We are currently paying $460/month for Roman and that is CHEAP lol. But you get what you pay for and we're not thrilled with the place so we're out looking again. Tom has Roman at a Christian preschool today with before and after care (Preschool runs 9-12) and its $550/month
If I sent zoey there this summer with him its $990/month for them both!!! I can't afford that ! OIY ! I will obviously apply for a tuition scholarship of some sort but a thousand dollars a month for 2 1/2 months is insane.

So I was wondering what you guys pay and what it includes. Ours includes preschool, breakfast, a.m. snack, beverages, lunch , p.m. snack.
They don't transport to the schools at the new place we're looking at - the place Rman is at now will actually pick zoey up at public school on a half day and bring her to them at no extra charge (one of the reasons we chose them)

What about the place he's at now are you not thrilled with?

Is it the atmosphere, the staff, both?

What about the place he's at now are you not thrilled with?

Is it the atmosphere, the staff, both?

I honestly think its just too big for him - that a smaller place with fewer kids would be a better fit. He's been crying at night that he doesn't want to go , that he doesn't like it anymore. I talked to the teacher and she says he is fine after daddy leaves, that he is playing, participating etc. But he is saying every single day that he doesn't want to go. I'm not sure if its just that he doesn't want to go to ANY place, just still wishes he was home with mama - or if its the school itself kwim?

How long has he been there? If it's been less than a month to 6 weeks, I'd let it ride a bit, if it's only him saying he doesn't want to go.

How big is it?

Could you find a small, quality group setting near you?

Around here......a quality small group setting would be about $795mth fulltime for one child.

For Avigayil, it is 675, because she is an infant. If Gila were there, I think for her it would be 605, but there is a sibling discount, I think. You have a very cheap deal. And the 600+ is for 7am-6pm...though we only keep Avigayil there from 8:30am-5pm.

If you guys like the place, I would think moving him would make it harder for him to adjust to the change. He would have to get used to new kids, new teacher, new schedule, etc. kwim?

well, Tommy took him to the preschool today and he didn't want to leave lol. Its a VERY small quality preschool at a church just a few minutes from our house. There are only 2 classrooms, about 13 children per class with 2 teachers. THey don't consider themselves a daycare center, but a preschool with before/after care. Tom says it was very calm compared to the daycare he's currently in and thinks Romy would get more individualized attention. Yes, another change would be hard - for all the reasons you meantioned - new teachers, new kids, new schedule - but I think he might do better in a "smaller pond". He was a big fish in a little pond at our house with the daycare kids, now he's a little fish in a HUGE pond at the daycare center. At this school he'd still be a little fish, but theres a whole lot less fish and its a much smaller pond. lol

How long has he been there? If it's been less than a month to 6 weeks, I'd let it ride a bit, if it's only him saying he doesn't want to go. He started January 22nd, so it has been just about a month. I have been saying we need to let him go a bit longer but he's really crying alot at night and on the way to school every day. I ask him to tell me about his day at school and he says the same thing "I didn't want to go. I don't like my school anymore. I dont' want to go tomorrow."

I spoke to the teacher/director today at the preschool and she said that I can write a letter asking them to consider a partial scholarship since we were paying $460/week at the other place including lunch and now would need to pay $550/week and supply lunch. She says she's guessing if I say that we want him to attend with them but our budget is geared for the $460 that we could be scholarshipped the $90/month thru summer. Then in the summer we can discuss a deal for both kids since the place Roman is in now would only charge me $800/month for both for summer.

I dont' know. I'm really torn on how to handle this but I can't stand my baby crying that he doesn't like this school. He told me on the phone just now that he wants to go to his new school.

But is it a set up? In 2 weeks will we be dealing with the same issue? Or with the smaller ratio with the teacher be able to give him the time he needs to help with his separation anxiety?

Dh does the drop off and pick up right now and he's telling me that the daycare center is a DAYCARE adn that the new place is a SCHOOL and they look and feel totally different to him. I was at the daycare the first few days but since then dh has done all the drop off/pickup and I just talk to them on the phone - so I trust HIS gut, ya know? And his gut is telling him this isnt' the right place for our boy and we should move him.

this is hard.

