The Good
I love having the ability to go to school and be able to work part-time. I couldn't have done it without childcare. For me, daycare was not an option because of the cost and location of my school (which is not close to home). What I did do was look into a couple different options that would be cheaper and in a better location for me: a nanny, after school program, or stay-at-home mom. Nannies were way too expensive for me at the time, so I went with afternoons at my church's preschool (which has been great) and evenings with my daughter's mom. After a year of this routine though we decided that both our schedules had changed enough that we needed something new.
The Bad
So here we are now in September 2014 with two little humans needing care while Mommy is at class all day long! We tried another stay-at-home mom for about 2 months but things did not work out well between us (and I have since found another sitter who works out much better). So what's next? We are now on an hourly basis with two little ones needing care until 5pm or later depending on their days/schedule. I prepare for a baby and toddler all day long, and I leave the house at 8:15am every morning and don't return until about 6pm. It's been a tough adjustment for us after having a pretty set schedule for over a year!
The Ugly
As if juggling two little ones who need constant care, school, work…I have also been trying to plan my wedding! Oh yeah…and I'm in grad school too. Yeah that's right my friends. My fiancé and I are getting married this November! We've already gotten quite creative with how we are going to be able to pull of our “Big Day”. We decided months ago that instead of hiring a sitter for the entire day/night (which would have cost more than our reception), we would just get everything taken care of ahead of time so that guests could still enjoy the wedding without stressing out about childcare (or anything else). So far this has worked well for us so we can focus on what matters most: each other and celebrating with family & friends! Not really thinking about it now but it will hopefully turn out nicely 🙂 ! Now let's talk wedding planning….yikes!! That is definitely something not many people can relate to like child-care is. Not only is it a lot of money, but there are so many moving parts that sometimes you just want to cry! I have no idea how I am going to pull it off with everything else going on in my life right now!
The Ugly (Part 2)
Now let's talk about the ugly part of childcare. As a working parent, you have to make sure your childcare provider does what they're supposed to. This means not only being present for your child but also making sure they're safe, clean, and well fed. You need someone who will be flexible with their schedule because when things happen (like sick days or snow days) you need them there for your child. This requires some sort of communication between parents and caregivers so that everyone knows what is going on. I don't have the luxury of being home with my daughter during the week because I am working to put myself through school. The only way we are able to pull this off is because her mom is a stay-at-home mom (for now). She does an amazing job of keeping our daughter safe and happy while we're both away from her! I mentioned earlier that things didn't work out so well with my most recent sitter, and that's why I decided to write this post. What ended up happening was that she would be late showing up for work almost every day (even when it was just our little one there). When she got there, it was like pulling teeth trying to get anything accomplished until after dinner time. She would snap at my child for basically no reason, and take out her frustration on us.
I think we should all be aware of how important childcare is. I also think that in every case, the parent should be present at pickup and drop-off. This is a relationship between you and your child's caregiver, so make sure it is kept professional but at the same time friendly! That way you can trust that they are doing their job well while you aren't there to do it yourself!
