Pantagraph.com | News | On-site after-school programs increasing in popularity

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

normal resident wrote on Oct 25, 2006 9:31 AM:

" if parents are so worried about how much supervision there children are getting them maybe one parent should quit their job and stay home with their kids. OR maybe they should think twice about having kids at all. this is the real problem here isn't it. you want to have fun and make babies but you want some else to raise them for you!!! "

Greed is King!!!!! wrote on Oct 24, 2006 11:26 PM:

" Most parents problem is that they are greedy. They are too materialistic and worried about keeping up with the Joneses rather than raising their children and teaching them the importance of values and morales. The message you are sending to your kids is this....money rules and nothing else matters. And for the record I am not some old fogey. I am a 33 year old and my wife and I got tired of the rat race and letting someone else raise your kids. Move out of Bloomington, to a smaller house, cut cable and some other things and you can have the best of both worlds...your own house and someone at home to actually raise your kids!!!!! "

Lucy wrote on Oct 24, 2006 9:48 PM:

" When I was teaching at a school in Normal, there was an after school program and before school program. Some of these kids were there from 6 am to 6 pm. That is insane! Also, the supervision was terrible. Students from ISU were in charge and they let the kids do crazy and wild things. Actually, there was no supervision. As a teacher and parent, I would not want my child to be under their supervision. Private daycare is the best..... "

To: Dr Laura wrote on Oct 24, 2006 9:35 PM:

" Your comment about teachers & daycare providers spending more time with children than parents is true & a sad commentary in todays world. However, most parents just can't afford to not work! We live in a modest home with a $500 house payment. If we "rented an apartment" it would cost that much or more and our children would have no yard & less living space. Due to the economy, it takes both of our incomes to maintain this average lifestyle without many extras. If I did not work, my husband would have to work two full time jobs and my children would basically have no father. "

Leave it to Beaver wrote on Oct 24, 2006 7:03 PM:

" I am not telling you to stay home and be June Cleaver. I am telling you to stay home and be with your children instead of having teachers and daycare workers raise your kids. You can go back to work after your kids are grown. They are only young once. "

Former Student wrote on Oct 24, 2006 6:23 PM:

" I'm sure there are more sensible and economical ways to deal with this situation. Not every parent can afford to quit there job, belive it or not. When my parents divorced, my mother had no other option than to get a full time job. This meant she left before we left for school, and came home after we did. I was the oldest and in the fourth grade, and my youngest sibling had just started kindergarten. We never had a baby sitter, unless the was out later. We were brought up to be responsible children who knew how to take care of ourselves. I even used to cook supper. Not because I had to, but because I was taught how to. Parents should raise their children the same way. I also understand that there are some parents who have one child, and for a single grade school child to be home alone is not acceptible. Other alternatives need to be found. "

Yes! wrote on Oct 24, 2006 4:44 PM:

" I think Dr. Laura is right! Material things are far less important than how our children are raised and fed! "

To Woodford Pundit wrote on Oct 24, 2006 4:43 PM:

" You are right, why should those without school age children pay for it? We already raised our children. Well, the parents of these children can't afford it because they are too busy buying them expensive toys at a young age, ipods, computers, gameboys, video game players, paying their cell phone bills, buying them all of the up to date clothing and shoes so they have one more outfit than the girl or boy next door, buying them vehicles and paying for their car insurance when they shouldn't have a car unless they can pay for the entire vehicle and expenses themselves. Parents now are living through their children, it is sick! etc. etc. They have no money so they now think the grandparents and citizens of this town should pay! "

Nap time wrote on Oct 24, 2006 4:40 PM:

" The little girl in the picture looks like she had a hard day! "

to: TO wrote on Oct 24, 2006 4:01 PM:

" Think about it?? You want me to quit my job and become June Cleaver. This is not the 1950's. Stay at home mothers are the most judgemental people in the world. I guess not everyone can be as **cough** perfect **cough** as you. OH...or maybe you just want your husband to support more welfare babies...all mothers quit their jobs and stay home....go on welfare....your children will be happier for it! Gimme a break! "

District 87 Parent wrote on Oct 24, 2006 3:49 PM:

