Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s not a lack of childcare that’s the problem; it’s that these women want to have it both ways. They don’t want to pay anyone else to watch their children, they prefer to fleece their employers.

+1

There are plenty of before and after care options. People just don’t want to pay. Though it’s the responsibility of mom and dad, not just mom, in ideal circumstances.

-A single mom breadwinner with sole custody who pays for child care and full time summer camp

Completely depends where you are, all the daycare centers that offer full daycare are at capacity around me. Preschool runs until 3pm at the latest. There is a waitlist for the school offered after care if your kid is school age.

There is a waitlist if you sign up today. If you had signed up years ago when your kid started K, you would be off the waitlist by now.

Look, I totally get that people wanted to save money on childcare and have their kids home with them. But just own it. Own that it was a choice that you intentionally made. It was great while it lasted but now you have to pay the piper and it’s not everybody else’s fault/problem.

So you think a kid who has a parent at home after school should spend years in aftercare just in case? I doubt a program with a wait-list would let you pay for a spot youre not using. I do not think that is rational.

They could actually use the spot. We have plenty of neighbors who do that. They actually have to do work at home so they can't pop out to the bus stop or get snacks out or host a playdate while "working".

Again, this is on parents who thought they could F around and found out.

I work from 7 to 3:30. DH gets the kids out in am while I am working (in my office in the basement with the door closed. I rarely see them). I pick them up at the bus 30 minutes AFTER the end of my work day. This is what most parents do. Do you have plenty of neighbors who keep their kids in aftercare when they are not working? I do not think DCUM approves.

What’s stopping you from doing that going forward? If your commute is long, do 6:30-3 instead.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s not a lack of childcare that’s the problem; it’s that these women want to have it both ways. They don’t want to pay anyone else to watch their children, they prefer to fleece their employers.

+1

There are plenty of before and after care options. People just don’t want to pay. Though it’s the responsibility of mom and dad, not just mom, in ideal circumstances.

-A single mom breadwinner with sole custody who pays for child care and full time summer camp

Completely depends where you are, all the daycare centers that offer full daycare are at capacity around me. Preschool runs until 3pm at the latest. There is a waitlist for the school offered after care if your kid is school age.

There is a waitlist if you sign up today. If you had signed up years ago when your kid started K, you would be off the waitlist by now.

Look, I totally get that people wanted to save money on childcare and have their kids home with them. But just own it. Own that it was a choice that you intentionally made. It was great while it lasted but now you have to pay the piper and it’s not everybody else’s fault/problem.

So you think a kid who has a parent at home after school should spend years in aftercare just in case? I doubt a program with a wait-list would let you pay for a spot youre not using. I do not think that is rational.

They could actually use the spot. We have plenty of neighbors who do that. They actually have to do work at home so they can't pop out to the bus stop or get snacks out or host a playdate while "working".

Again, this is on parents who thought they could F around and found out.

I work from 7 to 3:30. DH gets the kids out in am while I am working (in my office in the basement with the door closed. I rarely see them). I pick them up at the bus 30 minutes AFTER the end of my work day. This is what most parents do. Do you have plenty of neighbors who keep their kids in aftercare when they are not working? I do not think DCUM approves.

Anonymous wrote:Kid is at school from 7-4. That’s 9 hours. I’m done with work at 4, I’m not “scrambling around trying to watch my kid”. I am living my life outside of working hours. Those hours will now be spent in the car. And the kid will be alone at home until 6 every night. Super good for a teenager. If we had even modest telework like we used to have, this would be NBD, spouse and I would trade off days etc.

This is punitive. Period. You guys should be ashamed. Family values my ass.

You’re complaining about your teenager being home alone from 4-6? What a lame excuse to whine. If the teen has any ambition whatsoever, they should be doing activities after school. Or else, doing their homework/chores at home.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:this thread seems to be overrun with trolls and/or bots... who says parents want to fleece their employers?

its terrible to be part-way through the school year and have to scramble to find extra care because now one or both working parents needs to work from an office.

i feel for all the working families out there trying to scramble midway through the year to re arrange their schedules and/or find care.

Guess what happened during the 2020-2021 school year. Schools randomly closed with little to no notice. They called off hybrid sometimes with a fews hours notice. Guess what parents who work outside the home did. They figured it out. They had backups. They paid for care knowing it was best to have it when it was needed.

Yeah, and there were horrible negative repercussions to kids. Is that what you are supporting?

.

Karen, we are talking about working in an office.

