Is anyone else not sending kids back to daycare/camp because they like the cost savings?

[Anonymous]

After having daycare/camp canceled, I'm trying to wing it--do everything on my own, mostly because I realized how insanely expensive childcare is.

Is anyone not doing childcare this summer in part because of the pandemic but mostly to save that (considerable) money?

[Anonymous]

It’s one factor of several for us. We were actually continuing to pay until they furloughed a lot of the teachers this month, even without care. But, we have family coming to help for many of the remaining summer weeks and we don’t want to expose them to additional risk so we aren’t going back to daycare for now. Saving the money has been extremely nice as we have some big expenses coming up, I won’t lie. But for us its not sustainable long term even to save money - I am totally burning out and the kids miss their friends and teachers. Are you finding it manageable without any care? What is your work schedule like?

[Anonymous]

No, I’m not sending mine back to camp for health reasons. But next year will probably do half as many camp weeks because he’s been doing so well at home. He’s very self-directed and is really thriving with the leisure. I only worry about the exercise, which is why he’ll do half the summer in camp next year.

[Anonymous]

Mine loves it, gets tons of exercise and is with a really good/positive group of kids (very mature) and I’m really happy with the small group and health policies. So we consider it a worthwhile expense. I drop off later and pick up earlier because I am working from hone indefinitely so all the time there is spent doing activities.

[Anonymous]

My kids are going to camp a total of six weeks this summer, in part to save money.

[Anonymous]

I am probably not going to use aftercare this year, even if it is available. Partly to save a spot for someone who needs it more but also to save the $1000/month for two kids.

[Anonymous]

My DH is essential and I WFH and we didn’t send outlet child

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DH is essential and I WFH and we didn’t send outlet child

our child

[Anonymous]

OP (or any other posters who aren't sending their kids back), do you work? I was happy to get the refunds for the camps we have signed up for and I'm not sure how I'd feel sending my kids off to camp right now even if we hadn't gotten the money back, but the only reason we're surviving is because my husband and I are strategically using our leave and trying to get work done while the kids are asleep or otherwise entertained, but this is not sustainable for the long term, even though the extra savings are nice.

[Anonymous]

It was nice to not pay for 6 weeks, but it was also nice to send her back to daycare once they reopened with health protocols in place because our sanity with trying to manage/entertain/properly exercise a 3 year old that talks nonstop while doing two full time jobs was used up. Going back and being with her peers has really improved her behavior as well.

[Anonymous]

We are doing only a couple camps (and no babysitters) this summer because we have learned how to re-structure our time to work without childcare. This is both for cost-savings and to stay safer from Covid. But, I also think its been great for my kids to have more down time. They are 6 and 9--I know this wouldn't have worked when they were toddlers. Also, I only work part-time so I can usually work in the morning and be with them in the afternoons.

[Anonymous]

We did not send back to daycare when it opened this month, party for COVID fears, but also for cost because we realized we could cobble together cheaper options. We have part time babysitters and we've staggered our schedules so that we are spending only a portion of what daycare would be. This will last us until the school year, and then we'll make a new decision on our schedule.

But yes, the savings have been nice, and it's been a motivator to figure something else out.

[Anonymous]

My kids are older, but I am also not sending them due to both health and financial reasons. I'm furloughed from my job so I'm 100% on childcare.

[Anonymous]

I don't mind the cost savings, but I think that's a terrible reason to keep your kids home. We'll be sending my younger child back to daycare in August if we feel it's safe. She needs the social interaction.

[Anonymous]

Not going to lie, I smiled all the way to the bank to deposit those hundreds of dollar checks. We are so used to being all together now, it's no biggie. Before, a week or two with the kids was making me crazy. Now I could easily do another year!