All the parents saying they can’t afford childcare - what did they do before K?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A lot of people seem to have kids they can't afford and expect that society will just take care of them. I see people complaining on Facebook that they have five or six kids and can't possibly afford to pay for their care or deal with watching them all day. Why did you have five or six kids? What was your plan if you or your spouse was in an accident, or became seriously ill? I just don't understand it.

Most people with 5 or 6 kids either already had a mother’s helper or they had a sahp.

Most families scrambling for care now have 1-3 kids, ie the majority of families with kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People. It’s called latchkey kids. We’re bringing them back. It’s a good thing. Less helicoptering. It’s gonna be great.

A 5-10yp can’t teach themself, even if they’re mature enough to stay home alone all day and handle a possible emergency.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I stayed home until my youngest was 2 and my oldest was 6 so we never had to pay for both in daycare. 3 full days of care and 2 days of aftercare will likely zero out the salary I bring home.

SAH during this is a valid choice.

And what happens when that destroys the career track? Or worse, still can’t find a job 6 months after kids are back in school? What about if their budget counts on two incomes, not one?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The least expensive options for school aged kids are before/aftercare through the county and an au pair. Those were our #1 and #2 plans. Trump has suspended the au pair program and the county is unlikely to offer before/aftercare.

I personally haven't seen an kid activities that are offering camps where I am located. In fact several of our standby places have gone out of business. All of our summer camps have been cancelled. Has anyone seen these options for a 4 and 6 yo in Arlington? Maybe for older kids...

That leaves a nanny. They ones I've spoken to want $27-30 per hour and a year commitment. That's insane COVID-19 pricing and isn't something anyone could have anticipated.

Traditional backup option #3 is grandparents, but they aren't available once kids are back in school because they are high risk.

IF grandparents live close, it was a back up.
IF grandparents are retired.
IF grandparents are healthy enough to care for children.
IF grandparents are willing to listen to parents set reasonable boundaries (no spanking, limited sugar, must have physical activity not just screens).
IF grandparents are even alive.

You assume a lot. And that’s before even thinking about them stopping when kids are going to school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We paid for the first and it was so expensive. We spaced out our children and had our second when DC1 was in preK. I ended up staying home with DC2 so we didn’t have to pay the daycare rates since we determined it wasn’t worth it on my teacher salary.

Now you are telling me to pay for two since they are both in school. We can’t find places that will guarantee they will be open for mid and late elementary. All say maybe and probably but they don’t know yet. My solution to daycare before was to quit my teaching job. Is this what you are suggesting I do again since we figured it out before?

Yes.

Do you realize how few teachers would then be left?!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some of us have kids in private school. You think it's confusing to say I can't afford tuition and childcare? With COVID-19 hybrid options some will be paying for both.

Most good private schools are providing in-person instruction.

The Avenues in Manhattan has leased an entire new campus in the Hamptons for their students to get in-person learning.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/avenues-the-famously-expensive-school-sets-up-in-the-hamptons-for-elite-kids-fleeing-covid-in-nyc?ref=author

Avenues, the expensive private school based in Manhattan that was famously attended by Suri Cruise and counts the children of tycoons, rock stars, and Oscar-winners among its students, is setting up a 3,500-square-foot campus in the Hamptons to cater to children whose parents have fled the city for the salubrious comfort of their beachside homes in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The for-profit school, established in 2012 by a group of private investors, and which charges around $56,000 per annum, is reportedly seeking a space of some 3,500 square feet in East Hampton, New York, to operate as a new “studio” campus, the East Hampton Star reports. Fees for students attending the new Hamptons campus will be $48,000, less than the $56,400 charged at the Manhattan site, due partly to lack of extracurricular and sports activities. The campus is currently accepting students in fifth through 11th grades.

Parents who could/can afford avenues aren’t stressing about childcare.

My former employer had multiple household employees and three kids at one of the top DC private schools. I guarantee they aren’t stressing about childcare, though combining wfh with active children (even with a nanny) IS stressful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A lot of people seem to have kids they can't afford and expect that society will just take care of them. I see people complaining on Facebook that they have five or six kids and can't possibly afford to pay for their care or deal with watching them all day. Why did you have five or six kids? What was your plan if you or your spouse was in an accident, or became seriously ill? I just don't understand it.

Most people with 5 or 6 kids either already had a mother’s helper or they had a sahp.

Most families scrambling for care now have 1-3 kids, ie the majority of families with kids.

+1 Almost every 5-6 kid parent has a parent staying home AND usually some additional help (grandparent, mother's helper/nanny, etc.). Sometimes the oldest kids help out too. I don't know many 5-6 kid parents in this area but I do know a few back home (know a lot of LDS people).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some of us have kids in private school. You think it's confusing to say I can't afford tuition and childcare? With COVID-19 hybrid options some will be paying for both.

Most good private schools are providing in-person instruction.

The Avenues in Manhattan has leased an entire new campus in the Hamptons for their students to get in-person learning.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/avenues-the-famously-expensive-school-sets-up-in-the-hamptons-for-elite-kids-fleeing-covid-in-nyc?ref=author

Avenues, the expensive private school based in Manhattan that was famously attended by Suri Cruise and counts the children of tycoons, rock stars, and Oscar-winners among its students, is setting up a 3,500-square-foot campus in the Hamptons to cater to children whose parents have fled the city for the salubrious comfort of their beachside homes in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The for-profit school, established in 2012 by a group of private investors, and which charges around $56,000 per annum, is reportedly seeking a space of some 3,500 square feet in East Hampton, New York, to operate as a new “studio” campus, the East Hampton Star reports. Fees for students attending the new Hamptons campus will be $48,000, less than the $56,400 charged at the Manhattan site, due partly to lack of extracurricular and sports activities. The campus is currently accepting students in fifth through 11th grades.

I don't mean to be snarky,but the Avenues is not an elite school. It's for rich dummies.

It's basically a for-profit daycare center for absent parents who want to hand their kids off to Avenues during the day and a live-in nanny at night.