While the family and I were hanging out at the neighbors' house the other day, my neighbor (whose son will be three next month) asked me if we had started looking into preschools for W yet. W won't be three before the September 30 preschool cutoff date this year, so we haven't done much looking. By "haven't done much," I mean we haven't done any. It honestly hadn't even been on my radar until this conversation happened.
Out of curiosity, I started doing a bit of research into it tonight. And holy crap is this process going to be a pain in the ass. Not even considering the cost factors (since most places apparently don't put their prices on their websites), there are so many logistical issues we're going to run into.
Here's our situation (that probably won't change before W starts preschool): We live in City T. I work Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM (generally; my hours are sometime a bit different depending on trials, emergency hearings, etc.), in City B. B works Monday through Friday, 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM. He generally works in our city or its suburbs, but could potentially work anywhere within a 75 or so mile radius of our house. He will occasionally have to work overtime hours. He also attends classes three nights a week, August through April, from 6:00 to 9:00 PM. The boys both attend a daycare center in City H, which is halfway between my work and home. The center is open Monday through Friday, 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Due to work/class schedules and our vehicle situation (B can't fit two car seats in his truck and we aren't really in a position to get a different vehicle for him at the moment), I am primarily responsible for weekday care and transportation.
The first hurdle to choosing a preschool is figuring out which ones are available. There's not really a good source that lists the preschool options available in any given city (that I found, at least). Of the ones I found, a large number don't have websites, so even doing some preliminary scouting is difficult.
The next hurdle is figuring out which city is going to best meet our needs. Currently, the majority of the boys' care providers are in City B. This was done because W's first babysitter was in City B and I worked in City B, so it was easiest for me to take W to doctors in City B. Now that daycare is elsewhere, this isn't as convenient, but I haven't bothered to do anything about it. Mostly because there aren't any really good options for us, being that we're spread over three different cities that are fairly close to each other, but aren't close enough that being spread out over them is still convenient.
The real dilemma is caused by preschool hours. It seems like a lot of these programs are two to three days a week from 8:30 to 11:30 AM or 9:00 AM to noon. For me to drop off/pick up W, his daycare needs to be close to my work and his preschool. I could make this work by flexing my hours a bit and/or giving up my lunch hour. No biggie. This would require a change of daycare centers, though, because it takes me 10 to 15 minutes each way to get W at his current daycare. I really like our current place and don't want to have to move him. If we put him in a preschool in City T, I can drop him off without issue, but picking him up and getting him to daycare will be a major problem. There's only one preschool in City H (I use the word "city" very loosely when referring to this place) and most, if not all, of the preschool-aged kids at the boys' daycare attend it, but there are no transportation options available, and I would have to get to work about an hour late and leave about an hour and a half early to transport him. The drive time between work and daycare would make going back to work after taking W from preschool to daycare senseless. I don't have that kind of paid time off available to me, nor do I always have the flexibility to leave work like that. I could probably set up some sort of carpooling option with other parents, but most, if not all, of them don't take their kids to daycare at all on preschool days.
This probably could be easily solved by enrolling W at a place that has both preschool and daycare available on site, but these types of facilities seem to be few and far between. And those that do offer this option generally seem to have hours that won't work for us (e.g. the center doesn't open until 7:30 AM. This is usually not a problem, but there are some days when I need to be to work by 7:30, and getting there by 7:45 wouldn't be ok). Most of them don't take younger kids, either, which is a problem because I want to keep both boys at the same daycare. I have enough to do in a day; I don't need to add another stop to my morning/evening commutes.
Once we get past all the logistical hurdles, we still have to find a school that's going to be a good fit for W and won't bankrupt us. I'd really like to put him in a Montessori school because I think the Montessori style would really be beneficial for him, but there's no way we'll be able to afford it. I don't know exact dollar amounts, but from everything I've been told, that shit's expensive. We also have to worry about actually getting in to the school(s) we want.
I've considered not sending him to preschool at all, since he'll have about four-ish years of daycare under his belt before kindergarten, but I think W is going to need preschool. Which is unfortunate.
Luckily for me, my kid isn't going to be old enough to go to preschool next year, so I'm just going to pretend tonight's little research project never happened and stick my head back in the sand for another year. For those of you currently going through the preschool search, do you have any tips or tricks to share?
Out of curiosity, I started doing a bit of research into it tonight. And holy crap is this process going to be a pain in the ass. Not even considering the cost factors (since most places apparently don't put their prices on their websites), there are so many logistical issues we're going to run into.
