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Momof3Labs
02-17-2005, 07:03 PM
I've called about 8 preschools within 15-20 minutes of us this week, and all but two will NOT take Colin in the fall! There are NO half-day type programs (MMO, whatever) for kids under 3 around here! And most work on a school year calendar, and since Colin won't be 3 by September 1, he would have to wait another year.

The one program he could get into is through the park district. But it is pricey (more expensive than private options, go figure) and you have to sign up through a lottery system - which means that we might get in for the fall, then not be able to get in for the spring.

The second is a few minutes from the house, and is part of a daycare facility. They offer early drop off and late pick up for $5/hour, and late pick up includes lunch for an extra $2. Preschool is 3 hours, 9-12, and includes a snack. $15/day. The park district is $15/day for 2 hours and no snack! I've heard good things about this second place, so I'm hopeful.

The second won't take Colin until he is three, but at least won't make him wait another year. And they don't require strict PT - pull-ups and going potty with the group are enough. I'm going to check this one out soon and get him pre-registered if we are satisfied.

This just baffles me, though, since I see so many of you with mothers' morning out options, preschool for 2 year olds, and so on! I might be able to find something farther away from us, but don't feel like fighting traffic to get him somewhere 30 minutes away, only to have to reverse the trip to pick him up a couple of hours later!

MelissaTC
02-19-2005, 07:13 AM
Huh...sorry you are having such a pita time...that stinks. I pay $25 a day for Matthew's preschool, two days a week from 9-1. It includes lunch time but I have to pack his lunch. They provide snack. His school charges $5 per hour for early care. They go by the school calendar but their cutoff is August 16 as opposed to October 1. The price will go down in August when he returns for the 3 program. He will go 3 days a week, 9-1 and it will cost around $19.50 per day. That is great about the potty training as well. I went with DS's program because they do not require potty training to move up into the 3 program. I am hoping that he will be using the potty by August for my own sanity!

But you know, there aren't a whole lot of 2 year old programs around here. There are some but most of the church run programs in our town are 3and up and if it is a 2 program, they take older twos and must be pt. My friend is looking for a new program and has encountered this. I guess I lucked out getting Matthew into his school last year because I couldn't get him in now! It has gotten really popular and there is a lottery for the few spots that are left. They probably won't even have spots for public registration.

Enough about us over here...I hope you can get him into the program you want. I was severly stressed about getting Matthew into the 3 day a week program so I feel your pain. :)

mattysmom
02-22-2005, 05:13 PM
If it makes you feel any better, I recently went through a very similar thing. I live in MA and here the cutoff can either be 2.9 (3 by Dec. 31) or 3 in Sept. My DS was born in mid-Feb. so he misses the cutoff by just 6 weeks. That then limits us to 2-year old programs, of which there are very few. And those that do exist are quite expensive since the ratio of toddlers:teachers is much lower than preschoolers:teachers. I finally found a program that will work for us - but it's just 3 1/2 hours/day (I send him with lunch, they provide snack) for $4500/year (which I calculated to be about $42/day). And this is pretty much the going rate around me (although I did look at one place that is $7700 for 3 mornings/week!)

The whole thing sort of baffles me. I'm sure you find one that works for you and Colin!

houseof3boys
02-23-2005, 09:32 AM
That stinks!!! I can't believe how limited the options are there.

I obviously have no advice since I am a newbie, but we started Ryan in a wonderful Montessori program last month (2x a week, 9-12) and he adores it. He is moving up to the "toddler" program to 3 times a week next month (same cost as the MMO). They don't mind changing cloth either so we lucked out there.

I hope that you are able to find something Lori. I wouldn't want to drive 30 minutes away either for such a short amount of time since you never know what could hold you up on a given day in the future IYKWIM. :)

Hang in there!!!!

muskiesusan
02-23-2005, 06:57 PM
I totally understand where you are coming from! I only found two places that took 2 year olds and Nick missed the deadline for the 3 year old classes by one day (9/30 is cut-off.) Well, as you would expect, even though I was there when registration started for the 2 year old classes, they filled up, and six months later, we are still on the waiting list.

I get so jealous when I read of the options others have on the board.

Susan
Mom to Nick 10/01/01
& Alex 04/27/04