Anonymous wrote:I think OP’s point (which the replies have only proven) is that the grass is NOT greener at Catholic schools compared to public schools. If anyone thinks that DMV-area Catholic k-8 schools are going to provide a better, more pro-family, more supportive environment compared to public schools, they are SORELY mistaken.

Same BS, same wasted days, same admin trying to maximize days off and gaming the system, etc. They just go to mass and religion class more - up to you if that’s worth $15,000 per year when you can go to CCD for free.

True for DMv. However, k-8 Catholic schools in many other parts of the country (eg, south, Midwest) are more normal and supportive and don’t have a zillion BS random half days — they actually go to school 5 days a week from 8-3 (gasp!). I blame the arlington diocese.

Anonymous wrote:90 percent of the parents at our Catholic school are stay at home parents. Thats why we left. By middle school some more worked but up through 4th it is like this.

Weird. If they have so much money to be SAH, why not go to a fancier, better private school?

90 percent of the parents at our Catholic school are stay at home parents. Thats why we left. By middle school some more worked but up through 4th it is like this.

I think OP’s point (which the replies have only proven) is that the grass is NOT greener at Catholic schools compared to public schools. If anyone thinks that DMV-area Catholic k-8 schools are going to provide a better, more pro-family, more supportive environment compared to public schools, they are SORELY mistaken.

Same BS, same wasted days, same admin trying to maximize days off and gaming the system, etc. They just go to mass and religion class more - up to you if that’s worth $15,000 per year when you can go to CCD for free.

Anonymous wrote:The idiotic “if you don’t like, just leave” comments are annoying. It’s not that simple, asshat — kids have friends and other attachments, etc. It’s not like switching grocery stores.

How about this: if the teachers don’t like working 40 hours/week (plus summers off), like everyone else, then how about THEY leave and go to public school?

Let me know how that works out for them —. The kids at your typical ACPS school are very religious and well behaved. Best of luck.

I am a high school teacher. I graded for about 8 hours yesterday. It’s 3:30am and I just woke up so I can finalize plans for the week.

I put in close to 70 hours a week.

And my summers are unpaid. I don’t have them off. And since I make a lower private school salary, I work another job.

And guess what? I have kids and have to take care of the same childcare concerns you do.

The difference is I’m doing all this work and parenting without complaining and making assumptions about others. Why don’t you try doing that?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The idiotic “if you don’t like, just leave” comments are annoying. It’s not that simple, asshat — kids have friends and other attachments, etc. It’s not like switching grocery stores.

How about this: if the teachers don’t like working 40 hours/week (plus summers off), like everyone else, then how about THEY leave and go to public school?

Let me know how that works out for them —. The kids at your typical ACPS school are very religious and well behaved. Best of luck.

We're not going to up end the school system because you can't figure out your childcare.

No, you just prefer to upend families’ lives bc you don’t want to work more than 30 hrs a week (with summers off).

Aren't your kids a part of your lives? Part of having kids is missing work sometimes. Where do you think the phrase "mommy/parent tracked" comes from? It's a terrible phrase that points out the reality that you can't do it all at the same time. Something's got to give -- either a little time at work or a little farmed out childcare.

My child attends a public school and we call it, "no school November." No aftercare either. You have notice, this is not a daycare, figure it out.

Get a sitter. Plan with other families. You take their kids certain half days they take yours or offer to pay those SAHP to watch your kids. What about high schoolers?

Our public school does fundraisers for some of these half days. Certain families will do an activity where you have to pay and sign up (usually at the school, but sometimes outside). It raises money for the PTO, but usually only goes until 3PM. Might be a good thing for the private school who needs funds.

Look at surrounding areas. Gyms. Rock climbing places. Play places. Google half day camps. My area (outside the DMV) will have clubs or a big gym will offer (you have to pay) childcare or camps on no school/half days, so you might have to drop them off, but then you can pick them up at 5-6PM. Ask around, use google, etc.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The idiotic “if you don’t like, just leave” comments are annoying. It’s not that simple, asshat — kids have friends and other attachments, etc. It’s not like switching grocery stores.

How about this: if the teachers don’t like working 40 hours/week (plus summers off), like everyone else, then how about THEY leave and go to public school?