Are you suggesting schools are childcare because the teachers will come for you.

thing is, under capitalism, schools ARE child care as well as a place to learn.

this whole thread basically backs up that point.

if you are a parent and you work you also need child care! if your child is school age, they cannot go to daycares anymore (which typically are open more hours), so many school age children of working parents need before and/or aftercare at the school. i am not advocating that the teachers provide the before/after care service, to be clear.

capitalism is here, prices are not getting any cheaper, and increasingly both parents need to work to survive in this economy.

i am an advocate of year round school, more care options for elementary/middle kids, bc working parents need these flexible care options if we are being called to the office 5 days a week, 8 hrs a day, plus commute. my job doesnt stop bc of the school year and i wish the school system would catch up with the times. we need more kids to ensure our future and parents need care for their kids so they can work and contribute to the economy and their communities.

Kid is at school from 7-4. That’s 9 hours. I’m done with work at 4, I’m not “scrambling around trying to watch my kid”. I am living my life outside of working hours. Those hours will now be spent in the car. And the kid will be alone at home until 6 every night. Super good for a teenager. If we had even modest telework like we used to have, this would be NBD, spouse and I would trade off days etc.

This is punitive. Period. You guys should be ashamed. Family values my ass.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s not a lack of childcare that’s the problem; it’s that these women want to have it both ways. They don’t want to pay anyone else to watch their children, they prefer to fleece their employers.

+1

There are plenty of before and after care options. People just don’t want to pay. Though it’s the responsibility of mom and dad, not just mom, in ideal circumstances.

-A single mom breadwinner with sole custody who pays for child care and full time summer camp

Completely depends where you are, all the daycare centers that offer full daycare are at capacity around me. Preschool runs until 3pm at the latest. There is a waitlist for the school offered after care if your kid is school age.

There is a waitlist if you sign up today. If you had signed up years ago when your kid started K, you would be off the waitlist by now.

Look, I totally get that people wanted to save money on childcare and have their kids home with them. But just own it. Own that it was a choice that you intentionally made. It was great while it lasted but now you have to pay the piper and it’s not everybody else’s fault/problem.

So you think a kid who has a parent at home after school should spend years in aftercare just in case? I doubt a program with a wait-list would let you pay for a spot youre not using. I do not think that is rational.

They could actually use the spot. We have plenty of neighbors who do that. They actually have to do work at home so they can't pop out to the bus stop or get snacks out or host a playdate while "working".

Again, this is on parents who thought they could F around and found out.

I have never, in 15 years of federal service, been required to be in the office for 40 hours/week. I have always had childcare coverage for all hours I am working. Your idea that we should have planned for something that has never been true is irrational. Why don't I also just plan for magic being real at some point? For teleportation? For nuclear war?

Yeah, that's part of being a responsible parent. Planning to be able for your job when it's required. Even working at home there should be required meetings/briefings that can't be scheduled around everyone's kids' school and sports schedules.

Your job must not be very essential if you can't figure this out in 15 years.

Half of federal workers are in fact not essential or really needed.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Apparently I was in the minority, but my ES age kid did aftercare even though we had a hybrid schedule / someone is WFH most days. I don’t want my kid around when I am still working!

+1. DH and I work in private sector and one or the other is WFH every day. We still have a nanny for after school. If we couldn’t afford a nanny we would have signed up for aftercare at one of the 1,000 karate places or tutoring centers that offers them.

I have a hard time believing all these ESers are so independent after school. The fact is, the WFH parents are barely paying attention to work in the afternoons because they are transporting their children to activities, supervising them at home, etc. Which is fine if they can make it work (eg logging back in at night to compensate). But it’s a benefit they were taking advantage of, not something they were entitled to long term. So they shouldn’t act like the rug was pulled out from under them. They should have had childcare all along.

...we have had childcare all along. The willful misunderstanding at this point is getting to be trollish.

If you have childcare then why are you complaining? Clearly it’s not sufficient?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s not a lack of childcare that’s the problem; it’s that these women want to have it both ways. They don’t want to pay anyone else to watch their children, they prefer to fleece their employers.

+1

There are plenty of before and after care options. People just don’t want to pay. Though it’s the responsibility of mom and dad, not just mom, in ideal circumstances.

-A single mom breadwinner with sole custody who pays for child care and full time summer camp

Completely depends where you are, all the daycare centers that offer full daycare are at capacity around me. Preschool runs until 3pm at the latest. There is a waitlist for the school offered after care if your kid is school age.

There is a waitlist if you sign up today. If you had signed up years ago when your kid started K, you would be off the waitlist by now.

Look, I totally get that people wanted to save money on childcare and have their kids home with them. But just own it. Own that it was a choice that you intentionally made. It was great while it lasted but now you have to pay the piper and it’s not everybody else’s fault/problem.

