Sad situation..

[bebebradford]

[One_Girl]

Can you cut him back to part time? If not you might want to look into Head Start or Early Head Start. The programs vary from state to state, but they usually have very good teachers, generally ones who have an early childhood degree and a lot of experience with preschool children. It is also free and they don't have work requirements.

[Porcelain Interior]

Is there any possible way to foot the bill this month until you can reapply with the required # of hours?

I know it's a lot, but it seems like the only solution since the waiting list is so long?

[bebebradford]

The headstart here is barely missed the age requirement. Next year he will be able to go.
As for footing the bill this month we are really going to try. Haha.. even if we have to sell some extra big ticket items... My mom keeps telling me I should just pull him out. His tuition is close to the amount of our house payment!
I'm going to do some figuring with hubby today.. keep me in your thoughts guys! I just want to do the best for my little man either way. I appreciate your responses!!!!

[luv-my-boys]

I think there are a couple of things you should try first before pulling him out since you say he loves his school.

1. first is it possible to set up a mtg to appeal the decision with an actual person. Sometimes they just literally look at the #'s and deny. I would get proof of the hrs you are working now and take that with you.

If that is not possible or you are still denied because you must have the hrs at the time of applying is it possible to foot the first month bill and then reapply for the subsequent months?

[Evan&Anna's_Mom]

Before pulling him out, sit down with the director and see if they can work something out. Maybe then can reduce tuition, allow you to work for some of it, or provide some other sort of solution. It never hurts to ask.

[trinity6232000]

Something similar happened to me at the beginning of the summer. During dd's school year I had been working about 30-32 hours a week. In May my hours were dropped to 17.5, and I had applied at the same time for summer child care. I didn't qualify because I didn't meet the 20 hours or more to qualify. By then school was letting out.

I have very little outside help for childcare. I did have a friend who could watch dd until noon, which meant I could get 17.5 hours of work (one morning client). If they would allow me a two week grace period, I could then have a morning client, and an afternoon client, then I would meet the 20 hours.

Nope. They wouldn't budge.

So we've toughed it out, on my little 17.5 hours a week.

Can you believe that the state would rather I work 17.5 hours, and barely make ends meet, than to allow me to get childcare, and work twice that. Wouldn't that stimulate the economy? All over 2.5 hours?

Here is the big kicker, they told me my other option would be to quit my job, and go on assistance. THEN they would give me full time childcare, while I went to a training class, so that I could get a job.

[RiverSky]

Or perhaps you could quit your job, pull your 3 year old out, join a MOMS Club or an Attachment Parenting International playgroup and start going on outings with other moms and kids? Our moms club was chock full of discounted and free field trips, park days, playdates and small playgroups, free trial classes at all the area marketed-to-children businesses, and the moms brought all of their children and nursed openly. I imagine your p/t from home job might not make that much more than $550 per month anyway (just guessing, don't shoot me! ) ...does it? Then next year, you can consider subsidized preschool, if you feel the need.

[bebebradford]

River.. Well.. you're right.. WITH Connor HOME I can only make around 500 a month.. BUT I did have a job interview the other day where I would be making over 25,000 a year.. the thing is.. it's FULLTIME. So I'd have to have someone watch him.

I may just pull him out, and stay working parttime.. and start going to museums, etc a few towns over.. I want him to learn, and be curious.. I just don't have many friends with kids his age.. I'm DEF going to start making him go to Sunday school.. to learn about our beliefs and get interaction...

We are still just throwing all the ideas around.. The weird thing is.. When he started I was very nervous.. I cried. I even thought I couldn't go through with it... NOW I'm crying because I can't provide it for him.. YKWIM? I feel like I'm failing him as a mother. We aren't homeless or anything.. but we are just getting by comfortably. I really want to make more money so I can do more things for my kids. I can't stop being so upset over this. I feel like I'm letting him down, and it breaks my heart into a million pieces. Thank you guys for being supportive. I really appreciate all your ideas very much.

[eepster]

Originally Posted by bebebradford

NOW I'm crying because I can't provide it for him.. YKWIM? I feel like I'm failing him as a mother. We aren't homeless or anything.. but we are just getting by. I really want to make more money so I can do more things for my kids. I can't stop being so upset over this. I feel like I'm letting him down, and it breaks my heart into a million pieces. Thank you guys for being supportive. I really appreciate all your ideas very much.

I know how you feel. There was a really nice school I wanted to send DS to. We applied for a scholarship, we tried to find it in our budget, but it just wasn't doable. I was so sad, the place was so wonderful, and DS had loved it when we went to the open house, then back for the interview to see if he would get in (they won't let you apply for the scholarship till you've been accepted.)

We did end up finding him another school which had the similar wonderfully caring staff and followed the same educational philosophy. This year we weren't even sure we could afford the whole year at the less expensive school, but things are looking up a bit (our main realestate investment isn't hemorrhaging money anymore) and we're OK for a few months tuition. I'm not sure if we'll be able to swing it next year though.

[waiting2bemommy]

I feel for you. I had found a good job waitressing but it meant that ds would have to go to daycare from about 9 AM until 3, which to me were perfect hours....not too long but enough that he could get used to it..

The people were WONDERFUL.....Spanish-only-speaking envrionment, extremely clean, bathrooms in every classroom with little teeny toilets for the kids in separate stalls (I'm a big bathroom stickler lol), age appropriate activities, wonderful staff, homecooked meals like lentils and rice with apple pie for dessert (!), just awesome. But it was $25 a day and I had to train for two weeks before I started making tips, which would onyl equal about $30 a day, so there was no way I'd ever catch up, let alone get ahead. I couldn't get childcare subsidy until I got my first paycheck and had income and hours to report. So after three days of them letting him go for free I had to pull him out and quit the job.

The caseworker told me to just take my tanf check, enroll him in the substandard gov't subsidized childcare and attend job training from 8-6 every day for a month so I could get a job. :

[bebebradford]

I just don't understand some of these programs.. You'd think if you showed them PROOF you had a job they'd help with daycare so that you could ACTUALLY go to that job.. It's hard to work for enough weeks so that you can qualify.. I mean, who will watch your kids so that you can do it.. YKWIM?

We still haven't decided on what to do.. I will just hand it over to God, and see what he has to say about it.
Meh.

[Maluhia]

It is so incredibly frustrating when the system works against the logical goals - I'm so sorry this is happening to you.

Can you write a letter to the program director to have this info laid out?

[Labbemama]

I hope you figure out a way for your son to stay at his preschool program.

I'm pretty much in a similiar jam. The kids qualify for medicaid and $69 a month in childcare assistance. They don't pay the start up fee $75 only $10 of it and my youngest's care costs $77 a week. So basically they pay for less than one week of care per month for her. I am getting no child support. IF I did most of it would go to childcare for this one child.

I went to the childcare providor directly and applied for a scholarship. I am waiting to hear back if I got it. If I don't get it I don't know what I will do.

I mean even if they would give me 3 months emergency paid childcare to help to get the child support started so I won't lose my job that should be enough to keep us from the brink of disaster. Our system makes no sense whatsoever. She is almost 11 and she used to stay home alone before the divorce but the school district drew the boundary on our side of a major street and emotionally she can't stay home alone anymore too afraid and emotional needs.