At A Crossroads in my daycare.. .

[Cadillac]

I'm really worried, sad and anxious about this issue. But most of all I'm determined to find a solution that will work for both me and all of my daycare families.

I have a meeting with the mother of the child this pertains to tonight and I'm looking for every and all suggestions. I need to know what others have been in this situation, what you've done and how it's worked out.

So here is the situation:
I have 4 two year olds, a 12 month old, and a soon to be 4 year old.

The four year old will be starting school in September. My worry is dropping her off and picking her up everyday. I'm worried about having to cut much needed naps short in order to do so and bringing 5 other children outside in the rain, blizzards, and severely cold weather in order to pick her up or drop her off. I'm worried about the stress and hassle of getting everyone ready to go in order to do so.

I was hoping to propose to mom, the idea of having someone else pick her up or drop her off. A grade 8 student, a daycare that passes by my house everyday anyways. The only other suggestion I have is to, unfortunately, find another daycare.

I LOVE this family. I LOVE the two children. I don't want to have to let them go. But, it's not fair to the four other families and their children that will have to suffer as a result.

I'm losing sleep over this.

Help me!

[Sandbox Sally]

Is she going to be half days? I know that other people I know that have to do half day pick ups will play at a playground beforehand, then pick the child up, or find a play group or early years centre near the school, and pick the child up on the way home, kinda thing. You don't have to cut nap short, just try and find a way to modify the schedule.

If the mom's cool with the 8th grader doing pick up and drop off, then it's a non issue. Hope it goes your way!

[Cadillac]

She will be going in the afternoon. Before drop-off would be lunch and the children will be sleeping until we have to pick her up. This is my issue.

Mom and I choose to send her afternoons so that she would be around for activities and away for nap time.

If she goes mornings nap time issue is settled but I still worry about taking all the children in the rain, and freezing weather and what not. Then there is the added issue of not getting a break because she is hanging around during nap time.

[Skysue]

I have the same situation and I am thinking of asking one of my daycare Mom's to take mine (it's my daughter) and I will take away the fee off her pay. I'm thinking $10.00 a day is fare for drop off and pick up. She will be going every other day and alternate Friday's. So at $10.00 a day times ten times a month thats $100.00 off her fees. Do you have any other mom's with school age kids?

[Cadillac]

If the mom's cool with the 8th grader doing pick up and drop off, then it's a non issue. Hope it goes your way!

I hope to GOD she is. then I hope MORE STILL that I can find someone willing AND responsible.

[Cadillac]

I have the same situation and I am thinking of asking one of my daycare Mom's to take mine (it's my daughter) and I will take away the fee off her pay. I'm thinking $10.00 a day is fare for drop off and pick up. She will be going every other day and alternate Friday's. So at $10.00 a day times ten times a month thats $100.00 off her fees. Do you have any other mom's with school age kids?

That would be a GREAT idea. I'm not all for full day kindergarten but it would make this issue better. She will only be half day and I don't have any parents that would be dropping off or picking up at either of the times required.

[Sandbox Sally]

so Flex, worst case scenario, couldn't you feed everyone lunch, drop her off, do nap from say 12:45 to 2:45, and then be back for her by the time they get out?

[Sarah]

From my experience, afternoon drop off of a 4 year old to school is AWFUL

My daughter is 4, and she doesn't speak english yet, but is starting school in sept, half days, so I wanted her to learn a little "before" the bigs days. Once a week (and note this is only once a week), I registered her into and art program. So I had to drop her off after lunch, comme back, put the DACK to sleep, wake them up, quickly get them dressed, run to pick up. Most of the time, I was late to pick up. And EVERYtime, the DCK were sleeping in the stroller and refusing to go back to sleep after I took them inside.

I was my monday of horrors

I had to find a mommy that would agree to pick her up here and wait for me at pick up. Even that was, it was crazyyyyyyyyy

So now she is suppose to start school in sept, and I told the school that it HAS to be in the morning or she won't go until next sept

My advice, take the mornings, not the afternoon

[Cadillac]

BOOOOOOOO. You're right Sarah. I guess I can't have my cake and eat it too. But I want the break in the afternoon. I also don't want to have to take out 5 other children in EVERY type of weather to get ONE child.

I talked to another daycare provider who lives one block from me and she might be in a similar situation. Best case scenario, we find someone to do the drop offs and pick ups for both of us.


This sucks

[jec]

I had to pick up my own from JK last year and it was crazy!! I don't know how other daycare providers go out in all the different types of weather pulling or pushing the kids around.
My hats off to those of you who so it as it is TOUGH! There were days I came back soaked to the bone from the rain and or exhausted from pulling the kids through the snow that kept falling and making the trip there tough and the one back even harder!! I had the kids covered in my choo choo but I got smacked with everything mother nature had.
I pay someone to pick up my daughter for school and bring her back home.

Are there any stay at home moms in the park that you know of that might want to make a little extra money to do the pick up and drop off?? That is what I did, a friend of my daughter's has a Mom that stays home and I pay her to pick up and drop off and I know she is safe and I'm not worried about the rain or snow