Tuesday, March 29, 2016

The Cost of Kindergarten - Spring Break 2016

Date: Spring Break 2016
What the ask was: Sometimes, I feel that life is just a constant effort of shaming working moms.  Here's an example.  A few weeks ago, I adjusted my work schedule to go to Star's Lunar New Year parade at school.  It was super cute and I'm glad I went.  Then, the following week, I took a full day off from work to chaperone all the Kindergarten classes on a Ferry ride in the bay.  But, then there was the opportunity to be show up at school at 8:45am on a random day to watch her class sing a 10 minute song.  That means I wouldn't get to work until about 10am, and that would make me a shitty employee.  It feels like I'm always balancing - should I be a shitty employee or a shitty mom?  Ugh.  So, anyway, about Spring Break.  I have to work which makes me feel like a shitty mom, but Star loves her camp, so maybe I'm a great mom?  Anywho...
What we gave: $205
Why we gave that amount: Earlier, I talked about how Scott and I both work full time.  So, when Star has a week off from school, I said that I budget about $450 for a week of camp.  But, I think I should revise that estimate down.  The older she gets, the more options there are for day camps, and the cheaper they are.  This week, she is at a City of Berkeley Camp at Willard Park which is an easy walk from our house.  She's there from 9am - 6pm.  They go on field trips and do arty stuff.  Yesterday, she came home with a visor that makes her look like she's playing poker in South Florida.  It feels like the most basic kind of day camp in a good way.  She's happy, and I'm happy that it's close to our house (easier drop offs and pickups), and that it's way below my previous estimate of $450 per week.  

ask #1 - $1,111
ask #2 - $49
ask #3 - $31
ask #4 - $3
ask #5 - $10
ask #6 - $20
Fall 2015 After School - $2950
ask #7 - $10
ask #8 - $30
ask #9 - $0
Winter Break - $325
ask #10 - $5
ask #11 - $32
Spring Break 2016 - $205
.....................................
Running Total: $4,781

Thursday, March 17, 2016

The Cost of Kindergarten - ask #11

Date: March 15, 2016
What the ask was: School is having a second picture day.  Not a makeup picture day, but a completely different local company is coming in to take more natural, outdoor pictures.   
What we gave: $32
Why we gave that amount: We bought a small picture package.  

ask #1 - $1,111
ask #2 - $49
ask #3 - $31
ask #4 - $3
ask #5 - $10
ask #6 - $20
Fall 2015 After School - $2950
ask #7 - $10
ask #8 - $30
ask #9 - $0
Winter Break - $325
ask #10 - $5
ask #11 - $32
.....................................
Running Total: $4,576