I work part-time and my kids are 8 and 6.. Our school has an amazing (and expensive) aftercare program. Right now, between sports practices (one each), Cub Scouts for the older one, and tutoring one day a week for one of my kids who has a learning disability, I feel like our schedules are really full. We use the down time after school and before activities to play outside, do homework, make dinner, play games, and just be together. I would really miss it if the kids were in aftercare. Also, and this is my personal opinion, I think that much time around that much activity (full school day followed by aftercare) would be exhausting for my kids. I want them also to learn the value of quiet, low-key time.

Anonymous wrote:I do three days a week. They love it and I need it.

After school care should only be for working or incapacited parentd not lazy SAHMs.

I'm not sure why this would be a troll question. I have a very good friend who is a stay at home mom and she uses her school's aftercare program pretty regularly. It's a Catholic school, so maybe fewer working moms competing for the space.

If all my kids friends are in aftercare so there's really nobody to play with after school my kids will go at least a few days a week. If enough friends don't go to aftercare so there's always someone to play with my kids won't go. So pretty much: if aftercare is the more valuable alternative for my kids they will go. But I will make sure they also spend enough time with me. An this is independent from working or not working for me. I will always only work as much as I can without sacrificing all time spent with my kids. It's enough to have one parent who leaves before kids get up and comes home an hour before they go to bed.

no, I don't. Can't afford it! Even if I could afford it, I wouldn't because my kids are tired after a whole school day away from home among other people. They like to come home and decompress. That's what I'm here for. (That said, maybe if we had more money I would have used aftercare a little bit in 1st and 2nd grades for my younger daughter who begged to go just because her friends like it so much and she is very social. I could have done an afternoon a week for her or something. But now in 3rd, with piano and homework and playing outside, she's too busy anyway.

I was a SAHM so that our kids didn't have to go to an aftercare program!

Anonymous wrote:You need it? Why, so you can get that extra hour at the gym? You know some women need it so they can earn money and contribute to society, right?

Why are you so angry? You do realize you're responding to a troll post, right? But by the way, that's some chip on your shoulder.

Anonymous wrote:For those of you that are SAHP, what do you do with your kids after school? I work from home full time and the kids are 8 and 6. They are old enough to be home with me after school while I finish out the day. But all the other kids in the neighborhood are in aftercare so there's no one to play with after school.

Right now they come home, have a snack, do homework and then play a bit together. Until they start fighting. I'd love not to pay for after care if I can figure out what they can do after school besides watching tv.

My kids are in 4th and 2nd graddes. They both have soccer two days per week after school. One day per week one of them has piano. We used to go to the library once per week on Friday, but that has sort of fallen by the wayside. The other days, they hang out at home or play with friends. It's a good balance for us. I can't handle them having something every day after school, but having something a few days per week is perfect for us.

For those of you that are SAHP, what do you do with your kids after school? I work from home full time and the kids are 8 and 6. They are old enough to be home with me after school while I finish out the day. But all the other kids in the neighborhood are in aftercare so there's no one to play with after school.

Right now they come home, have a snack, do homework and then play a bit together. Until they start fighting. I'd love not to pay for after care if I can figure out what they can do after school besides watching tv.

Anonymous wrote:See how OP got you all to dance? So predictable, especially the leech PP. Wouldn't surprise me if OP has come back and added some more inflammatory comments just for fun. It is too easy to push your buttons.

I'd be willing to bet a high amount of money that op has posted at least once aside from the first original post. And I don't gamble. Somebody needs to get a life!