Here's our situation (that probably won't change before W starts preschool): We live in City T. I work Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM (generally; my hours are sometime a bit different depending on trials, emergency hearings, etc.), in City B. B works Monday through Friday, 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM. He generally works in our city or its suburbs, but could potentially work anywhere within a 75 or so mile radius of our house. He will occasionally have to work overtime hours. He also attends classes three nights a week, August through April, from 6:00 to 9:00 PM. The boys both attend a daycare center in City H, which is halfway between my work and home. The center is open Monday through Friday, 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Due to work/class schedules and our vehicle situation (B can't fit two car seats in his truck and we aren't really in a position to get a different vehicle for him at the moment), I am primarily responsible for weekday care and transportation.
The first hurdle to choosing a preschool is figuring out which ones are available. There's not really a good source that lists the preschool options available in any given city (that I found, at least). Of the ones I found, a large number don't have websites, so even doing some preliminary scouting is difficult.
The next hurdle is figuring out which city is going to best meet our needs. Currently, the majority of the boys' care providers are in City B. This was done because W's first babysitter was in City B and I worked in City B, so it was easiest for me to take W to doctors in City B. Now that daycare is elsewhere, this isn't as convenient, but I haven't bothered to do anything about it. Mostly because there aren't any really good options for us, being that we're spread over three different cities that are fairly close to each other, but aren't close enough that being spread out over them is still convenient.
The real dilemma is caused by preschool hours. It seems like a lot of these programs are two to three days a week from 8:30 to 11:30 AM or 9:00 AM to noon. For me to drop off/pick up W, his daycare needs to be close to my work and his preschool. I could make this work by flexing my hours a bit and/or giving up my lunch hour. No biggie. This would require a change of daycare centers, though, because it takes me 10 to 15 minutes each way to get W at his current daycare. I really like our current place and don't want to have to move him. If we put him in a preschool in City T, I can drop him off without issue, but picking him up and getting him to daycare will be a major problem. There's only one preschool in City H (I use the word "city" very loosely when referring to this place) and most, if not all, of the preschool-aged kids at the boys' daycare attend it, but there are no transportation options available, and I would have to get to work about an hour late and leave about an hour and a half early to transport him. The drive time between work and daycare would make going back to work after taking W from preschool to daycare senseless. I don't have that kind of paid time off available to me, nor do I always have the flexibility to leave work like that. I could probably set up some sort of carpooling option with other parents, but most, if not all, of them don't take their kids to daycare at all on preschool days.
This probably could be easily solved by enrolling W at a place that has both preschool and daycare available on site, but these types of facilities seem to be few and far between. And those that do offer this option generally seem to have hours that won't work for us (e.g. the center doesn't open until 7:30 AM. This is usually not a problem, but there are some days when I need to be to work by 7:30, and getting there by 7:45 wouldn't be ok). Most of them don't take younger kids, either, which is a problem because I want to keep both boys at the same daycare. I have enough to do in a day; I don't need to add another stop to my morning/evening commutes.
Once we get past all the logistical hurdles, we still have to find a school that's going to be a good fit for W and won't bankrupt us. I'd really like to put him in a Montessori school because I think the Montessori style would really be beneficial for him, but there's no way we'll be able to afford it. I don't know exact dollar amounts, but from everything I've been told, that shit's expensive. We also have to worry about actually getting in to the school(s) we want.
I've considered not sending him to preschool at all, since he'll have about four-ish years of daycare under his belt before kindergarten, but I think W is going to need preschool. Which is unfortunate.
Luckily for me, my kid isn't going to be old enough to go to preschool next year, so I'm just going to pretend tonight's little research project never happened and stick my head back in the sand for another year. For those of you currently going through the preschool search, do you have any tips or tricks to share?
3 comments:
Maybe its where you live, but over here its very easy to find daycares with preschool programs. Many of the national chains have them. Primrose is one of the higher end ones that even have accredited private kindergarten. Other names in our area that are large chains/programs offering preschool are Goddard, Kindercare, and Montessori. I really like the Montessori program. Also when looking at schools dont exclude based on hours. Many school offer early drop off (and late pick up) for an additional fee. Just ask.
This may not be an option you want to consider yet, but since you mentioned that you are concerned that W might have some sensory processing challenges, he may be eligible for preschool at your public school. Once kids are three, they are eligible for services through the special education program if screening shows they qualify.
I'd also do some more looking for the daycare/preschool option in the city where you work. Do you have coworkers with kids who might have suggestions?
I've shared with you before about our daycare provider. She is a private provider and does preschool within her daycare. She would take both kids. If you would like information, please feel free to email me! I have contacted you before after a mutual friend of ours reached out to me that you needed daycare after R was born. I used to use chaycesmomma but have recently gotten a new email!
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