How do you make summer swim with RTO?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think we'll be able to do summer swim for this reason. It's one of many reasons that my kids are really upset and sad about (couldn't get a puppy and also couldn't do the neat summer camps because they didn't have long enough hours. They're stuck in the boring daycare camps with the babies).

Our main problem with summer swim is that the hours are unpredictable. They won't tell me until June what time the practices are and then my kids often won't have similar times at all. If I don't know what to expect, how can I plan for it? I don't even know what time the afternoon practices will be.

Does it actually change from year to year? We sometimes make small adjustments but I would think you could ask what the schedule has been for the last several years and get a sense of whether or not it is doable.

If your kids don’t like the camps you put them in this also seems like a great setup for a summer nanny. And then the exact timing of swim team won’t matter as much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We've always hired a sitter for the summer instead of doing camps so our kids can do swim team.

There are plenty of teens who don't have summer jobs and would jump at the chance to be a summer sitter.

Disagree. I've done this and it hasn't worked out now for 3 summers with 3 different nannies. Last years was the worst. Despite paying $25 an hour, she kept threatening to quit on us nonstop because she wasn't making enough money. I think maybe they have unrealistic expectations and it was a pretty easy gig with two well behaved girls.

We had a lot of success splitting the summer between 2 graduating seniors and camps. The girls were friends - one recommended the other to us - and I think it was helpful they weren't doing full days of childcare day in and day out.

I will say - I don't think it was the best for my kids from a "staying occupied in a healthy way" perspective. They watched a lot of TV.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:another alternative to "summer nanny" is "hire a teacher your kids may love." we had three great summers with our children's first grade teacher....she was young and looking for a consistent gig and was older, responsible and actually kept them very busy during the day - found county things, camps, free stuff, library book club (which gives out a coupon book with activities/free things and that became an adventure of its own).

What is the going rate for this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:another alternative to "summer nanny" is "hire a teacher your kids may love." we had three great summers with our children's first grade teacher....she was young and looking for a consistent gig and was older, responsible and actually kept them very busy during the day - found county things, camps, free stuff, library book club (which gives out a coupon book with activities/free things and that became an adventure of its own).

What is the going rate for this?

$25-$30. Maybe with a soft job market, there'll be more competition. IDK.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:another alternative to "summer nanny" is "hire a teacher your kids may love." we had three great summers with our children's first grade teacher....she was young and looking for a consistent gig and was older, responsible and actually kept them very busy during the day - found county things, camps, free stuff, library book club (which gives out a coupon book with activities/free things and that became an adventure of its own).

What is the going rate for this?

$25-$30. Maybe with a soft job market, there'll be more competition. IDK.

A lot of internships seem to be cancelled, and my guess is there will be more competition for customer service jobs, so, it might not be that hard to find an older teen or college-aged kid. For parents with young kids, I'd reach out to anybody you know with a kid in high school or college kid and let them know that you are looking for a summer sitter and ask them to spread the word among their friends with teenagers. You can always iron out the exact hours as it gets closer to summer.

[Anonymous]

We did this for many years with a summer babysitter hired off care.com.

This summer one of my teenagers is working as a summer babysitter for a neighborhood family in exactly this same role for the purpose of summer swim.

[Anonymous]

Au pair or nanny however our kids can walk to the swimming pool as we are less than 1/2 a mile from the swim club.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get a ride with an at-home parent, or have an older kid walk yours if its in range. Express sufficient appropriate gratitude.

NO, you don't demand a stay at home parent take your kid daily. Saying thank you is not enough. You need to pay them, or do 1/2 in return or help in other ways. So tired of people like you taking advantage. You find a team that fits your work hours.

In the real world there are plenty of us who have a variety of friends in different working or non-working situations. I was a SAHM for 5 years when my kids were little. I had friends who worked, and we all helped each other out carpooling for summer swim just like afterschool activities.

[Anonymous]

My kids are probably old enough to ride their bikes to and from so that’s probably what we’ll do.

[Anonymous]

Our team reps have been on top of the situation and our pool is offering “camp friendly” AM practices from 7-8. We won’t need it because my kids are older, but I hope it helps other families be able to participate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our team reps have been on top of the situation and our pool is offering “camp friendly” AM practices from 7-8. We won’t need it because my kids are older, but I hope it helps other families be able to participate.

How is that friendly? Parents need to be in D.C. by 8am and kids are chilly at 7am.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our team reps have been on top of the situation and our pool is offering “camp friendly” AM practices from 7-8. We won’t need it because my kids are older, but I hope it helps other families be able to participate.

How is that friendly? Parents need to be in D.C. by 8am and kids are chilly at 7am.

It's camp friendly because some camps have a start time of 8:30/9:00. PP did not say friendly for your schedule.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our team reps have been on top of the situation and our pool is offering “camp friendly” AM practices from 7-8. We won’t need it because my kids are older, but I hope it helps other families be able to participate.

How is that friendly? Parents need to be in D.C. by 8am and kids are chilly at 7am.

I know of very few people who have a hard 8 am start time, and I know no one where both parents have a hard 8 am start time. One parent goes to work early and is home early, and the other does the am practice/camp run and gets to work around 9. Many of us did this dance pre-Covid, it’s annoying but it’s only for 8 weeks. Pull yourselves together feds, being a parent that works outside the home is not a novel concept. 🙄

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get a ride with an at-home parent, or have an older kid walk yours if its in range. Express sufficient appropriate gratitude.

NO, you don't demand a stay at home parent take your kid daily. Saying thank you is not enough. You need to pay them, or do 1/2 in return or help in other ways. So tired of people like you taking advantage. You find a team that fits your work hours.

In the real world there are plenty of us who have a variety of friends in different working or non-working situations. I was a SAHM for 5 years when my kids were little. I had friends who worked, and we all helped each other out carpooling for summer swim just like afterschool activities.

They were not talking carpooling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our team reps have been on top of the situation and our pool is offering “camp friendly” AM practices from 7-8. We won’t need it because my kids are older, but I hope it helps other families be able to participate.

How is that friendly? Parents need to be in D.C. by 8am and kids are chilly at 7am.

Wetsuit. Older kids get used to it.