Yesterday, I had to drop the Kid off at daycare a little late. Which I love, because it's relaxing not to be there at 7:15am, slowing down to toss her out of the car, and speeding off to my job. But I also hate getting there late.At 7:15am, my car is usually one of two. Three, max. The other parents and I sort of half-wave at each other, and rush back into our cars. However, at 9am, the parking lot is PACKED with mini-vans and SUV's. And a Hummer or two, because you really need those here in suburban Florida, this war-torn Sahara.
The women pulling up or standing around chatting are wearing shorts. They're in no rush. They know all the teachers by name, and have playdates with each other's children. They send home notes in my kid's backpack, reminding me to stop by at 9:30am on a weekday to talk about some upcoming event over coffee. As if.
The school is closed Wednesday through Friday this week, partly because of some Jewish holiday I've never heard of, and partly because it's Memorial Day weekend. They were originally open on Friday, but since "most people" were going away, they decided just to stay closed.
I don't remember anyone asking me. Me, the girl who can't get alternative childcare three days in a row. Me, the one who wasn't there to ask because I HAVE A JOB.
Daycare is supposed to be a resource, isn't it? The Kid has been sick this year so many times because other kids come in sick. Then there's holidays. Then there's days the school is just closed, because, apparently, everyone else is packing up their minivan and heading out of town.
What kind of resource is it if it caters to the two-parent, one-income, free to come in during the weekday and voice your opinion-home, instead of the single-parent families that are dependant on the school being open?
I'm just askin'.
2 comments:
Don't get me started... Roy's school, which we love when open, is offering supposedly a year-round toddler program. Which we pay for, 13k+ a year. There are 4 weeks off during the year they told us. They didn't tell us that, say, next Thursday kids are dismissed early (12!) after some end of year celebration. Then comes a 6 week day break we knew about. THEN, the year ends at the end of July and resumes after mid-August. 3+ weeks of no school! For an all-year program!
This place too looks more like a mommy's morning out deal, at least in the summer....
So what do we do? Sign up Mary, for later this year. Because, when there, the teachers care and have a brain and a heart and patience and good choice of materials and words....
What should we do? Open a school. One day I might.
Empathizing despite being in a 2-parent gig.
You know, that P!sses ME off and I'm one of the two parent Donna Reed family (actually Joe WISHES I was Donna Reed, but I digress).
I've also learned that the world is not made for people who don't fit into the "two parent, 2 child, happy-go-lucky extended family, FAMILY". Those of us with no support system can go suck scum while the rest of the world happily skips along.
Grrr.
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