How many hours in daycare?

Until recently I worked 7:45-4:30 (45 min lunch), about 12 mins from
home and DD's daycare was about 5 mins from work. She was there from
about 7:40-4:45

I've just started a new job, in a different part of town, 8-5, 25 mins
from home if no traffic, but there's always traffic. (I hate
commuting at all, but this job was a huge step up, and will allow me
to pay off my student loans sooner). But now instead of being last to
arrive and first to leave, she's first to arrive at 7:10am and last to
leave about 5:45. She's basically there an hour and a half longer than
she used to be in total. It's only been two days, but I'm finding
it soooo hard! The daycare is the opposite direction from my new job
(abt 30 mins out of the way in total), but we don't want to move her
because she's just gotten adjusted and is really happy there. I just
feel like I see her even less now. Even if we do move her so she's
closer to my work, the 'together' time would just be an extra 30-45
mins in the car, which she happens to hate, and maybe 20 mins at
home.

It's just seems so long to be at daycare. What's the norm? When DH
returns we're going to try to stagger our schedules so I can pick her
up earlier, but not sure yet if that will work.

I think that is on the long side, the daycare my DD went to was only
licensed to have the kids for 10hrs, if I've counted right, your DD is there
a little over that. I think what happened was that one parent dropped off,
the other picked up, and had their days slightly staggered. We even did this
when I worked part time, and as we were paying hourly it saved us a bit of
money, not much, but it adds up. However if you have no choice then that's
that, unless you want to look at other day care options, or other work
scheduling possibilities. It's hard, but you've said you've got student
loans, so you know you have to do it, good luck!
Anne

On Jun 5, 11:37 pm, cjra wrote:

I've just started a new job, in a different part of town, 8-5, 25 mins
from home if no traffic, but there's always traffic. (I hate
commuting at all, but this job was a huge step up, and will allow me
to pay off my student loans sooner). But now instead of being last to
arrive and first to leave, she's first to arrive at 7:10am and last to
leave about 5:45. She's basically there an hour and a half longer than
she used to be in total. It's only been two days, but I'm finding
it soooo hard! The daycare is the opposite direction from my new job
(abt 30 mins out of the way in total), but we don't want to move her
because she's just gotten adjusted and is really happy there. I just
feel like I see her even less now. Even if we do move her so she's
closer to my work, the 'together' time would just be an extra 30-45
mins in the car, which she happens to hate, and maybe 20 mins at
home.

It's just seems so long to be at daycare. What's the norm? When DH
returns we're going to try to stagger our schedules so I can pick her
up earlier, but not sure yet if that will work.

That is on the long side. We do 8:15 to 4:30. I do drop off, DH does
pick
up. I think our daycare only alllows 10 hours a day (which you are
over).
They do average it though, so if you have a couple of 10+ days and
some less than 10 hour days it's OK. I do think this is a licensing
requirement here.

One of my daughter's classmates mom has just gone back to school
and dad works in a different direction, making thier days really
long.
What they have done is hired a college age babysitter that picks
the kids up earlier than either of them can. This is just a stop gap
until she goes back to her regular job. It doesn't give them any more
time with the kids, but it does give the kids more time at home.

DH and I stagger our schedules so that he can do an earlier pickup
(and daycare is really close to my work). We also live really close
to my work (and DH works at home) so all that makes it much easier.
Having a short commute was critical when we chose where to live
(and thankfully, I haven't changed jobs!).

Good luck, it's really hard.

Mary

On Jun 6, 6:19 am, "Mary W." wrote:
On Jun 5, 11:37 pm, cjra wrote:







I've just started a new job, in a different part of town, 8-5, 25 mins
from home if no traffic, but there's always traffic. (I hate
commuting at all, but this job was a huge step up, and will allow me
to pay off my student loans sooner). But now instead of being last to
arrive and first to leave, she's first to arrive at 7:10am and last to
leave about 5:45. She's basically there an hour and a half longer than
she used to be in total. It's only been two days, but I'm finding
it soooo hard! The daycare is the opposite direction from my new job
(abt 30 mins out of the way in total), but we don't want to move her
because she's just gotten adjusted and is really happy there. I just
feel like I see her even less now. Even if we do move her so she's
closer to my work, the 'together' time would just be an extra 30-45
mins in the car, which she happens to hate, and maybe 20 mins at
home.