The money thing is going to be interesting, but we'll figure that out. I just want him to be safe and HAPPY. We have the next few months, this summer, next year all year and the following summer before he starts kindergarten.

Thanks for listening to me ramble and worry.

Well, if he has tried the new place and loves it I woul feel better about moving him. I didn't realize you were triying it out. I would also trust DH's gut! Good luck.

I would trust your DH, and your son in this. Yes, in a few weeks he might start crying that he doesn't want to go again. But at 3, and with his life experience so far, it seems unlikely that he's just manipulative. And you can phrase it the right way. I think I would really try to get it to work at the place that feels much better to Tom, and that Roman loved.

I am also wondering if it being at a church might not feel safer for Roman. He went to preschool at our church 2x week from sept-dec in preparation for me going to work full time, but they didn't have before and after care so I knew we'd have to move him. He liked it alot and did well. He loved going. He also loves awana and sunday school on sunday.
When they drove up to the new preschool, dh tells me Romy said "it looks like my church school daddy" and Tommy said "yes, it is a church school just like your church school".
Maybe that will make him feel safer somehow? something he knows?
I also can't help but feel that because they are Christ based they will deal with things in a more loving way. Dh told me last night he feels like the daycare center sort of just shuffles the kids from place to place and may not be giving our son the kind of attention we want him to have. He said today he could "feel the good vibes" so I"m going with that.

I called and we're going to take Roman in Monday and see how he does for the week at the St.Marks preschool. I'm going to call the daycare center now and let them know he wont' be in next week.

Can you tell its really slow at work and I can't stop thinking about this?

There is a big difference in a daycare and a preschool IMO. I have worked at both, and your Dh is right, the feeling is very different, the kids that attend are very different, the attitude of the teachers is different as well. I honestly would very very much go with the school setting if it was even slightly feasible $$$ wise.

I just read the parent handbook and after my 45 minute talk with the lead teacher/director, toms visit with Roman and some prayer - its a go. Its worth the $90/month to send him somewhere more structured and more along the lines with how we want him raised when he's in someone elses care if that makes sense.
So tomorrow we're off to find a lunch box (lunches are to be sent in, not provided but breakfast and snacks are served), get some goodies for his lunch box and we'll take him Monday.

thanks for the feedback mamas

It sounds like a good choice. Trying to find a good place that stays good where you're child is happy is truly the hardest thing about having to work. They just don't make band-aids that big.

Well sounds like you have it worked out but I'll tell you my $ anyway.

Kelby goes 3 d/week to daycare in the toddler room (she moves up soon). It's $570 and that's a good price. We provide lunch.

I'm not sure what Rachel will do this summer. Right now she has afterschool care for about $12/day (that's the drop in price anyway). Summer camps are crazy expensive (like $1400+ a month). I can't do that.

She'll probably do a summer camp in the school district which is alot more reasonable.

I'll be paying a little over $1000/mo for two of my kids while I'm in school. I get to take out student loans to pay for it. But it will all be worth it in the end.

Right now Jonathan (21 months) attends daycare 2 days a week = $548/month
Lauren (4.5 years) attends preschool 3 days/week = $435/month

So, just under a grand a month. They can both (but don't always take advantage of) have breakfast, lunch, and two snacks.

I'm going to three shorter days (it'll be the same number of hours/week) starting in June. At that time, Jonathan will be 2 and Lauren will be 5. We'll move Lauren to Jonathan's school. It'll still be around a grand month. They will transport Lauren, but not Jonathan (children need to be 40 lbs to be transported). The summer program will include a TON of field trips.

Now, as far as whether to change schools or not, I do not know if you were aware of our childcare nightmare from last year when we found out the director of our old school was using physical discipline on some of the children there (not ours because Lauren was too dang scared to disobey :( ). If you dh is feeling that you need to move, I'd listen to his gut. And, I'd pay what needed to be paid. :hug:

I'll be paying a little over $1000/mo for two of my kids while I'm in school. I get to take out student loans to pay for it. But it will all be worth it in the end.

Not a school with a childcare center, I guess? Just checking since so many do have them - we're paying $2/hour for community college childcare center, ie, cheap!