Child Care

Egads.

I went to check out child care today and the only places I feel good about won't take Moose till he's 2 1/2 ... even then, there's a waiting list. I'm left wondering where people put their newborns or super-little ones? Where? Shady, scary places, unlicensed and never checked up on - that's my best guess.

Base child care is an option, but it's more expensive (not much, but more) AND is quite a haul there and back. Every dime I make will go to (a) child care, (b) taxes, and (c) gas - and, honestly, I'd probably lose money.

I only looked at places close the house and/or close to the potential job, because that seems logical. One home provider (unlicensed) said she'd watch him for $60 a week ... along with the (1) 7 month old, (2) 1 year olds, and (3) 3 year olds she's currently watching. Are you kidding me? I'm 28, and I'd be nuts watching SEVEN babies/little kids in my home. There are like eight kids in Moose's Mother's Day Out program and there are TWO adults, and it's only TWO days a week and FOUR hours a day. This lady runs all day every day. BABY MILL.

There's a place down the street from my house that has a bad reputation, and I read their child care write ups with the parish, and they're not good, and I'm not taking my baby there. I don't care if it's $2 a week.

I don't know who can afford to work part-time and pay for trustworthy child care. Not me.

Something tells me that things weren't always this bad. Jobs used to pay more. Child care used to have higher standard. Our schools weren't selling their bulletin boards to make ends meet or feeding them garbage for lunch. It's all shameful. Seriously, if you do not have kids, highly consider not burdening them with this world.