Frustrated mom needs help -- kinda long RP from Parenting

I'm not very active in this community but my sister (Porrruss) is and suggested I post here for some help.

I need help and am frustrated and figured I might find some advice through this forum.

I have a 7 year old boy who goes to school in Kew Garden Hills. (We live in Fresh Meadows so he takes a school bus every morning... the school is only a 5 minute drive from our apt)

I have been TRYING for months to secure a safe after school program for him. I have a certain amount in my budget that I can allot for daycare and I HAVE found a few great programs, specifically at the Flushing YMCA and the Boys and Girls Club of America. (And the Boys Club is free... )

My problem is... None of the bus companies that drop off at their locations pick up from my son's school...I have called private day cares in the area and the SAME issue.

His school is really no help...I've called TIME AND TIME again and got a 1/2 a$$ed response like.. 'Well I know some kids go to the Boys Club in Flushing' but cannot help me in trying to GET him there.

I took a trip to the Boys Club today to inquire about their program (AND FELL IN LOVE WITH IT). The young man who helped me gave me a bunch of business cards of bus companies that drop off at their program. There are schools listed on the business cards and none of them seem to be in the same area of my son's school so I doubt he is on their route.

I CANNOT find these types of bus companies in the phone book. I see yellow school buses EVERYWHERE, there has to be a list I can call... This can't be that hard. (My FH suggests I call a newspaper or news program to vent my frustrations) A parent shouldnt have this much trouble trying to find out this type of information...

I did get some headway with ONE company (the boys club of richmond hill gave me their number) It was a guy, and something about him rubbed me the wrong way... He called me his evening and said he can pick my son up and bring him to the boys club in flushing for 65/week. Which is fine. But something about him irks me and I can't risk the safety of my son...

Right now my option is to leave work (in Nassau County) every day at 2:20pm... pick my son up from school... drive him to the after school program I choose. So I know I have an OPTION... It may *get* to me having to do that every day.

So I ask you.... LI families... Does ANYONE have ANY information on Bus Companies in queens who offer this type of service?? Is there a magical list somewhere?

What would you do?

I'll tell you ONE thing... As a newly active member of my son's school PTA I am SURELY going to do something about the information that is available for us regarding after school care... I only wonder if I'm not the only one going through this.

Re: Frustrated mom needs help -- kinda long RP from Parenting

have you thought of hiring someone?

a family friend of mine paid me one summer maybe $10/day (i can't remember exactly) to pick up her daughter from school and drive her to Tutortime....

would you consider doing something like that?

Re: Frustrated mom needs help -- kinda long RP from Parenting

Re: Frustrated mom needs help -- kinda long RP from Parenting

Message edited 8/24/2007 12:31:46 AM.

Re: Frustrated mom needs help -- kinda long RP from Parenting

Re: Frustrated mom needs help -- kinda long RP from Parenting

Caz- try posting this on the Parenting board- it gets WAY more traffic than this one....