Conference moira::parenting_v3

  What has worked well for me is having someone come to the house
during summer vacation.  This is the third summer I have handled child
care and in this fashion.  I have 3 children, 2 sons (9 and 11) and
a 5 year old daughter.  Fortunately, I found a very responsible teenage
girl who has been available the last 3 summers and most school vacations.
The kids are comfortable with her and so am I.

  Having to get the kids up to go to a sitters house is no vacation.
By having someone at our house I let the boys stay up late and sleep in
until whatever time they want.  Since they are somewhat older, they do
not require constant guidance however I would not leave them home alone.
Basically, they know their restrictions, as does the sitter, and most of the
time abide by them.  My daughter, on the other hand, does need someone to
keep a closer eye on her.  All their toys are home also (and yes, that
cherished Nitendo!).

 I have found that this is also a 'vacation' for me.  The mornings are
nice and tranquil with no stress. 

Nancy

I have been working since my daughter was 3 and always summer brought
the same question. When they are in day-care, then day-care all summer.

When they are in 1st grade on up...you might find somebody in the neighborhood
in the same situation..  I never depended on teens.

Then, try camps. day camps & overnight.  and match the spare weeks with your own
vacation time.

Anyway---why dont you worry about that when the time comes.  Really.
Every year will be different and its just not worth worrying about now!
Everyone gets thru it!				N

    Jim's folks are resorting to the YWCA this year (Catherine's 7 yrs old).
    She's been in the "Y" daycare for 6 months and this summer they added
    the swimming lessons and camp (options?).
    
    They give raving reviews -- says Cat loves it, counsellors and
    instructors are great, and it's VERY cheap, too.  Their "Y" doesn't
    charge them any extra if she has to spend an occasional full-day
    (school holiday) and something about Friday nights are Kid's Night.
    They rent a video and provide popcorn - for $8.00 (3 hours).
    
    I'll be honest with you ... I was VERY nervous when they first proposed
    this solution (as their long-time daycare center chose not to provide a
    van and pickup service at the Elementary School last Fall).
    
    But, folks and Cat are VERY happy with the arrangement!
    
    Dottie
    

    Camp, of course, since almost any summer program is called "camp" (even
    "computer camp").  And at least around here, getting into camp is much
    easier than finding a good pre-school opening, so don't worry too much.
    
    Aaron went to a Y camp his first year.  It had good hours, was quite
    conventient for us, and quite cheap.  But you got what you paid for. 
    The groups were large and led by well meaning but inexperienced high
    school kids, with little supervision.  Aaron was safe, but bored.  We
    now pay more and put up with a good bit more inconvenience to get
    substantially better programming and closer attention.  Traditional
    camps tend to have hours like 9:00-3:00, and may have no extended day
    program.
    
    		- Bruce

    My step-son (9 yrs. old) also goes to the Y for the summer.  He
    loves it and the rates are very reasonable.
    
    - Kathryn
    

My daycare has a "schoolers" program.  During the year you can drop your
school-age kids off and they will take them to school and pick them up in
the van, having activities for the kids after school until you arrive to
pick them up.

In the summer they go wild with schooler's activities.  There is at least
one field trip a week (tour a bakery, police station, Six Flags, Wet n Wild,
museum, planetarium, etc.), usually more.  They have picnic lunches in the
park, have "splash day" every thursday, learn how to cook (!), etc.....

I think this might be pretty common, I don't know.  And of course summer
camps are great, but sometimes the hours are not (i.e. 9-4  and we leave the
house by 7:15 AM returning at 6:30 PM)!

Kristen

    Wow!  You stirred up memories.  I had the same anxious thoughts.
    I just returned to work two weeks ago-- we now have a 5 yr old
    boy and a new daughter, Katharine!  Hurrah - and I'm surviving!!
    I'll second the sitter at the house routine if you can swing
    it -- a little more risky -- but I love it.
    
    Our son has been in day care situationS(!) since he was 4 mos
    old.  He adjusted extremely well to each of them.  Having a sitter
    at home with the more relaxed routine is a treat.  I have a 
    lovely sitter who welcomes some of the neighborhood kids in so
    that John doesn't get lonely.  Of course, I won't mention what
    the house looks like when I get back....but hey, better then 
    returning to a tidy house with bored unhappy kids, right?!?
    
    Great idea to gather some ideas.  It always seems to work out
    when you get down to the wire -- as I'm sure it will with you.
    Creativity seems to help too!  (My husband watches them until noon,
    the sitter covers noon to four, I work 7 - 3 to get home by 4!!!!
    This is the only way we could afford a sitter at home -- Crazy,
    but for now, it works!)  We're taking it a week at a time.  I'm
    sure we'll revisit the schedules fairly frequently.  I'm sure we'll
    consider camps and other such options as we "grow" into them.
    
    Best of Luck!!!
    Julia
    

    re .3, etc.
    
    The Y programs have excellent reputations.
    

    DAY CAMP!! We have sent our son since he was 5 and our daugher will be
    starting next year at 4.  The weeks work out to start either right
    after school lets out or with one week delay and we have our two weeks
    of vacation between the end of camp and the beginning of school.
    
    You get what you pay for in a day camp.  We have chosen one for
    convenience (not too bad a commute and extended hours in the PM
    so we can pick him up at 5) though it is not necessarily the "best"
    of what is available.

    Steven's doing his first summer of Y camp and he loves it.  Yes,
    it's supervised by enthusiastic but inexperienced high schoolers,
    but they all seem to be having a good time, and he's learning to
    swim where he used to be afraid of the water.  Comes home
    exhausted and sleeps like a log most of the time. 
    
    Kat went there for I think four years, until she got old enough to
    want to do specialized camps (gymnastics two summers, and now
    dance for the last three).  She loved it, too.
    
    This Y also provides bus transportation, so all we have to worry
    about is getting him to the bus stop, not all the way to the camp.
    
    --bonnie