Seeking Summertime Childcare Solutions for My 3 & 6 Year Old Daughters!

I don't know where you live, but if there is a YMCA near you, they usually have a summer day camp going on that is really fun for the kids! It might be a little pricey, but if you are already a member, it is a little cheaper. I don't think the camp lasts all summer, but it would be something they could do for part of the summer and not be bored!

You just need to find a responsible younger nanny. College aged kids are great for this. They are not new drivers and younger kids seem to think they are a lot of fun. Leave them with a little spending money and they will keep your kids busy and having fun all summer. You can often pay them extra to do chores around the house too......a huge bonus.

Does she have any friends from school that will be in a camp or day care this summer? Find out what they are doing.

Your six- year old is old enough to go to a camp, not a little kids daycare. My daughter just turned six, and has always been at summer camps through either our Temple or our local Park and Rec's Department and she's always been very happy with the staff, arts and crafts and other activities. Same as my son, now 8. Last summer, she started a new Park and Recs camp and I have to admit the first day she was very nervous and clingy, teary. I felt bad initially leaving her, but I had just had a baby and desperately needed a break. When I came back to get her in the afternoon, she was having a great time. Kids are resilient and adjust. Now, she loves camp.

On another note, I was looking for help with my two kids and I found an 18 year old college girl through an ad on Craig's List. She's now worked for me for the past three years and I couldn't live without her. She's the most amazing worker- super reliable, responsible, energetic, positive, proactive, and drives my kids EVERYWHERE without any problems at all. So, don't judge a book by it's cover. Do the research and check someone's references. Some "teenagers" can be terrific depending on their personality, experience etc. My girl is fantastic and I trust her more than anyone else with my kids. I've left her with them for a week when we went to Hawaii. She picks up from school, does the homework, takes them to activities, prepares dinner, bathes them- she's a godsend!

I am a stay at home mom with a six year old boy. I'd love to take on a couple of extra kids for the summer. I don't know where you are, but I'm in Arlington. If you are close, send me a message, and we'll talk.

K.

The YMCA has a summer program and my daughters friends talk to her about it all of the time, so I guess they enjoy it!

first of all, boredom isn't the end of the world. today's kids are so frantically over-scheduled that they almost never have time to discover the deep benefits of having to entertain oneself. that being said, i'd be with you in not wanting my kid to spend all summer in a place she actually doesn't enjoy.
secondly, don't lump all teenagers in one basket. teenagers as a group score high on the actuary tables for risk, but there are many many individual responsible, cautious, capable teenagers who are far better drivers than most grandparents. a nanny is really an excellent suggestion. you can be as stringent as you want when you hire, demand a perfect driving record, references, and as many supervised test drives as you need to feel comfortable. also, there are probably many non-teens who would like the summer work, but i think you'll miss out on some amazing possibilities if you automatically rule out teenagers (who have the energy and imagination to be excellent caretakers to kids.)
camps are the other option, but they also have to be carefully vetted for age, activity, safety and interest issues.
good luck!
khairete
S.

The city of Arlington has a great summer camp program, as does the YMCA. They keep the kids busy all day, take them on weekly field trips, swimming, etc. My son did Camp Dottie (at Dottie Lynn) last year and loved it. I've heard wonderful things about the Lake Arlington and Elzie Odom camps. They go from 6:30-6:30 and run about $110 a month.

We did the YMCA Spring break camp this year and my son loved that as well. It's all about the games, the swimming and fun.

I hate figuring out the summer schedule! I feel like daycare is ok up until about 4 years old. Last year, my now 6 year old son went to 1/2 day camp at the YMCA and then I had a sitter watch him (a friend and I carpooled so that I didn't have to pick up every day). This year, he'll be going to 1/2 day camp at a gymnasium with a pool nearby and I will have the sitter pick him up. I am not a fan of her driving all over, but she is a college student and she is very responsible (worked at the day care). I am trying to find some activities for them to do together (at the library, zoo, playgrounds, etc)

Hi N., my suggestion is what many have posted... you may have to send them to two different places. Sounds like your 6 o/y needs more than what the daycare can provide. My boys are only 17 months apart. My youngest stayed at daycare for the summer. My older son went to the YMCA daycamp held at a near by school. Both were open till 6:30 so we had enough time to pick them both up at their respective places. THe YMCA was about 40.00 cheaper per week than the daycare so that was an added benefit. This year we are sending them both to the Boys and Girls club. You might check to see if there is a chapter in Arlington. They have alot of activities planned for the kid. Good Luck!

contact my friend Katherine Dodge....###-###-####. She is great with kids and will keep them occupied while you work.