It's just seems so long to be at daycare. What's the norm? When DH
returns we're going to try to stagger our schedules so I can pick her
up earlier, but not sure yet if that will work.

That is on the long side. We do 8:15 to 4:30. I do drop off, DH does
pick
up. I think our daycare only alllows 10 hours a day (which you are
over).
They do average it though, so if you have a couple of 10+ days and
some less than 10 hour days it's OK. I do think this is a licensing
requirement here.


Ugh, now I feel worse. My babysitter is fine with it, and DD seems
fine enough. She's happy, she's just playing with her friends and then
gets some one on one with the sitter. (it's an in home daycare)

One of my daughter's classmates mom has just gone back to school
and dad works in a different direction, making thier days really
long.
What they have done is hired a college age babysitter that picks
the kids up earlier than either of them can. This is just a stop gap
until she goes back to her regular job. It doesn't give them any more
time with the kids, but it does give the kids more time at home.

DH and I stagger our schedules so that he can do an earlier pickup
(and daycare is really close to my work). We also live really close
to my work (and DH works at home) so all that makes it much easier.
Having a short commute was critical when we chose where to live
(and thankfully, I haven't changed jobs!).

Yeah,that was the deal initially (I used to be able to walk to work!).
My commute isn't long as the crow flies, but if I'm stuck working 8-5,
the 25 mins can become 45 minutes, then there's the extra bit to go
get her. I'm just really hesitant to move her now that she's settled
there. The other issue is that I'm not sure how much I'll actually be
*in* my office. If I'm in another part of town at drop off or pick up
time, it's waaaaay out of the way to go back there to get her, whereas
where she is now is not much out of the way.

I thoughtI could do a staggered schedule, but now hear my boss has
declared no staggered schedules...I'm going to talk about it today.

Anne Rogers wrote:
I think that is on the long side, the daycare my DD went to was only
licensed to have the kids for 10hrs, if I've counted right, your DD is there
a little over that.

Actually, a little under that. Realistically, that's
about par for the course. When people have to work 8 hours,
have .5-1 hours for lunch, and the daycare isn't next door,
up to 10 hours is quite common.
Switching off for arrival and departure will help
if that ends up working out for you.

Best wishes,
Ericka

FWIW, the maximum in the four states that I know Daycare rules in is 12
hours in a 24 hour period (the center I do my demonstration classes at is
open for 13 hours a day-6:00 AM to 7:00 PM). And I know Nanny contracts are
usually written for 50 hours a week, to allow for travel time. I suspect 10
hours a day is pretty typical if you're in at all a big city where commuting
tends to be a major time-hog.

On Jun 6, 7:32 am, "Donna Metler" wrote:
FWIW, the maximum in the four states that I know Daycare rules in is 12
hours in a 24 hour period (the center I do my demonstration classes at is
open for 13 hours a day-6:00 AM to 7:00 PM).

Yes, my DCP is 'open' 6a-6p, and will do the occasional extra few
minutes if necessary.


And I know Nanny contracts are
usually written for 50 hours a week, to allow for travel time. I suspect 10
hours a day is pretty typical if you're in at all a big city where commuting
tends to be a major time-hog.

The frustrating thing for me right now is I hate driving! We discussed
this long and hard before I took the job - the commute is only 10-15
min longer than my former commute, but since we've decided to keep DD
in the same daycare, it adds on an extra 20-30 mins...then add the
rush hour hours. Well, DH is away at the moment so I'm doing both drop
off and pick up, maybe once we go to switching off it'll be better.
Thing is, it's not like we'll have that much more "quality' time if I
moved her daycare to near my work, as it's just more time in the car
for DD (and she doesn't sleep in the car).

I'm just missing her

On Wed, 6 Jun 2007 07:32:04 -0500, Donna Metler wrote:

FWIW, the maximum in the four states that I know Daycare rules in is 12
hours in a 24 hour period (the center I do my demonstration classes at is
open for 13 hours a day-6:00 AM to 7:00 PM). And I know Nanny contracts are
usually written for 50 hours a week, to allow for travel time. I suspect 10
hours a day is pretty typical if you're in at all a big city where commuting
tends to be a major time-hog.

I don't think that's the case in our area, since there are a number of
family dcp that are explicitly open 24hrs.

