I’ve been meaning to write this
post for quite a while but better late than never I guess. We enrolled the boys
to start in pre-school this fall. Since Kentucky doesn’t have open public
pre-school and since, even if the State did, most don’t start until 3 years
old, we’ve had to enroll them in a private pre-school that offers a 2 year old
program. We struggled with the decision given that we really can’t afford to
send them to school so it will definitely mean cutting back on our debt
pay-off. However…
I’m not sure I’ve ever written
about the boys’ development delays since they haven’t had a financial impact on
us in the past. Both boys have a speech delay and one also appears to have some
other possibly sensory delays that we are still working to uncover. For the
past six months we’ve been working with a speech therapist through the State
First Steps program which helps cover the cost after our insurance for weekly
therapy. DS B is making pretty good progress in getting caught up but DS L is
still lagging behind hence us deciding they need as much additional help as
possible. The bottom line is that we feel that we should supplement the therapy
sessions to help them overcome the developmental delays as quickly as they can
and catch up to their peers before kindergarten.
Given that the cost for pre-school
has to come out of our already strained budget we had to go with the most
economical route possible which narrowed down the field to a handful of
options. Of those options, a cooperative preschool really rose to the top for
us. To keep tuition costs down, parents are required to assist in the classroom
a set number of days in each semester. This really appealed to us as a way to get
a great quality education but also to experience first-hand a pre-school type
curriculum and schedule which, in turn, helps us to improve their learning
environment at home. The school is also pretty convenient to our house which
will allow me to take them to school on my way to work on the days S is not
working in the classroom. Another added bonus is that, on the days S is not
working the classroom, he will be able to have more time to focus on his
business.
Hey, it's me, your erstwhile commenter! I've been reading along, but it's been hard to comment since I had a baby in November. Can't believe it's been seven months already.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad L is doing fine after his surgery and fever. Sounds like the daycare you found will be great for the boys. The opportunity to be present in the classroom is wonderful even aside from the cost savings, and S will get so much done while the boys are in school. I don't know how he got anything done on his business taking care of two toddlers at the same time! My spouse is a stay-at-home parent, and it's a full-time job with just one baby!
You guys have had a lot of challenges the past few months, and I really admire how you keep adjusting your plans and priorities as things come up. You're doing great.
Hi Katie! BIG congratulations on the baby!! I remember you were trying so I'm glad to hear your family has grown! Hopefully, you also found some clarity on the job vs. proximity to family... I know how stressful weighing big adjustments can be especially once there are kids in the picture.
DeleteWe are trying to stay optimistic about the debt pay-off, which is sometimes very hard in the midst of all the adjusting. But we are making slow progress and it feels good to be moving in the right direction! Thanks for your vote of confidence and I wish the best for you and your family too!
Thanks! I actually interviewed for an extremely cool job very close to my family when I was 6 months pregnant. I didn't get it, but I don't think it was the pregnancy (or not just the pregnancy). I got beat out by someone who had worked there before and was on a whole different level than me, skills-wise - more than the position called for. So, it's hard to feel bad about that! I still think I made a really positive impression and hopefully they'll think of me if something else opens up.
DeleteI also just had a phone interview for another job near family that went reasonably well. Hopefully they'll invite me for an in-person interview.
You are definitely moving in the right direction with your debt, and you're doing it while making progress on a lot of other family goals. It's inspirational, seriously.