Vent about rec dept

[Jaimee]

I'm just whining, but I wanted to get some info on programs in other cities. I'm a single mom with a 5yr old DS. I work full time Mon through Friday. My son was in the basketball program this winter through the YMCA, this was on Saturdays and he really loved it. I just got the spring book for our community rec department and I was planning on signing him up for a few thins for the summer. My problem is everything is during the day, M-F!! I live in a pretty urban area and I imagine there are lots of people in my situation. The T-ball team practices at 11:30 twice a week, and has games at 5pm, the foreign language classed are at like 1pm, the swimming classes are all during the day. I'm really disappointed because I want DS to be able to participate!! I called the director to ask about it, and he suggested I have a neighbor take him (which is not practical because I'd have to then ask them to babysit DS all day, or drive him to daycare). Are all summer programs like this? Or is it just my city?? I don't expect them to accomodate me, but you'd think that there are a lot of single parents, or households where both parents work that would be in the same situation.

 

[jamsmom]

I can't imagine that they think everyone can fit M-F daytime things into their schedules. Most around here have BOTH parents working.

 

[Cindy B]

Well, some rec departments are like that, unfortunately.

I worked for my former towns Rec Department for two years. It was a pretty good program hours wise.. it was 830 (on a predetermined bus stop) to about 3:30.

There was a supervised playground programs from 12-5.. so the kids could stay at the playground with some college students and do games, crafts, etc. The bus stop was at the playground so that worked well.


I would ask a neighboring town to see what they have.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

Most of our classes through the parks department are during working hours. Sports which have volunteer coaches are primarily nights and weekends.

Can you find a few people from your daycare that would also like to participate and arrange some kind of carpool? That way you would only have to be responsible for transportation 1 or 2 days a week.

 

[Jaimee]

Unfortunatly a carpool wouldn't work since I work full time (I'd never be able to drive the kids). This isn't their whole summer day camp kind of thing, I understand that that's only during the day. I mean all of the sports and craft/language kinds of classes. Isaiah's daycare does a lot of fun activities during the summer, so I guess I'll sign him up for that again this year (his daycare is in another city) I really wanted him to be able to spend some time with the kids from school during the summer though, but I guess we'll just have to arrange some play dates.