Forum Index
»
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS)
What do working parents do?
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
| I've just started looking for a house and am looking in Arlington and Falls Church. I like a neighborhood in FC which is in the McLean school district. Great schools but what do families with two working parents do with half day kindergarten and early dismissal EVERY monday. My dc is only 2 so I would have time to figure this out but is this a reason NOT to buy in the Fairfax county area of Falls Church? Help! |
Anonymous
| What do you do now for childcare? |
Anonymous
|
Welcome to our world. If you are lucky, you can enroll your child in SACC. Most likely, you will be on a waiting list for at least year or so. If that is the case, consider other before/after care options, such as local daycares (like Kindercare), or check the FFX County government web site for "Child Care Central" and look up local providers by zip code or elementary school. There are many at-home care providers that will do before and after and your child can take the bus to and from their home.
In my opinion, SACC is the best option. Your child isn't shuttled everywhere, and it is much cheaper than day care centers (like half the cost). Home care may be an inexpensive option, but not one I have explored. I'm moving next year and will be losing my current SACC slot and heading to a school with 80 kids ahead of us on the waitlist. Ugh. |
Anonymous
|
I am able to telecommute on Mondays, and get in my 8.5 workday before the bus drops the kids off in the afternoons. (Our elem. is one of the later starts, so they are not dropped off from the bus on Mondays until almost 2:00.
For Tues-Fri: We were on the wait list for SACC since last January (before we even closed on our house in NoVA). Made it off the AM SACC for Oct. 1. Got the call that we made it off the PM SACC waitlist for Jan. 1... but we opted to not do PM SACC. (I work -by my choice- from 6:00 am to 2:00 pm, so I'm able to get home before the bus drops off at 4:15.) |
Anonymous
| All of ArlCo kindergartens are full day. Plus, all families are guaranteed before and after care, provided you get your application in by Aug 1 (I believe is the date). |
Anonymous
| You can also ask at the local elementary school for a list of child care providers. They'll know of some as they work with them for after-school pick-up. |
Anonymous
| We hired an au pair. |
Anonymous
Arlington County are all full day, plus guaranteed before and after care? So I don't need to see my child for how many hours? 12? |
Anonymous
I would hope this board would be a place where we can respect the choices that both SAHM and WOHM make for their families. |
Anonymous
| Let's hope that we all make the best possible choices we can, in the best interests of our children. |
Anonymous
As well as SAHD and WOHD. |
Anonymous
| Many people we know have put their name on the sacc list and if they didn't get in stay at their daycare or preschool that goes through K and move at 1st grade. For K there is after K sacc and then they go to regular sacc. For that year at current prices it is $290 for each ($580 total w/o morning care). |
Anonymous
You misunderstand. Arlington OFFERS before and after care, but even if you sign up for both, you are not required to have your child in there from the time it opens to the time it ends. You just use what you need. No one comes to your house at 7 to wrench your children from you, and you can have them back before 6. If you work downtown, living in Arlington will allow you to maximize your time with your children because you can spend less time commuting. |
Anonymous
| This is why we chose Arlington over all other locations - guaranteed after school care if both parents work. |
Anonymous
| I didn't know that about Arlington Co. May be the difference between us picking a place in FxCo and Arlington Co. even though Arlington tends to be a little more pricey. |