Feeling Guilty about $$$$$$$

[peggyfromwastate]

On paper maybe... But none of it is "real" money. These aren't real savings-- but I'm thinking I'll look intO hiring out for painting the house. That's really stressful and dh has only about 7 days of leave where he can do it.

[peggyfromwastate]

Ok. So now I told dh about this and he totally thinks I should have her go for the extended day.

I just really am freaked about the $ fir some reason! Ugh. He thinks it will be good for her, she will enjoy it, and I won't have such stress.

What to do...

Anyways maybe the program will fill up so I dont have to be so tempted.

Of course dh doesn't handle our $ so he has no idea. He just knows that his coworkers have kids in childcare or with a nanny for 10-12 hours per day so it's hard to understand why I'm hesitating about 1.5 hours... Especially since he lives in a bubble where he needs not concern himself with pesky things like bills...

Ugh. It wouldn't break the bank, but it would be a long day for her. I can't even believe I'm considering 4 hour days for a barely 3 yo tbh. I don't want her to burn out from school already!

Can you try it, and then if it's too much for her pull her back to the shorter day?

I just can't believe you guys are planning for moves next year already! We haven't even finished unpacking from the last move and next year still seems so far away to me. Sigh.

[MrsK]

Um, if my 21 month old was at day care all day, at least 2 hours would be taken up by recess periods, 1.5 hrs for meals, 2.5 hrs for naps...not that much more tasking than a day at home with me. Doesn't leave much time for lessons and somehow they work in crafts, music, etc. Heck, I probably run him even more ragged running errands.

[peggyfromwastate]

Too true mrsk!!

Today I picked her up from preschool then took her to trader joes. So I didn't waste prek time on errands-- I was able to get some work done in the 1 hr "free" I had after my workout. Then I picked her up and we went shopping, brought her home for lunch, and she was tired so she actually napped during her rest time which is highly unusual.

I think I'll stick with this schedule. I don't like how many days off the prek takes in November (conferences eye roll!) and December. Plus they take another week off in February for more conferences (over overkill). So I think if I run the numbers it will be too much per hour in the end.

I am thinking of adding a mdo day to her schedule-- or else adding a gym day to her schedule and not using prek time for
going to the gym... Mdo would add 4 hours so that's tempting. I have to run the numbers and see what's cheaper... If the price is right!!

Hmmm. Anyway if I schlepp her around to all my errands i
should have 2-4 hours of uninterrupted house time. That's what I need most of all. Time alone in the house!!!!

But funny how cleaning and sorting and thinning the house makes it look worse than ever!!

A neighbor stopped by to give us dome cookies (she's so sweet and her dh is a ms2) And there are piles of stuff that I need to transfer somewhere all over the entrance area. Sigh!!!

[MrsK]

Try decluttering in short bursts. Don't take out more than you can put back. And put the stuff that's going to Goodwill directly in your car so you can drop off when you run errands.

I don't know much about daycare or kids for that matter, but I just saw a sign pop up in a shopping center right next to me called green kids...so I googles it. It was a no appointment, pay as you go, drop off childcare center, I thought it was a neat concept. I am sure it might mess up their sxhedule schedule etc, but may give you a few extra hours when you really need it without any long commitment.

Again, y'all probably have probably BTDT and know all the pros and cons to this but it just seemed like an interesting solution for some.

[ladymoreta]

We've used a drop-in day care quite a bit for date nights. It's nice that there's no commitment, but it's probably more expensive than regular day care. They keep the minimum number of workers (and sometimes I wonder if they even have that), so that makes me a little nervous, but DS is a "squeaky wheel", so I know he's getting his needs met.

[peggyfromwastate]

Josie was really tired today after her 2. hour long class- not preschool this is a bible study class we are attending. she got in trouble and had to go to time out. Apparently she didn't want to clean up toys or something-- the teacher didn't tell me what happened, Josie did. She may be leaving out some of the story lol. But she was pretty tired and the morale of the story is that I think it's a lot of time for her and she would struggle with being... Compliant for 4 hours at a time lol. This is all so structured vs free time play (like at the gym) so prob I'll start to use the drop in gym care more vs going yo the gum during prek.

Anyway... That's a good tip mrs k about the decluttering. But how do I clear space out if the back of my car for the crap I want to put in there? Lol. It's filled with sports chairs for going to games, etc. Le sigh.

It will get done. I'm just hoping to avoid all nighters of packing up stuff! And I'm not packing for a move--- the movers will do that. I'm just sorting and thinning to put the house on the market! So much stuff has accumulated!!!! Crazy!!!!

[MrsK]

Guess you start with decluttering the car. Can you keep the chairs in the garage? I had to keep my stroller in the garage for a few weeks when we were getting ready to move.

[peggyfromwastate]

Lol. No garage!!

We are a family of 7 living Ina house designed for maybe 4 people. It's not unheard of here to have too many ppl in a space due to the col... We started out with 5 and it was ok.

Anyway the sports chairs are in the car so we can use them. Which we do about once-twice a week. I have enough room in the back for Costco runs,etc. I'll have dh put the crap in the back of HIS car though. I think that could work!!