Are many of the IS preschools the same hours as the upper grades?
Also, what is the policy of, if any, of keeping your child with you after school? For example, at my school, children of teachers just have them in their classrooms until they leave, or in the afterschool program until they are done with their duties.
Do you think we'd need to hire a nanny for a few hours afterschool? Or do they have daycares for this like in the states?
Our son (3 yrs) has only been babysat by family and once by a good friend. My husband is freaking out about hiring a nanny, with good reason. We want our son to be safe. Any experiences with making sure your nanny is a safe one?
Preschool/Nanny/AIY
Reply
Most people hire a nanny if both teachers work. Of course if there at school age, they go to school. ISs don't provide day care, and unless its an emergency, you can't bring your child with you to class on a daily basis. Otherwise one parent just stays home, as a trailing spouse.
Micki, I have to be honest and say that children and overseas while on the whole being a positive experience was often our greatest stressor. The answers to the questions you have all depend on where you end up. If you go to Asia then most likely you will have household help that can assist with your kids, if you go to Europe then the opportunities for help aren't as great or very expensive. These are the two locales that I have experience with and can speak to.
Our kids have spent lots of time hanging with us after school while we finished our prep and set up for the next day. It wasn't ideal but it worked and it was all we could come up with. We celebrated when our kids were old enough to take public transport home when we lived in Europe.
Orientation week can also be a pain because a) you're tired and you're kids are tired b) everyone is a stranger (at least at the beginning c) you're in a new country with new customs etc d) some places are hotter than what you are used to e) you have to make arrangements for daycare without a whole lot of support and finally transportation can be tenuous when you first arrive. We have found schools to be sympathetic but it usually took an individual rather than the school to make something happen while we were in meetings.
Unfortunately this issue doesn't disappear when your kids get into school or even as they grow up. Moving to a new country was painful at first each and every time and that orientation week at each school is one that I won't forget.
I hope this isn't too gloomy because once you work the issues out then the experience is a great one both for your kids and for your family as a whole
Our kids have spent lots of time hanging with us after school while we finished our prep and set up for the next day. It wasn't ideal but it worked and it was all we could come up with. We celebrated when our kids were old enough to take public transport home when we lived in Europe.
Orientation week can also be a pain because a) you're tired and you're kids are tired b) everyone is a stranger (at least at the beginning c) you're in a new country with new customs etc d) some places are hotter than what you are used to e) you have to make arrangements for daycare without a whole lot of support and finally transportation can be tenuous when you first arrive. We have found schools to be sympathetic but it usually took an individual rather than the school to make something happen while we were in meetings.
Unfortunately this issue doesn't disappear when your kids get into school or even as they grow up. Moving to a new country was painful at first each and every time and that orientation week at each school is one that I won't forget.
I hope this isn't too gloomy because once you work the issues out then the experience is a great one both for your kids and for your family as a whole
Over a lengthy teaching career with four children, we've run into a variety of situations regarding child care during new teacher orientation. These situations range from nothing (thankfully friends worked at that school and 'lent' us one of their staff to be a nanny, school changed their procedures the following year per our comments) to terrific programs with CAS or Natl. Honor Society students coming into school and providing full program of fun for our kids while we worked, but which also allowed us to check on each other during the days as we acclimated to the new environment.
What we've learned is that most school admins would, if prompted, certainly be amenable to providing something like the latter - so don't be afraid to 'remind' them once hired that you will have children who will be undergoing their own culture shock and need care. Internatl. school admins want you to be successful and fit into their communities; if they hire people with children, then accomodating the needs of those children is a logical extension of making you feel at home. Good administrators will rise to the occasion.
What we've learned is that most school admins would, if prompted, certainly be amenable to providing something like the latter - so don't be afraid to 'remind' them once hired that you will have children who will be undergoing their own culture shock and need care. Internatl. school admins want you to be successful and fit into their communities; if they hire people with children, then accomodating the needs of those children is a logical extension of making you feel at home. Good administrators will rise to the occasion.
update
Just as an update. My new IS and our sister school does provide free daycare on campus. There is a baby room that goes from 0-2 and a preschool room until they are aged for the Pre-K program.
We feel so very blessed to have this benefit because I had never heard of a school doing that during our research.
We feel so very blessed to have this benefit because I had never heard of a school doing that during our research.
My daughter (1st grade) comes to school with me and hangs out in my classroom and until it's time for her to go to class. She comes to my class after school too.
We have an eight month old as well. It looks like the school is starting a creche for staff kids as the amount of new mothers in school (locals) is reaching critical mass.
We haven't figured out what to do the week before school this year. We're hoping the creche will be open or one of the other teacher's kids will step up to the plate.
We have an eight month old as well. It looks like the school is starting a creche for staff kids as the amount of new mothers in school (locals) is reaching critical mass.
We haven't figured out what to do the week before school this year. We're hoping the creche will be open or one of the other teacher's kids will step up to the plate.
Re: Preschool/Nanny/AIY
I send my 3 years daughter in a full day Phoenix kindergarten. Both husband and I are working. So we cannot leave out daughter alone at home and send her to kindergarten. I think it is better option than hiring a nanny for kid care.