Daycare Dilemma

We are in the midst of deciding what to do regarding childcare for this summer. Tim is done teaching June 18^th and doesn’t go back until the end of August. He has applied to teach summer school, which would be Tu/Wed/Th, but we’re waiting to hear about that. Wouldn’t it be awesome if Conor only had to go to daycare 3 days a week and could spend M and F home with dad? It would be awesome for all of us to have a break from the daycare grind, even if only 2 days a week.

Not possible. GH won’t accept a Tu/Wed/Th schedule because M/F only spots are hard to fill. If we do drop his schedule down they can’t guarantee there will be a full time spot in the fall. I can’t get a straight answer about what the chances of there being a FT spot are. We’ve been very happy with our daycare situation so far and don’t really want to be stuck scrambling in the fall. But the idea of Conor going to daycare while Tim sits at home watching World Cup makes my stomach turn, and yet might be our best option.

It feels like this decision rests squarely on my shoulders but there’s really not an obvious answer. I don’t know what to do, so in typical fashion I made a PROS/CONS list of our options:

Option 1 – Keep Conor in daycare 5 days/week regardless of Tim’s schedule.

PROS: No stress about childcare for fall. Conor continues his routine and stays accustomed to daycare.

CONS: No break from the daycare grind. No break from $$$ daycare bills. Why is baby in daycare when one parent isn’t working? Tim doesn’t get to spend extra time with Conor.

Option 2 – Drop Conor down to 3 or 4 days a week for July/August (3 days a week will only work if Tim doesn’t teach summer school).

PROS: Some $ saved. Will have at least part time child care secured for fall. Conor stays acclimated to daycare. Some break from daycare grind. Tim gets to spend some extra time with Conor.

CONS: Full time child care for fall at risk. Still paying for at least some childcare days when parent is not working. $$$ saved for 4 days/week is minimal, probably not worth the risk esp. if Tim doesn’t teach summer school. Conor’s schedule becomes more hectic as his days are more variable.

Option 3 – Withdraw Conor from daycare for the summer (only if Tim doesn’t teach summer school.)

PROS: Major $$$ saved. Tim gets to spend tons of time with Conor. Break from daycare grind. There are other (cheaper) childcare options for fall.

CONS: Childcare for fall at risk. Stress of finding new daycare for fall – do they have openings full time, will it be as good as GH, will Conor adjust okay, will is be as convenient to work?

So, great. That really didn’t help at all. This all hinges of course on whether Tim ends up teaching summer school and who knows when that decision will be made. If he does, the financial aspect makes less impact but it’s hard to put a value on Conor’s experience in all this. We only have a couple weeks to decide this because we need to make any changes to his contract a month in advance.

Sorry for such a downer post but if anyone has input I’m all ears.