Before we moved here we heard about 5 day a week PRE-K program offered through the public school systems here in OKC. We were excited. What a relief it would be to not have to pay tuition for ds to go to a structured preschool program. How awesome is that?
Well not so awesome, as it turns out. The program starts at 8:30 and the parents have to pick up their kids by 11:00. The program starts August 14th (half way through our month long family vacation planned this summer). If he misses the first two weeks, he is dismissed from the program. (potentially)
So.....that sucks. What are our other options?...Well......
It turns out that we could put both kids in a Mothers' Day Out program. There is one just around the corner from us. We went to see it today. It's awesome. The staff was awesome too: very friendly, very structured classrooms, etc. They have a summer and a fall program, both of which have room for my sons. But of course there is a tuition fee. It would be about $40 more for both of them to go here, than it was when they went to a MDO back in Enid. The director there did say that some kids who go to the Pre-K program are often dropped off at the MDO when they are dismissed at 11am. She would only charge half tuition fees for him in that case....hmmmm...there's a thought....but doesn't that just make my day even more condensed? I mean, I would be travelling here there and everywhere trying to meet all the start and end times of each program, not allowing myself time to get things done for myself or whatever; which is the whole point to begin with right?
So, now we're faced with a decision, which I think at this point is pretty clear:
Do we put our ds in the Pre-K program so that we don't suffer the financial fall back from that?
OR
Do we put both boys in the same MDO program two days a week?
In my opinion I like the idea of free, but honestly, it just feels like so much hassle rather than a convenience. But would it be worth it to have him in that program five days a week anyway, and give him the advantage of getting to know the kids for when they start kindergarten together the following fall?
At the same time, I like the idea of both of them being in the same place two days a week giving me more time to myself so I can get things done that need to get done CHILDLESS. That in itself is priceless, therefore something I would be willing to pay for: time alone!!!
I guess I am just typing out all of my thoughts...not necessarily asking for advice or counsel. Just typing out what latest child care dilemas with you all!
Dilema: FREE vs paying out of pocket
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