So, single moms with day jobs. Let's talk adolecense.

[Anonymous]

Howdy. This stems from my post in another thread about the recent Atlantic article.

So, uh, what's everyong planning to do once our kids age out of aftercare?

Pooping a brick,
a lucky single mom with an interesting full-time job that pays enough but not tons.

[Anonymous]

I don't understand your question at all. Perhaps because I didn't read the article.

I guess mine will go to school and then aftercare. How is that any different than having two working parents?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand your question at all. Perhaps because I didn't read the article.

I guess mine will go to school and then aftercare. How is that any different than having two working parents?

You also didn't read her post. She is asking about when they age out of aftercare.

[Anonymous]

OP here. I'm asking what the single parents who make five figures are going to do about tht time when their kids are too old for aftercare but too young for us to really be comfortable with their lack of supervision between when school lets out and when we get home.

Talk to me about how you have handled (or think you will handle...or heard about how someone else handled) this.

[Anonymous]

I'm talking about age eleven or twelve here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I guess mine will go to school and then aftercare. How is that any different than having two working parents?

Very different.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand your question at all. Perhaps because I didn't read the article.

I guess mine will go to school and then aftercare. How is that any different than having two working parents?

You also didn't read her post. She is asking about when they age out of aftercare.

You are actually right. I didn't read the post closely enough. I sit corrected. I'm interested what people will do. I imagine I'll continue to find ways to have my child supervised.

[Anonymous]

Not just a single parent issue. All parents face this. Many after cares take kis to age 13. Then there are after school activities and the kids can take the activity bus home, which is about an hour later. Besides that, rules about where and when they can leave the house and no one allowed at the house until a parent is home. Hasn't been a problem with my oldest, but he's an easy kid.

[Anonymous]

Thanks. Trying not to hyperventilate as I contemplate this and appreciate the response. Our aftercare program ends at age 12, and there currently IS no activity bus where we are. So I'm interested in any and all approaches.

[Anonymous]

After school music lessons and hopefully a sports-related activity?

[Anonymous]

OP, can you point me to the other thread you started?

My kids are too young to worry for now. But I'm curious about the Atlantic article, etc.

[Anonymous]

PP here. It's definitely stressful to think about. A couple of things we did was to get our oldest a cellphone and require him to text as soon as he got home. Then I text back instructions for him - water plants, vacuum, unload the dishwasher, check his grades and send me a report, etc. lots of busy work. One thing about MS is that there hasn't been homework to fill time. After the chores are done, I place no time restrictions on the use of Xbox. And, I check the computer and cellphone texts regularly to see what he's doing. I am pleasantly surprised at how well it's going.

[Anonymous]

I'm keeping the nanny until DC is 18.

[Anonymous]

OP,

A friend of mine hired a college student as a "driver." So her kids had a ride to and from activities and the kids were told that the "driver" was not a babysitter so there were no friends allowed over after school. If the kids had finished hw and activities and wanted to go somewhere, the mall, a friend's house etc., they had to call mom and get permission before the "driver" would be allowed to take them. That worked until both kids were 16 and could drive, but by then they were through that scary MS angsty period. The "driver" was more than aftercare, but not much more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP,

A friend of mine hired a college student as a "driver." So her kids had a ride to and from activities and the kids were told that the "driver" was not a babysitter so there were no friends allowed over after school. If the kids had finished hw and activities and wanted to go somewhere, the mall, a friend's house etc., they had to call mom and get permission before the "driver" would be allowed to take them. That worked until both kids were 16 and could drive, but by then they were through that scary MS angsty period. The "driver" was more than aftercare, but not much more.

Not OP. This makes so much sense, thanks for sharing this idea.