Struggles

I thought it might help me to air this out in writing. I am really struggling with where to send the kiddos for daycare. As you can imagine, sending 3 kids full-time is outrageously expensive! For example, the least expensive I've found is $1,150/month and it goes up to $1,600!!. No way that is going to fly. And, believe it or not, in-home people are NOT cheaper and you have to trust someone to watch your kids while watching 6 or 8 others. Nannies coming into our home are off the chart $$$$!!!

So, I've done a lot of looking around. Getting TWO spots in an infant room is hard to do, so I have to act fast. Becca was on a waiting list at several places when she was an infant and that was just for one spot.

We have decided that part-time care is going to be our best choice. It's what we can afford. I want to keep Becca in a social, school-type environment where she will be engaged and learning. It would be nice (and easiest) to take the babies to the same place. Some places are designed for "mother's day out" and only open to 1 year+, some close in the summer or for long breaks and some are just stupidly expensive.

I have narrowed it down to 3 places. Well, two really. I liked a third place but the neighborhood was quite questionable. I just don't think I could look past it. I got 3 references on the place and general area--2 were not good (one from the mailman). The facility itself is fine, but I can't send Becca outside to play in a neighborhood where there is known riff-raff and sex offenders nearby.

My first choice is St. Thomas church in Springdale. It's literally a mile from the house and 2 from my office. The good thing is they go nearly year-round, taking a few 2-week breaks in between sessions. I can send all of them 4 days a week from 9:00-2:00, which should give Lee some time to do his real estate work after UPS. The bad: they are closed on Tuesdays, which means I have to find someone to keep all 3 kids once a week. And I may need help from FAMILY and FRIENDS during those longer breaks in care. Don't think I won't ask. That is my new plan for survival--ASK FOR HELP!!

The other place is actually a full-time place (also at a church) but it costs a bit more than St. Thomas. I realize we would be getting more, but we can get by on part-time care. The other thing with it is that I just didn't love it. It was just OK. Is "just OK" good enough for my kids? I keep thinking maybe I am spoiled because we love Becca's daycare in Farmington....agh!

Anyway, that is it. I will be surprised if anyone reads through this entire post. St. Thomas enrolls next week for fall, so I have to decide fast. If we don't get 3 spots, I'll have to start over.