2019 has come in with a big boom. At the end of January, my uncle passed away very unexpectedly. That weekend, my parents were on their way out of state to attend his funeral. They reached just beyond the half way point when they were in a very serious car accident and were seriously injured (my brother was with them and had comparatively minor injuries). We are grateful they are alive and it was not even more serious.
However, this left us scrambling in several ways, one of which was to find temporary childcare for Alex and Mary. My mom has been my daycare provider ever since Alex was born. Now, we needed to find something else while they heal. In time, my mom will be able to watch them again, but healing first.
I will admit, my anxiety hit hard about this. How do I find someone I can trust? How can we afford it? Will I even be able to find something quickly? So I did the first thing I could think of and went to social media. I posted to my friends asking for suggestions. I posted to my local Down syndrome group asking for recommendations. I talked to a coworker who I am close with who has grandkids around my kids’ ages. I got some great suggestions and a few recommendations!
In the end, Alex was enrolled in the before-school care program at his school. He enjoys it and gets a chance to be around more peers his own age. His first day, the site director said he jumped right in with the other kids. It was great to hear that he no issue adjusting to this change in routine. He has certain things he wants to make sure he brings with him to the program to play with, and even made a few things for other kids to play with too.
For Mary, we found an in-home daycare provider. She came recommended by two separate people, one of whom has a child with Down syndrome. Her first day at daycare, she was a bit unsure until she saw the cinnamon rolls. Her eyes got wide and suddenly everything was ok. I got a few pictures that day and it looked like she was having a lot of fun. There is another child there her age and I am hoping being around them will push her developmentally and help her want to start walking. Her daycare provider gives me regular updates on her day and sends me pictures, so I know she is having a good time.
This is a temporary arrangement, just until my mom has healed from her injuries. We are still working out how we can afford it but going week by week for now. We are making it work. Our kids are being taken care of while we are at work. They are happy and healthy and that is what is most important.
Raising Special Roses 