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Kids In Pre School


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#1 palango

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Posted 09 April 2009 - 10:48 AM

In researching daycare options, I almost fell out of my chair over these prices:

for a 1 year old and 3 year old full time @ Phoenix = almost 2K a month????

wow!!! Will the Free pre School for ALL bill ever pass??? Right now, you have to be super low income to qualify for headstart or anything close to that.

When both parents work, it is very very difficult to juggle this. nevermind the emotional tolls on the child and the guilt that you feel as a parent.

#2 Bill Z

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Posted 09 April 2009 - 11:11 AM

QUOTE (palango @ Apr 9 2009, 11:48 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
In researching daycare options, I almost fell out of my chair over these prices:

for a 1 year old and 3 year old full time @ Phoenix = almost 2K a month????

wow!!! Will the Free pre School for ALL bill ever pass??? Right now, you have to be super low income to qualify for headstart or anything close to that.

When both parents work, it is very very difficult to juggle this. nevermind the emotional tolls on the child and the guilt that you feel as a parent.

My son started daycare at 6 months. I never saw any evidence of emotional toll on my son. And my wife & I feel no guilt as parents.

And my son and his education are worth every penny of the ~$10K per year I've spent on daycare, pre-school and now private school.

It's worth the sacrifices I've had to make keeping him in Phoenix School, but I do look forward to the day I move him to public school so that $10K can go into my retirement planning again.
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#3 supermom

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Posted 09 April 2009 - 11:24 AM

QUOTE (palango @ Apr 9 2009, 11:48 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
In researching daycare options, I almost fell out of my chair over these prices:

for a 1 year old and 3 year old full time @ Phoenix = almost 2K a month????

wow!!! Will the Free pre School for ALL bill ever pass??? Right now, you have to be super low income to qualify for headstart or anything close to that.

When both parents work, it is very very difficult to juggle this. nevermind the emotional tolls on the child and the guilt that you feel as a parent.

Try having only one income and putting two kids through day care.


Congratulations--now you feel my pain.



(ps. look for home daycare---they are usually a little cheaper and actually have better trained staff and staff that takes kids well being as a personal mission.)

#4 palango

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Posted 09 April 2009 - 11:30 AM

QUOTE (supermom @ Apr 9 2009, 12:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Try having only one income and putting two kids through day care.

Congratulations--now you feel my pain.

(ps. look for home daycare---they are usually a little cheaper and actually have better trained staff and staff that takes kids well being as a personal mission.)


I feel your pain BIGTIME. I did hear somewhere that the new fedearl budget (If passed) includes a proision to double your daycare deuction which is now currentlty @ 6kMAX per family or 3k for one child.. If they actually pass that, this will help reduce costs and ease the pain a little bit more.

#5 chris v

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Posted 09 April 2009 - 11:36 AM

QUOTE (supermom @ Apr 9 2009, 12:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
(ps. look for home daycare---they are usually a little cheaper and actually have better trained staff and staff that takes kids well being as a personal mission.)


That is entirely opinion....

#6 Bill Z

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Posted 09 April 2009 - 12:22 PM

QUOTE (supermom @ Apr 9 2009, 12:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
(ps. look for home daycare---they are usually a little cheaper and actually have better trained staff and staff that takes kids well being as a personal mission.)

I wouldn't assume that to be true. I know the one that used to be just down the street from me was basically a mom making extra $ while being a stay at home mom. I've known of a few others that are the same thing.

And I know how well the staff at Phoenix has been and how seriously many of them take their jobs as their personal mission.

Yes, they are generally cheaper, it's called less overhead
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#7 palango

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Posted 09 April 2009 - 12:44 PM

I have heard outstanding reviews about the PHoenix in Folsom (near Intel).