Take Care,

P.

Look around for a child care center that has a school age group. Most around here do. When I owned my own center I took the kids swimming, fishing, to the park, bowling, library, movies, to a water park, etc...I tried to keep the cost down because the fees charged are on top of the child care fees. I got $15.00 a day for school age kids during the Summer, 2 snacks and 1 meal, for example if we went swimming the parents had to pay $2.00 extra that day. If the state paid someones child care that parent still had to come up with the cash/money to pay out of pocket. I always tried to keep the school kids out of the building during nap time, they were too noisy.

Check around and find a child care facility that has a camp like feel and then both your children can attend.

I worked for LaPetite in Oklahoma as an Assistant Director and they had a fairly good Summer program for Schoolagers.

Here's a link to those near you.

http://local.yahoo.com/results?stx=la+petite&csz=Arli...

Also the YMCA has a Summer Camp for school age kids:

http://www.ymca-arlington.org/PDF/Summer%20Program%20Guid...

HMM. I encountered the same situation with my 3 & 6 yo boys. (I actually posted something similar). I came to the conclusion that few programs were suited for both of them and my 3yo will be staying in his child care center for the summer and my 6 yo will be going to Camp Fire's Camptivity Day Camp. It is in SW Fort Worth. Not sure if that is feasible for you all, but I found it at the 2010 Virtual Camp Fair. It is hosted by the Fort Worth/Dallas Child Magazine. If you google it, or go to their web site, you might find some great options.
True. Having them in two different locations is a bit of a logistical challenge, but my husband is pitching in and taking my 6 year old so I don't have to run all over town.
Best

I know you said you do not want to leave them with someone who watches other kids, but I thought I would tell you that I watch kids in my home and during the summer, I will have my niece and nephew, who are twins and 6 years old, staying with me and my niece, who is 3, already stays with me full time right now. I also have my own son, who is an infant. I have a lot of experience(I use to be a nanny before I had my son) and excellent referrals. I am not registered with the state, yet, because you are not required to unless you watch 4 or more children, but I am in the process of registering/liicensing, since I will have more kids this summer. If you would like to hear more about me and my daycare, please let me know! Also, as a former nanny, they are really awesome to have if you can afford it, because there are so many more activities they can do with your child, like take them to the zoo, the park, swimming, water parks, etc. I wouldn't recommend a person who is too young, as they tend to have a lot less experience and are usually just looking for a paycheck(not always, though!), but someone in their mid twenties is always a good choice. Plus, I would recommend you find someone you can trust, who you would be ok with them driving your kids around. If they are stuck at your house all day, they will go stir crazy and I guarantee it will make the evening more difficult for you, because kids who are cooped up in the house all day are REALLY sick of it by the end of the day and tend to be more whiny for their parents at the end of the day:) I am 27 and I loved being a nanny! I would take the kids out everyday and we would go swimming or to the park or whatever we felt like doing! If you get a nanny, though, you will pay more money(at least $350-$450 a week for a good nanny w/ experience), but it can be soooo worth it. Good luck to you in your search!

S. Lewis
____@____.com

College-age girls are more responsibile than high school. Some schools have a registry, so you can check them if you have a local school. You can also run an ad, or ask friends if they know someone. Lots of kids are looking for a little extra cash for the summer. Some cities even have an online registry.
Good luck.

I second Stefanie! If you decide to hire a nanny, hire a mid-20's nanny, someone maybe from a local college, looking for summer employment. I have loved my job as a nanny for the last 10 years. I would strongly caution you though with restricting them from driving your kids around...thats the fastest way to lose your nanny. It's a deal breaker actually for me when I interview for jobs. Especially if I"m watching kids Full-Time, 8-9 hours/day. Maybe have a list of approved places that you feel comfortable letting her take them. Have her over for 2-3 date nights, 2-3 hours/time. Invite her to go somewhere with you, letting her driving so you feel comfortable.

Hi N.,
My daughter is 5 and will be attending Camp Learning Center at Northeast Bible Church in Plano at the corner of Los Rios & Park. It's a six week camp starting June 14 through July 30 and I think the hours are 7:30am - 6:30pm. I understand they will focus on the Arts...music, dance, art, etc...making the summer fun for kids. The director's name is Norine Bullard and can be reached at ###-###-####.