So you think a kid who has a parent at home after school should spend years in aftercare just in case? I doubt a program with a wait-list would let you pay for a spot youre not using. I do not think that is rational.

They could actually use the spot. We have plenty of neighbors who do that. They actually have to do work at home so they can't pop out to the bus stop or get snacks out or host a playdate while "working".

Again, this is on parents who thought they could F around and found out.

I have never, in 15 years of federal service, been required to be in the office for 40 hours/week. I have always had childcare coverage for all hours I am working. Your idea that we should have planned for something that has never been true is irrational. Why don't I also just plan for magic being real at some point? For teleportation? For nuclear war?

Yeah, that's part of being a responsible parent. Planning to be able for your job when it's required. Even working at home there should be required meetings/briefings that can't be scheduled around everyone's kids' school and sports schedules.

Your job must not be very essential if you can't figure this out in 15 years.

You sound insane. Honestly. But since you are a 'responsible parent', what is your plan for your child under nuclear armageddon?

Please go away. DP

no. you.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s not a lack of childcare that’s the problem; it’s that these women want to have it both ways. They don’t want to pay anyone else to watch their children, they prefer to fleece their employers.

+1

There are plenty of before and after care options. People just don’t want to pay. Though it’s the responsibility of mom and dad, not just mom, in ideal circumstances.

-A single mom breadwinner with sole custody who pays for child care and full time summer camp

Completely depends where you are, all the daycare centers that offer full daycare are at capacity around me. Preschool runs until 3pm at the latest. There is a waitlist for the school offered after care if your kid is school age.

There is a waitlist if you sign up today. If you had signed up years ago when your kid started K, you would be off the waitlist by now.

Look, I totally get that people wanted to save money on childcare and have their kids home with them. But just own it. Own that it was a choice that you intentionally made. It was great while it lasted but now you have to pay the piper and it’s not everybody else’s fault/problem.

So you think a kid who has a parent at home after school should spend years in aftercare just in case? I doubt a program with a wait-list would let you pay for a spot youre not using. I do not think that is rational.

They could actually use the spot. We have plenty of neighbors who do that. They actually have to do work at home so they can't pop out to the bus stop or get snacks out or host a playdate while "working".

Again, this is on parents who thought they could F around and found out.

I have never, in 15 years of federal service, been required to be in the office for 40 hours/week. I have always had childcare coverage for all hours I am working. Your idea that we should have planned for something that has never been true is irrational. Why don't I also just plan for magic being real at some point? For teleportation? For nuclear war?

Yeah, that's part of being a responsible parent. Planning to be able for your job when it's required. Even working at home there should be required meetings/briefings that can't be scheduled around everyone's kids' school and sports schedules.

Your job must not be very essential if you can't figure this out in 15 years.

You sound insane. Honestly. But since you are a 'responsible parent', what is your plan for your child under nuclear armageddon?

Please go away. DP

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s not a lack of childcare that’s the problem; it’s that these women want to have it both ways. They don’t want to pay anyone else to watch their children, they prefer to fleece their employers.

+1

There are plenty of before and after care options. People just don’t want to pay. Though it’s the responsibility of mom and dad, not just mom, in ideal circumstances.

-A single mom breadwinner with sole custody who pays for child care and full time summer camp

Completely depends where you are, all the daycare centers that offer full daycare are at capacity around me. Preschool runs until 3pm at the latest. There is a waitlist for the school offered after care if your kid is school age.

There is a waitlist if you sign up today. If you had signed up years ago when your kid started K, you would be off the waitlist by now.

Look, I totally get that people wanted to save money on childcare and have their kids home with them. But just own it. Own that it was a choice that you intentionally made. It was great while it lasted but now you have to pay the piper and it’s not everybody else’s fault/problem.

This 100%.

People (moms and dads) freely made the choice to save some money by not securing before/aftercare.

They gambled and now it's on them. 100% their fault.

I won’t go so far as to blame them. As you say, they gambled, and it worked out for them for quite a while. Good for them, and hope they enjoy that money they saved. But now they need to adult-up and make new arrangements without complaining. Because they wouldn’t have to “scramble” if they had done this all along.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s not a lack of childcare that’s the problem; it’s that these women want to have it both ways. They don’t want to pay anyone else to watch their children, they prefer to fleece their employers.

+1

There are plenty of before and after care options. People just don’t want to pay. Though it’s the responsibility of mom and dad, not just mom, in ideal circumstances.