#8 bordercolliefan

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Posted 09 April 2009 - 02:38 PM

QUOTE (palango @ Apr 9 2009, 12:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I feel your pain BIGTIME. I did hear somewhere that the new fedearl budget (If passed) includes a proision to double your daycare deuction which is now currentlty @ 6kMAX per family or 3k for one child.. If they actually pass that, this will help reduce costs and ease the pain a little bit more.


Grrrr!!!! The tax breaks for day care are a huge pet peeve of mine.

I don't doubt it's painful to shell out that much for day care. But presumably, your family's second income brings in MORE than the cost of day care, or else spouse #2 wouldn't be working.

Families with a stay-at-home spouse don't have the second income at all.

So who needs the tax break more?

Am I missing something here?

#9 palango

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Posted 09 April 2009 - 02:48 PM

QUOTE (bordercolliefan @ Apr 9 2009, 03:38 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Grrrr!!!! The tax breaks for day care are a huge pet peeve of mine.

Families with a stay-at-home spouse don't have the second income at all.

So who needs the tax break more?

Am I missing something here?


You say tomayto and I say tomaaaaaato. I say please bring on the tax breaks. WE may have a difference of opinion, BUT when this actually favors ME, why should I complain?

There is a HUGE road between a proposal and an actual signed law. Right now, its only a proposal and wishful thinking on my part.

#10 prouddad

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Posted 09 April 2009 - 02:51 PM

QUOTE (palango @ Apr 9 2009, 11:48 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
In researching daycare options, I almost fell out of my chair over these prices:

for a 1 year old and 3 year old full time @ Phoenix = almost 2K a month????

wow!!! Will the Free pre School for ALL bill ever pass??? Right now, you have to be super low income to qualify for headstart or anything close to that.

When both parents work, it is very very difficult to juggle this. nevermind the emotional tolls on the child and the guilt that you feel as a parent.


At the risk of sounding like dr. laura here I can not understand why a parent would let a stranger watch their kids...I am speaking in regards to daycare not pre-school. I can understand it if you are a single parent and do not have a choice but if you are a two parent household why would you want someone else taking care of your kids during the early growing years? Im not judging but trying to understand.

#11 mylo

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Posted 09 April 2009 - 02:52 PM

QUOTE (bordercolliefan @ Apr 9 2009, 03:38 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Grrrr!!!! The tax breaks for day care are a huge pet peeve of mine.

I don't doubt it's painful to shell out that much for day care. But presumably, your family's second income brings in MORE than the cost of day care, or else spouse #2 wouldn't be working.

Families with a stay-at-home spouse don't have the second income at all.

So who needs the tax break more?

Am I missing something here?

I concur. How about tax breaks for employment benefits for stay-at-home parents. They have to cover healthcare, education, food, etc. for kids out of their own pocket (or their spouses) with no government subsidy. Many consider stay-at-home parents preferable for children, so why give incentives for the opposite?
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#12 itsADEZI

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Posted 09 April 2009 - 03:18 PM

QUOTE (mylo @ Apr 9 2009, 03:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I concur. How about tax breaks for employment benefits for stay-at-home parents. They have to cover healthcare, education, food, etc. for kids out of their own pocket (or their spouses) with no government subsidy. Many consider stay-at-home parents preferable for children, so why give incentives for the opposite?


"Many consider stay-at-home parents preferable for children, so why give incentives for the opposite?"

I completely agree. I remember chatting with a girlfriend that lives in B.C. she mentioned some amazing kick-backs for staying at home with her three kiddos. It helped her alot when they were young. I would love that!


#13 sat

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Posted 09 April 2009 - 03:19 PM

When I went back to work after taking a couple years off with the birth of my third child, we paid $550 a week. For those unfamiliar with the whole daycare operation, you still pay for the weeks you take for vacation, though I think our daycare facility charged half rate. Also, two of my kids were in school, and they would transport them to and from, but they charge a whole day rate anyhow.

