Part-time childcare or pre-school for toddlers?

[AahRee]

Are there any SAHMs here who use part-time childcare or a toddler pre-school-type program for a few hours a week? I'm looking into doing something like that with Katie, but I'm not sure it even exists, and I'm not sure what to look for if it does. If you use one, tell me about it! :)

[Brooke]

Hey Anne.

I'm looking into part-time daycare, 2 days a week, right now. both places I've called will do part-time if there is space. See my thread on in-home vs daycare centers in the working parents forum for info on what I've found.

My cousin is looking for a pre-school type place, ~3 hrs a day, 5 days a week, for her son. He will be 3 next week. All of those places are on the school-year system and will only take kids starting the September AFTER they turn 3. So Rebekah can't start until Sept 2005. Same with Katie.

Good luck.

[AahRee]

Lame! I'd really like to put her in some kind of part-time program that has an educational/curriculum focus, not only a childcare focus. I looked into Montessori preschools, but they all start at age 3. :(
I think it would be SO good for Katie, since she loves being around other kids, and frankly, I need a little more R&R than I'm getting right now. I'll have to keep looking. Let's hope we both find something good soon!

[Brooke]

Lame! I'd really like to put her in some kind of part-time program that has an educational/curriculum focus, not only a childcare focus.
The in-home place I looked at was run by a woman who has her early childhood education certification and she actually does the pre-school program with the kids. They stay there instead of going to pre-school and just go right to kindergarten and they are totally ready.

So, she did have an educational focus and, after seeing the center we saw today, I would really rather put her in the in-home place. I think she'd learn alot there. But the times just won't work for me (I need 8-5:30 and she closes at 4:30pm).

Call some places and ask. Even the center we saw today did play time and learning time. They were teaching them to recognize their names on flash cards and how to spell them (a boy named Cole learned to spell his name today). Colors and letters, too. They don't spend all day playing.

[Karri]

We send Aidan to a center 2 days/wk. I started when I was on bedrest and we continued b/c he just loves it and gets so much out of it. While it is technically childcare, they do have a curriculum. They are NAEYC accredited, so they have to follow certain standards. But anyway, they have structure for about 3/4 of the day (story time, circle time where they learn concepts/words/letters/numbers, arts & crafts, gross motor play and small motor play time) and then they have free-play time for the rest.

[Lyndee]

We're looking at 2 Montessori schools right now that take kids below 3. They also have part time programs- either 2 or 3 days per week and you can do half days, full days or extended days.

[EricaMG]

Anne-

We recently started sending Adam to a daycare center for two mornings/week. He needed much more structure in his day than I could provide for him with Jared around, and so now off he goes to "school" and he REALLY enjoys it. As much as I love it (they have a curriculum with educational themes that change weekly, great toys,s tory time, etc.) I don't think I'd like to see you trekking up to Bellevue during your free time! So, if I were you, I'd start by calling daycares in your area and seeing which ones have 1/2 day or part time programs. From there, you can tour the centers and see which one you like best for Katie!

Erica

[AahRee]

:lol: Yeah, driving to Bellevue for Katie's school would defeat the whole idea of having some *me* time. :lol: I guess you and I could always go out for coffee all morning, though! :lol: I'll have to check around. There doesn't seem to be much in Lake Stevens, but I'm hoping that Marysville or Everett will have something. :crossfing:

[Connie1222]

Jack is in an in-home preschool program. Although he goes full-time, most of the kids that go are only part-time. Patti (the teacher) has a curriculum and it's more pre-school than daycare. The age range she accepts are 18 months to 5 years and they don't have to be potty trained (she does that as well) and it's small mixed age group and the kids thrive there. Maybe you can find something like that. Good luck!

[AahRee]

That sounds great, Connie! I hope I can find something like that.

[Julie]

Jordan is in a preschool program that is three days a week from 9:30-1:30. It is religious based, but we chose this over a local Montessori school since he was so young, I wanted him to have the more traditional 'preschool' type program. Eventually we may move him to the Montessori school, but the one in my area was so structured, I wanted him to have more of a play environment for now...
Good luck finding something!

[Cortney]

Morgan is in preschool one day a week (Wed.) but had the option to go one,two, or three days a week. :) She enjoys it, I'm not as impressed with the facility and staff as much as I thought I would be.

[Stacy]

I did this with Dylan from Sept.-Dec. 9-11:30 Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
It was in-home child care. A friend of ours was doing it . She had to give it up because she was having serious complications with her pregnancy.
I used the time to do whatever I wanted to do. It was me time.
Come Sept. if he is toilet trained he will go to the Nursery School at my parent's church two mornings a week.

[Katrina]

Along these lines, about what age is good to start your kids off in something like this? I am definitely interested in that for mine when he is old enough (obviously has to be at least a toddler!)

Thoughts on the best age to start? Or what behavioral things ot look for in your kid to know when he is ready?

[Karri]

IMO 18 months

[Julie]

Jordan started preschool at 18 months, and that seemed to be a good time to transition him. He didn't have much seperation anxiety and at the same time he was at a stage in which he wanted to play and mimic.
I have noticed a significant difference within him since he has started school.

[jstauffer]

The City of Everett has a preschool program at Forest Park. I don't remember what age they accept. I do know they're doing an open house thing in March or April. I'll go look and see...

[jstauffer]

Well, I don't see it on their website, but I know the info's in my booklet thing they send out every quarter. I'll look it up for you later.

[jstauffer]

Okay, here we go: Pooh and Friends Preschool open house for parents of children ages 2-5 (must be 2, 3, or 4 by August 31st) March 24th 4-7pm. Session doesn't start until September though.

[AahRee]

Thanks Jen! Katie will be 2 by August 31, so that's a possibility for next fall. I'll definitely look into it!

[Faye]

I'm a WAHM but I take my daughter to a sitter part-time Mon-Fri. :) She loves it and I do too. She is very high strung and no way I can watch her AND work. I'd never get anything done and forget about answering the phone. She screams and talks too loud and as soon as I get on the phone she wants me and starts crying ofcourse. It works out great. I will put her in a preschool program in the fall probably. Not sure yet though. In our area it's not called preschool until they are 3 years old. It is called a mother's morning out program before then. :)

[Brandi]

Carter is registered with Mother's Morning Out (MMO). I know we aren't the only town with this program, but I don't know much more than that. We pay a $60 one time fee for the drop in program. It is open M-F, 8:30 - 12:00pm. You can drop them off and pick them up at anytime during that time. It's $4.95/hour. It's awesome. I usually take Carter once a week (depending on if he's sick or if I have a lot of errands to do). Sometimes it's twice a week. He loves it. It's at our church and I think it's usually offiliated with churches. Registration is the month for ours (I know a lot of schools register in March). I think I will take him twice or three times a week in the fall. That will be nice for me with the baby too. They have a pretty structured program. His room is toddlers and they have very age-appropriate rooms (one for infants, one for toddlers, one for 2's, one for 3's, etc.) They do art everyday, read books, music once a week, snacks everyday, and lots of playtime! Anyway, if you could get into something like that, it might be really cool!

Also, my friend has her child enrolled in a daycare that is only 2 or 3 morning a week, so I bet you could find schools that are like that!

Montessori - I taught at a Montessori school and I loved it! I hightly recommend it, but every school is totally different! It really depends on the school and the teachers!