two hours every third day.
I was starting the long process of researching private full-day Kindergarten for Zander for Fall 2007 because Bellingham doesn’t offer full-day public Kindergarten…. only from 9-11:30am M-F which is sort of like “Kindergarten dust” if you ask me.. what with all the driving and lugging around and schlepping. The kids are going to chew off their own heads if they have to have another under-stimulated — over-televisioned year at home.
So now I’m utterly scrambling, and missing work, and getting impatient emails from my boss who wonders why I’m not there, and trying hard to not cry in front of the kids (& failing) and losing hope in humanity. What good are stainless steel appliances when one doesn’t have proper health care and public education is a rotting hellish cesspool?
If my only option is one of those creepy places in a strip mall, I’ll have to hang up my working-girl garb for awhile longer and try to not go to a mental institution and stay at home.
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So, so sorry Cranks.
Interesting take on the hip parenting thing.
You know what I think.
January 17th, 2007 at January 17, 2007 - 5:56 pmYou have my sympathies. I remember what is what like when my kids were little. I found the whole thing too overwhelming, trying to find daycare for odd hours and bits and pieces. I just gave up and and worked nights part-time to make it work. Either my husband or I were home to take care of the kids. Needless to say, we didn’t see much of each other and I don’t remember much of their childhood other than being tired, all the time. There aren’t any easy answers, unfortunately. Good luck.
January 17th, 2007 at January 17, 2007 - 5:57 pmI’m sorry….that sounds miserable. I work for an advocacy org (both in WA state and federally) and we are trying to change that, but it’s a slow painful process in the land of Bush.
January 17th, 2007 at January 17, 2007 - 10:20 pmYou have my heartfelt sympathies, Crankmama. I remember this dance well. We can launch spaceprobes but can’t supply enough childcare places. How is that possible?
I was so desperate, that I was forced to leave my girl in inadequate care, with people I didn’t trust, something I have never entirely recovered from. But it was a measure of my desperation. I had to work, or we didn’t eat. End of story.
January 18th, 2007 at January 18, 2007 - 2:13 amThat really sucks. I’m always amazed of the low priority child care and education has in the country. top notch private day-care over here costs $150/month including everything. Our son goes part-time, 9-3 pm, which feels about right so wife gets some time to catch up and take care of our little one.
Government is in charge of day-care and one kight think that means crap but it’s actually the opposite. Private or not, it costs exactly the same. The ironic thing is that while we do pay $100/month for part-time day care we receive a check each month for $200 to cover child expenses. And that’s per child. Everyone gets teh same. While it’s not much it adds up to something considering this continues until age 16(!)
Don’t mean to make you depressed, simply pointing out that kids should be more of a priority. What’s the point of people working if the whole paycheck goes to paying day care for the kids?
Best of luck
AD
January 18th, 2007 at January 18, 2007 - 2:56 amWe went through the same thing with our twins and it is certainly NOT fun.
My husband was the stay at home parent for the first two years of their life but at two we felt they needed more than just us…and we needed the second income.
Ultimately we ended up with one of those strip mall type day care places because it was the only choice we had that would accomdate our schedules. (that working thing KEEPS getting in the way!)And it wasn’t as horrible as I anticipated.
You’ll figure it out and I have faith you will make the right decision for your family.
January 18th, 2007 at January 18, 2007 - 8:45 amBut it does, indeed, suck. Damn all those parenting choices we have to make.
Shit Crank, this sucks. You identified one of the main problems with this country: “proper health care and public education is a rotting hellish cesspool” But of course, spend X billion on the war in Iraq…makes sense, to some, not necessarily to women who are trying to work for a living.
January 18th, 2007 at January 18, 2007 - 10:06 amI wish I could send you Mary Poppins.
We were going through this when our daughter was first born, and it sucked. The wife’s job was being a-hole’s about the whole thing (her boss is one of those middle-aged, non-married, life is all work, bee-yotches) and expected our daughter to go away. It made things even worse.
January 18th, 2007 at January 18, 2007 - 10:37 amWe asked everybody we knew (and had then ask people they knew), eventually we found an elder, grandma- woman to watch her. She’s been watching her ever since.
Oh the friggin childcare issue! DO.NOT.GET.ME.STARTED! It’s a nightmare…period.
January 18th, 2007 at January 18, 2007 - 2:23 pmI hear ya with the snow and not being able to get to work sista! I just got back yesterday and was met with MUCH consternation from my childless boss and co-workers.
[…] Two Steps from Gawping Globby Sobs […]
January 19th, 2007 at January 19, 2007 - 10:39 pmHi Rachel. This is Cambria. We met at the Baron’s house a couple of weeks ago. My husband Brian works with your husband and we own Kendrick’s Billiards. So I was thinking that seeing as we are both moms in B’ham maybe I could lend some insight on the Bellingham childcare scene. Only if you think it might be helpful. Let me know. And don’t worry…you are not the ONLY sassy mama in Bellingham. I know a few! Maybe we should have dinner sometime! Love the blog…keep it rollin’!
January 21st, 2007 at January 21, 2007 - 12:46 amOh, that is sad.
BTW, I haven’t heard of full day Kindergarten. I think that it is more the norm to go part-day. My state IS considering a full-day option, but I think it would be too much for them.
Between that option and shitty day-care, I would definately vote for full time school, though.
GOOD LUCK!
January 21st, 2007 at January 21, 2007 - 12:05 pm[…] Two Steps from Gawping Globby Sobs […]
January 23rd, 2007 at January 23, 2007 - 5:00 pm