what to do with child while i work?

Question

i am a single mother and currently i work around my sons school schedule and my mother helps me, but i want to start my career which probably means moving away from this area and away from my mother, whom i depended on for back up sitter care, what do people do with their children when they work, are there day cares that drive the kids to school and pick them up? is there before and after care right at schools? are there day cares that will take children if they are too sick to go to school? what do other single moms do that want to have a career also, i mean i have no one else in my family and no friends that i can depend on to help me if i need it, so i have to find alternative solutions

Answer 1

Don't stess yourself out, if God has willed for you to have a career then it will happen with your hard work and dedication and if he hasn't willed for that then something better and more suiting is coming your way!!
As far as the childcare thing. There are more solutions to these dilemmas than one thinks. Yes, if your children go to grade school there are plenty of day cares that will take them from the daycare to school in the morning and from school back to the daycare in the afternoon until you can get off work. There are extended care facilities which do cost more money per week, but can give you some flexibility with working hours if needed. There are day cares that offer services such as in home sick care. But only go with a daycare that has licensed and bonded employees. These women will come to your home and tend to your sick wee-one while you go to work.
I'm not single anymore, but I was. I was single mother of 4 children. And I'll tell you every other week someone was sick, but I found each time that there was an answer to my dilemma. If you live in Atlanta, GA I have the contact info for the 24 hr sick care service I found in the community! Good Luck and never give up. People are more helpful and understanding than you may think they are.

Answer 2

When I was younger my mum and dad both had a career and I turned out more than fine as well as I was well socialized compared to most stay-at-home children. So ignore some of these people who are answering.

Anyways, at all of the babysitters I went to I either took the bus to school, walked in a large group with at least one person over the age of 12, or was walked to school and back from the babysitter. Two of my babysitters provided a lunch and afterschool snack and would take us during PD days and March Break if it was necessary, as well as when we were sick.

I was lucky because my mum was a teacher so she had summers off, but in the end she ended up sending us to camps all the time because we were always so bored not having at least 10 children around us. My mum always ended up becoming good friends with the babysitters too, and still talks to one that I haven't even seen in 20 years.

I don't know about where you are, but in Ontario we have "PLASP" (something after school program) which will take kids before school and afterschool, as well as provide a snack. The only downside to this program is that they are not available if your child is sick or if there is a PD/snow day.

Overall, daycare can be a wonderful experiance for any child. My sister and I loved it and would put our kids in daycare, regardless of whether or not we stay home, just to have the same experiances. I hope you do well in your career-- and think-- once your son is 12 or so, you won't need a babysitter any longer.

Good luck!

Answer 3

Well if you are a single mom than you can contact your CCC and you may qualify for state pay. This is where the state will pay maybe all the amount of child care or part of it. I know that our school system here in Kentucky offers the YMCA for school kids. They have service before school after school and during the summer break. Also, several day cares in our area also provide transportation for kids two and from school. I'm sure they all have a sick policy for when children can't attend. I run and in home and I have a sick policy to help keep the other children for getting sick. Good Luck!!!

Answer 4

I am also a single mom, and my family helps me out a lot, but they all work full time also. My daughter is not yet school age, so we have a regular full time sitter. I take her to the local daycare occassionally if our sitter is unavailable. They do take school age kids in the morning and afternoon, they do take them to school if needed and pick them up. I believe there is at least one after-school care program in town, although I'm not sure about the specifics. I know it's for kids who can't go right home after school, but I don't know about the transportation for that, if any. The daycare, elementary school, and afterschool program are all within walking distance of each other, too. I don't think any daycare will take in a sick child, it would be better to find someone who can watch your child at your home in that situation. I wish you luck with everything, I know how tough it can be sometimes. I hope everything works out for you!

Answer 5

Yes, there are daycare centers that are located in some schools. Ours here is called the YMCA. It is not in all schools, but some, you can drop your child off at the school, they have people there to watch your kids before and after school. Also some daycares will drive your kids to school and pick them up or have something set up where the bus picks them up and drops them off at the daycare. I have a home daycare. I have kids that come to my house in the morning, the bus comes in front of my house and picks them up, and then drops them back off at my house after school. There are a very few daycares in my city that will take sick kids, but there are some. You'd have to look in the phone book. I babysit for single moms, who just make it work. They do their best. Do you really have to move away from your mom? If she is your only help and support, maybe you should think twice about leaving her. Could you stay put and maybe commute to work, even if it's a little longer drive? Or how about starting your own babysitting service at your home? You could stay home with your children, watch another single mom's children and make some money. If that's not for you and you must move away from your mom, check into the daycares in the city you are moving to and check out the options before you make the move. Good Luck!

Answer 6

No, daycares do not provide transportation. They do have before and after care that you pay extra for most of the times.
No day care will take care of your child when they are sick hence the other children catching it.
Other single moms like myself..call out when their kids are sick or go pick them up when they are sick at school.
It is part of being a mom. I suggest you look into places that have sick leave time, vacation days, and understand about children.
Lots of companies are like that.
You can have a career but you also need to work into your child's schedule.

Answer 7

Most school and communities have before and after school programs, however they are not free. Also no program will keep a sick child, they cannot by law knowing expose other children to disease. Some programs supply transportation but many do not. I think you should carefully research any area before you move. What are you going to do when school is closed? Those programs are not free and if you end up paying so much for these programs it may not make sense to move at all. It is very difficult to handle young children on your own - you may be better off waitnig till your kids are older and can be left alone before attempting this.

Answer 8

there are plenty of daycare centers that offer before and after school programs but if your child is too sick for school, then you need to stay home with them. if you do send them to the daycare, it can get the other children sick, and the daycare will probably call you to pick them up. you could also try an at home babysitter but be sure to do a background check and an extensive interview!

Answer 9

Yes, there are daycares, in fact most daycares will provide transportation to and from schools in their area. There are also community centers in most major cities that provide before and after school care for little or no money...The care, in my opinion at the "community center" type care program isn't as good as in a daycare sometimes since they employ mostly young ppl who are in college and needing a part time job, but you may get lucky. As for a daycare that would care for sick children, they usually don't do that at traditional daycares but I have heard of a few that do only sick children on a drop in basis...Good luck!

Answer 10

I think most schools have an after-school care program (at least around here they do). How early would you have to be at work? Schools around here let you drop off as early as 7:30, plenty of time to get to a job with traditional hours. Maybe your Mom could spend the first couple weeks you move with you to get him on the bus in the mornings until you get to know a neighbor with school age kids and then you could ask the neighbor to take your son in the mornings? (with a little compensation of course). If he's sick, I guess you would just have to take that day off work to stay with him.

Good luck to you..it's scary starting something new, but you'll make it work out!!