-A single mom breadwinner with sole custody who pays for child care and full time summer camp

Completely depends where you are, all the daycare centers that offer full daycare are at capacity around me. Preschool runs until 3pm at the latest. There is a waitlist for the school offered after care if your kid is school age.

There is a waitlist if you sign up today. If you had signed up years ago when your kid started K, you would be off the waitlist by now.

Look, I totally get that people wanted to save money on childcare and have their kids home with them. But just own it. Own that it was a choice that you intentionally made. It was great while it lasted but now you have to pay the piper and it’s not everybody else’s fault/problem.

So you think a kid who has a parent at home after school should spend years in aftercare just in case? I doubt a program with a wait-list would let you pay for a spot youre not using. I do not think that is rational.

They could actually use the spot. We have plenty of neighbors who do that. They actually have to do work at home so they can't pop out to the bus stop or get snacks out or host a playdate while "working".

Again, this is on parents who thought they could F around and found out.

I have never, in 15 years of federal service, been required to be in the office for 40 hours/week. I have always had childcare coverage for all hours I am working. Your idea that we should have planned for something that has never been true is irrational. Why don't I also just plan for magic being real at some point? For teleportation? For nuclear war?

Yeah, that's part of being a responsible parent. Planning to be able for your job when it's required. Even working at home there should be required meetings/briefings that can't be scheduled around everyone's kids' school and sports schedules.

Your job must not be very essential if you can't figure this out in 15 years.

You sound insane. Honestly. But since you are a 'responsible parent', what is your plan for your child under nuclear armageddon?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Apparently I was in the minority, but my ES age kid did aftercare even though we had a hybrid schedule / someone is WFH most days. I don’t want my kid around when I am still working!

+1. DH and I work in private sector and one or the other is WFH every day. We still have a nanny for after school. If we couldn’t afford a nanny we would have signed up for aftercare at one of the 1,000 karate places or tutoring centers that offers them.

I have a hard time believing all these ESers are so independent after school. The fact is, the WFH parents are barely paying attention to work in the afternoons because they are transporting their children to activities, supervising them at home, etc. Which is fine if they can make it work (eg logging back in at night to compensate). But it’s a benefit they were taking advantage of, not something they were entitled to long term. So they shouldn’t act like the rug was pulled out from under them. They should have had childcare all along.

...we have had childcare all along. The willful misunderstanding at this point is getting to be trollish.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:this thread seems to be overrun with trolls and/or bots... who says parents want to fleece their employers?

its terrible to be part-way through the school year and have to scramble to find extra care because now one or both working parents needs to work from an office.

i feel for all the working families out there trying to scramble midway through the year to re arrange their schedules and/or find care.

Guess what happened during the 2020-2021 school year. Schools randomly closed with little to no notice. They called off hybrid sometimes with a fews hours notice. Guess what parents who work outside the home did. They figured it out. They had backups. They paid for care knowing it was best to have it when it was needed.

Yeah, and there were horrible negative repercussions to kids. Is that what you are supporting?

.

Karen, we are talking about working in an office.

Are you suggesting schools are childcare because the teachers will come for you.

Janice, you are the one saying that "everyone just made it work" during covid. There were no backups, there was no care. Everything you said was false.

But do suggest that I put teachers down somehow, as some sort of bait.

Anonymous wrote:Apparently I was in the minority, but my ES age kid did aftercare even though we had a hybrid schedule / someone is WFH most days. I don’t want my kid around when I am still working!

+1. DH and I work in private sector and one or the other is WFH every day. We still have a nanny for after school. If we couldn’t afford a nanny we would have signed up for aftercare at one of the 1,000 karate places or tutoring centers that offers them.

I have a hard time believing all these ESers are so independent after school. The fact is, the WFH parents are barely paying attention to work in the afternoons because they are transporting their children to activities, supervising them at home, etc. Which is fine if they can make it work (eg logging back in at night to compensate). But it’s a benefit they were taking advantage of, not something they were entitled to long term. So they shouldn’t act like the rug was pulled out from under them. They should have had childcare all along.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:this thread seems to be overrun with trolls and/or bots... who says parents want to fleece their employers?

its terrible to be part-way through the school year and have to scramble to find extra care because now one or both working parents needs to work from an office.

i feel for all the working families out there trying to scramble midway through the year to re arrange their schedules and/or find care.

Guess what happened during the 2020-2021 school year. Schools randomly closed with little to no notice. They called off hybrid sometimes with a fews hours notice. Guess what parents who work outside the home did. They figured it out. They had backups. They paid for care knowing it was best to have it when it was needed.

It is positively insane to say that "everything worked out" for families with young kids during covid.