Discussions

Looking for next year how to manage getting an elementary kid to school as well as have a 1 year old looked after while being a single parent who starts work at 7 am. What options do I have? Thanks ..I think most daycares aren't even open before I have to be at work?

Your best bet would be a home daycare near your child’s school. Many home daycares will walk your child to school and most have longer/more flexible hours for families with early shifts.

How do I even begin looking? I'm getting worried even though itll be for September because I have no plan and when I've called some of the Y daycares they dont open early enough and say theres no room. I also dont know how I'd feel leaving kids with someone privately I dont know either. Thanks

Do you know of any classmates that you could ask the parent to take you child? Any people on your street or neighborhood? A teenager to come over?  
 
Otherwise search a home daycare in the area.

Assuming you have Facebook, there are 2 childcare groups you can make a post in. Child care connect (bdnmb) and Brandon, mb childcare care. There's also a Brandon moms and babies group that might have some ideas.  
 
I'd also keep an eye on the childcare section here on ebrandon.

I too start at 7am.  
Your best bet is to post an ad on the Facebook childcare group. Post exactly what you are looking for. I know there is 1 person that takes children at 6:30 am but she is out in meadow brook village. School age children are are a little more difficult to find care for.

Facebook is probably your best bet. Also ask on these groups if there are any other groups people are using for child care. The YMCA can seem like a very hard place to get into, and yes it is but things happen and so I would continue to call and ask about availability. Privately owned daycares can be a little scary, but I have found that most people mean well. It's all about how your child interacts with the other kids in the home, as well as the daycare provider. Set up a meeting/playdate, have questions, assess their environment.. you're leaving your child there, and you have a right to do these things. I have had positive experiences with both the YMCA and privately owned.

We live out of town so my kids go to before and after care at a daycare in town and they go very early (by 6:15) and my other child goes to full time daycare in Brandon. We’ve had a couple daycares over the years, for a few years as a single parent and all were private and all were simply amazing if that’s a route you need to take. I can’t say it will happen for you but I always spent my mat leaves so worried about finding the right daycare but it always fell into place. The previous daycare we had she retired but she was just like a Gramma to them and still sends them Christmas gifts.  
 
Edited by Someonesomewhere, 2021-03-18 21:13:24

I’m on maternity leave next year and can possibly help. Send a pm

Kirkcaldy school in September