Let me know how that works out for them —. The kids at your typical ACPS school are very religious and well behaved. Best of luck.

We're not going to up end the school system because you can't figure out your childcare.

No, you just prefer to upend families’ lives bc you don’t want to work more than 30 hrs a week (with summers off).

Anonymous wrote:The idiotic “if you don’t like, just leave” comments are annoying. It’s not that simple, asshat — kids have friends and other attachments, etc. It’s not like switching grocery stores.

How about this: if the teachers don’t like working 40 hours/week (plus summers off), like everyone else, then how about THEY leave and go to public school?

Let me know how that works out for them —. The kids at your typical ACPS school are very religious and well behaved. Best of luck.

We're not going to up end the school system because you can't figure out your childcare.

The idiotic “if you don’t like, just leave” comments are annoying. It’s not that simple, asshat — kids have friends and other attachments, etc. It’s not like switching grocery stores.

How about this: if the teachers don’t like working 40 hours/week (plus summers off), like everyone else, then how about THEY leave and go to public school?

Let me know how that works out for them —. The kids at your typical ACPS school are very religious and well behaved. Best of luck.

This has been the situation for decades. My mom worked FT in the 60s/70s with young kids. People have been able to figure this out for a loonnnggg time.
We did as a PP suggested, we shared the days with friends. I would have my 3 and two other families here for days off in ES. Later on, we had MS or HS students babysit.

While there many families with two parents working full time, there are also many families with a parent working part-time, families with a SAHP, families where at least one parent has a flexible job, families with nannies/au pairs, families who have grandparents nearby who are willing to help with childcare in a pinch, etc. Those families don’t necessarily want their kids in school to 5-6pm every day.

We all get to choose what we want our families to look like and where we want to send our kids to school. If a school doesn’t provide the type of childcare you want, the solution is to find a school that does.

Anonymous wrote:I think it's fine to say that school isn't supposed to be full time childcare. Especially in younger years, kids really can't/don't need to be doing academics for 40-50h/week.

What's strange and not ok is that we have a society where many many families have two working parents either by necessity or choice and people act like it's a weird personal quirk that you need somewhere safe and reliable for your six year old to be from 2-5pm on school days and during June, July, and August. The structure to support this should exist in a way that's easy to find and access.

You have many years before the kids are in full time school to figure this out. It's not a surprise that summer happens every year. People want jobs out of the home and then have to pay other people to do the job of raising their kids, sometimes barely breaking even, while not acknowledging that it's a job in itself.

I think it's fine to say that school isn't supposed to be full time childcare. Especially in younger years, kids really can't/don't need to be doing academics for 40-50h/week.

What's strange and not ok is that we have a society where many many families have two working parents either by necessity or choice and people act like it's a weird personal quirk that you need somewhere safe and reliable for your six year old to be from 2-5pm on school days and during June, July, and August. The structure to support this should exist in a way that's easy to find and access.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At least they have aftercare on some days? Our public school regular dismissal is at 1:40pm and they have no aftercare. You have to find a private provider. I think in general school isn't a great full time childcare solution unless you're rich enough to throw a lot of money at babysitters or have a parent with a very flexible schedule. :/

School is not supposed to be full time childcare.

I'm tired of all the a-hats on this thread with this response. This attitude sucks and ignores the reality that the school day has never been updated to reflect the reality of a world where many, many families have two working parents. The typical workday is 8-5. Why has our society continued to penalize working parents with a bizarre practice of having school end several hours after the workday? Or not at least having aftercare in place at every school until at least 5:30-6 on weekdays.

Stop pretending this isn't BS.

Several hours BEFORE the workday ends. Whoops.

I’m a private school teacher and I get your frustration. We’re a household with two working parents, and both of us work 11-12 hour days. Our kids’ schools aren’t open that long so we pay for aftercare. (And at our salary level, that’s a substantial chunk of our take-home pay.)

But, as a teacher, I can tell you that kids could not handle a 9-10 hour school day. That would be absolutely devastating for all involved. I know it would be more convenient for us as working parents, but the kids would absolutely suffer. Plus, as a teacher who pulls 11-12 hour days as it is, I’d have to work even more if I have to supervise students longer than I already do.