" I am glad that the after school programs exist. I am a single parent and I leave work at 4:30. The YWCA does charge way too much for the service. It is $6 an hour and the staff does have high turnover rate. Some of the staff hired are ISU/college students. My daughter is happier with the staff this year than last. One other note; they do not seperate the students by age or class. "

To wrote on Oct 24, 2006 3:29 PM:

" I am sure your child would much rather spent quality time with their parents than have a yard to play in. You could walk to a playground. Think about it. "

to Dr. Laura wrote on Oct 24, 2006 2:03 PM:

" Tell me you aren't serious! If you are....until you walk a mile in someone's shoes, you can't judge. Wow....you want me to get rid of my yard that my CHILD plays in and move into an apartment where she would have no freedom at all. You want her to not have the advantages she has now? Wake up and step into the 21st century! "

Dr. Laura wrote on Oct 24, 2006 1:30 PM:

" Parents - Your children need you, spent time with them not at work. Don't tell me you can't afford not to work. You can cut down to one car, move into an apartment, and cancel your cable and cell phone service. It's sad that teachers and day care providers spent more time with children than their parents do. "

To Woodford Pundit wrote on Oct 24, 2006 10:52 AM:

" Parents pay for this service per child in the program on a weekly basis - NOT taxpayers. I paid $130/week directly to YWCA when my child was in a before/after grade school program. "

Dist 87 Parent wrote on Oct 24, 2006 10:38 AM:

" My daughter went to the YWCA program for preschool and daycare until she was school age. We used the Kindergarten before/after care program thru YWCA last year for a while. Yes it is expensive and we DO pay for it. It is NOT tax based at all. Believe me, it would be nice not to have to pay out the nose. OH...and not all parents are in a position to quit their jobs and take their kids to school and pick them up. Most jobs begin before the drop off time and end a couple of hours after school lets out. Hey "or if"....if you know somewhere that lets you set your own hours and come and go as you please who will pay me what I make now, please let me know! "

equal wrote on Oct 24, 2006 9:51 AM:

" And the waiting lists are not fair. One kid on a waiting list got into a program after her parents employer, a local elected official, called and pulled some strings. "

Chelly wrote on Oct 24, 2006 8:29 AM:

" I dont know about other porgrams but in Unit 5 the parents pay for the service. "

concerned wrote on Oct 24, 2006 8:26 AM:

" Where does it say in here that the YWCA was the first to start operating the before and after school programs, and that the non-profit YWCA sponsors 7 District 87 schools, 2 parochial schools, and Heyworth? The YWCA also has alleviated a bulk of the waiting lists by offering before and after care and transportation to Unit 5 schools such as Sugar Creek, Prairieland, Grove, and Northpoint. All YWCA before and after programs are licensed by the state licensing body, DCFS. Let's put all the cards on the table, Pantagraph. "

Parent wrote on Oct 24, 2006 8:24 AM:

" I am parent who did use that service, and believe me, we paid. For 2 hours a day 5 days a week it was 120.00 a week. I switched this year to something a little more strutured and an little less. For us at least it wasn't worth what we were paying for it. They had a hard time keeping good workers, and reliable ones. Many parents may have very good stories to tell about it, but we didn't. I'm glad for those parents who don't have options that this is here. "

??? wrote on Oct 24, 2006 7:46 AM:

" Another answer to the before and after school is qualified home day cares. There are many in Bloomington Normal. On top of it in a school based program you have 80 plus children running around with two or three adults, how does that qualify as qualitie child care? Where is the student teacher ratio fall there? "

or if wrote on Oct 24, 2006 7:26 AM:

" the parents would stagger their hours then one of the parent could be spending this time with their kids, not the school teachers. oh wait, parents are always looking for ways to get the kids somewhere else. soccer, football, chess, scouts, v-ball, baseball, etc. if the kids are hook if every thing going on than they are not home and in the way of the parents. stagger your hours and spend some time with your kids. really they do love you what is wrong with you? "

Woodford Pundit wrote on Oct 24, 2006 5:07 AM:

" I certainly don't object to "after school" programs. But why do property tax payers, many with no school age children, have to pay for it? Day care was not part of the original bargain. Why not just lengthen the school day for everyone? Oh, that's right - sports. OK, then why not have the parents USING the programs pay for them? "

We used to have this wrote on Oct 24, 2006 3:13 AM:

" then we didn't now we do. Huh? Which genius figured it out for this go around? "

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