We were happy with the school and kept our three kids there for a couple of years until the madness finally got to us. Getting the kids up and out the door by 6:30 am, the constant rushing, and the general low quality of family time were main reasons for us to consider a lifestyle change. I was able to switch to part-time, about four hours a day, during school hours, but we had to budget big time. Dinners out are few, the same with movies, and I drive a 7-year-old car with about 150,000 miles on it. My husband's truck is nine years old.

The cost of daycare is crazy, and I feel for you. After we added up what we spent for it in one year (roughly $25,000), sat down and did the math (factoring in gas, lunches, net paycheck, and so on), we took the leap for me to work part-time. I don't get benefits, and my 401 is not matched by the company anymore. I do miss the extra money, and I sometimes miss my full-time career, as right now it feels like just a job, where I put in my 20 or so hours a week and go home. For now, however, this is what works for our family.

#14 itsADEZI

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Posted 09 April 2009 - 03:41 PM

QUOTE (Bill Z @ Apr 9 2009, 01:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I wouldn't assume that to be true. I know the one that used to be just down the street from me was basically a mom making extra $ while being a stay at home mom. I've known of a few others that are the same thing.

And I know how well the staff at Phoenix has been and how seriously many of them take their jobs as their personal mission.

Yes, they are generally cheaper, it's called less overhead


"I know the one that used to be just down the street from me was basically a mom making extra $ while being a stay at home mom. I've known of a few others that are the same thing".

I think that is awesome, I could be wrong but it "sounds" like you say that like it's a negative. A mom looking after a few extra kids? sounds perfect.

REMEMBER....Mothers intuition is a very strong thing. There are many providers out there, some good, some not so good, some are good for certain families and may not be good for other families.

I personally couldn't send my kids to a "center". The ratio's are USUALLy horrific. I know because I worked in a few. I worked in a few good ones too.
YOU HAVE TO USE MOMMY/DADDY INTUITION. It is the ONLY thing that really matters when finding day-care, pre-school, afterschool program. I feel it is even more important than friends recommendations.

I run a preschool out of my home where thre ratio is 1:4 . The teachers love their job and are more than qualified, my overhead is high. In fact, I just purchased a home that has an extra 1000 sq feet to accomodate, more overhead, but I feel the quality of attention they receive and the environment is worth it. There are home providers that put alot of time, energy, and $$$ into their program, unfortunatly there are those that don't. So use your intuition........

I am really surprised to see the image that home providers have by some. I had no idea. If children cannot be at "home" with their mommies I think a HOME daycare is an amazing alternative. A gift to them.

#15 itsADEZI

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Posted 09 April 2009 - 03:57 PM

QUOTE (sat @ Apr 9 2009, 04:19 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
When I went back to work after taking a couple years off with the birth of my third child, we paid $550 a week. For those unfamiliar with the whole daycare operation, you still pay for the weeks you take for vacation, though I think our daycare facility charged half rate. Also, two of my kids were in school, and they would transport them to and from, but they charge a whole day rate anyhow.

We were happy with the school and kept our three kids there for a couple of years until the madness finally got to us. Getting the kids up and out the door by 6:30 am, the constant rushing, and the general low quality of family time were main reasons for us to consider a lifestyle change. I was able to switch to part-time, about four hours a day, during school hours, but we had to budget big time. Dinners out are few, the same with movies, and I drive a 7-year-old car with about 150,000 miles on it. My husband's truck is nine years old.

The cost of daycare is crazy, and I feel for you. After we added up what we spent for it in one year (roughly $25,000), sat down and did the math (factoring in gas, lunches, net paycheck, and so on), we took the leap for me to work part-time. I don't get benefits, and my 401 is not matched by the company anymore. I do miss the extra money, and I sometimes miss my full-time career, as right now it feels like just a job, where I put in my 20 or so hours a week and go home. For now, however, this is what works for our family.



i don't know you but i love you for that wink.gif. It is a hard thing to do, especially when you are used to new cars and extra cash....i applaud your commitment.





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