On Jun 6, 7:37 am, cjra wrote:
On Jun 6, 6:19 am, "Mary W." wrote:



That is on the long side. We do 8:15 to 4:30. I do drop off, DH does
pick
up. I think our daycare only alllows 10 hours a day (which you are
over).
They do average it though, so if you have a couple of 10+ days and
some less than 10 hour days it's OK. I do think this is a licensing
requirement here.

Ugh, now I feel worse. My babysitter is fine with it, and DD seems
fine enough. She's happy, she's just playing with her friends and then
gets some one on one with the sitter. (it's an in home daycare)

Sorry! If you have to have longish hours, an in home daycare seems
like it would be better than a regular daycare. At my daughter's
school
the teachers are there 9 hours a day (hour for lunch) which means she
gets dropped off with one teacher and the end of the day is with
another.
For kids with long days, they may end up in a different room in the
late afternoon as they consolidate classes. If your daughter does well
with her babysitter, then it is probably better for her to be there
than
unhappy in the car.

DH and I stagger our schedules so that he can do an earlier pickup
(and daycare is really close to my work). We also live really close
to my work (and DH works at home) so all that makes it much easier.
Having a short commute was critical when we chose where to live
(and thankfully, I haven't changed jobs!).

Yeah,that was the deal initially (I used to be able to walk to work!).
My commute isn't long as the crow flies, but if I'm stuck working 8-5,
the 25 mins can become 45 minutes, then there's the extra bit to go
get her. I'm just really hesitant to move her now that she's settled
there. The other issue is that I'm not sure how much I'll actually be
*in* my office. If I'm in another part of town at drop off or pick up
time, it's waaaaay out of the way to go back there to get her, whereas
where she is now is not much out of the way.

I thoughtI could do a staggered schedule, but now hear my boss has
declared no staggered schedules...I'm going to talk about it today.

I hope you can work something out. I agree with not wanting to move
her if she's happy and it's OK with the babysitter. As a warning,
things
get really hard when they get into regular school, with days off
and dealing with after care. When DD2 gets to regular school I may
look for a babysitter and skip aftercare all together.


Mary W.

On Jun 6, 9:44 am, "Mary W." wrote:
On Jun 6, 7:37 am, cjra wrote:

On Jun 6, 6:19 am, "Mary W." wrote:

That is on the long side. We do 8:15 to 4:30. I do drop off, DH does
pick
up. I think our daycare only alllows 10 hours a day (which you are
over).
They do average it though, so if you have a couple of 10+ days and
some less than 10 hour days it's OK. I do think this is a licensing
requirement here.

Ugh, now I feel worse. My babysitter is fine with it, and DD seems
fine enough. She's happy, she's just playing with her friends and then
gets some one on one with the sitter. (it's an in home daycare)

Sorry! If you have to have longish hours, an in home daycare seems
like it would be better than a regular daycare. At my daughter's
school
the teachers are there 9 hours a day (hour for lunch) which means she
gets dropped off with one teacher and the end of the day is with
another.
For kids with long days, they may end up in a different room in the
late afternoon as they consolidate classes. If your daughter does well
with her babysitter, then it is probably better for her to be there
than
unhappy in the car.



DH and I stagger our schedules so that he can do an earlier pickup
(and daycare is really close to my work). We also live really close
to my work (and DH works at home) so all that makes it much easier.
Having a short commute was critical when we chose where to live
(and thankfully, I haven't changed jobs!).

Yeah,that was the deal initially (I used to be able to walk to work!).
My commute isn't long as the crow flies, but if I'm stuck working 8-5,
the 25 mins can become 45 minutes, then there's the extra bit to go
get her. I'm just really hesitant to move her now that she's settled
there. The other issue is that I'm not sure how much I'll actually be
*in* my office. If I'm in another part of town at drop off or pick up
time, it's waaaaay out of the way to go back there to get her, whereas
where she is now is not much out of the way.

I thoughtI could do a staggered schedule, but now hear my boss has
declared no staggered schedules...I'm going to talk about it today.

I hope you can work something out. I agree with not wanting to move
her if she's happy and it's OK with the babysitter. As a warning,
things
get really hard when they get into regular school, with days off
and dealing with after care. When DD2 gets to regular school I may
look for a babysitter and skip aftercare all together.

Thanks. To be honest I'm hoping to quit work altogether in 3-4 years
anyway, all the more reason why an increase (in my previously
pathetically low salary) makes a huge difference. Paying more loans
off now, means less time I'm forced to work.