Skiing on 3/18/2007

Here's Nolan with Daddy.









Nolan Riding up the Magic Carpet. We were so happy to find this, since it means that we don't have to deal with a rope tow! Woohoo! Talk about cushy...all you have to do is stand there, and the carpet takes you right up the mountain!

Skiing on 3/11/07

Nolaln skiing with Daddy, and Grandpa Bob is following, holding the training bar that Nolan decided he no longer needs.


Here is Nolan skiing with Mommy, and Grandpa Bob.

Moving!

We're demoting ourselves - from the lofty reaches of homeownership to the life of lowly renters. The opportunity came up for us to get into a house on Jerry's Grandparents' property, and we jumped at it. Both of us grew up around 10 miles from town, and living with exactly 12 feet between our house and the neighbors was really starting to bother us.

So we moved, and we've spent the last few weeks slowly getting all our stuff out and into the new house. The new place is totally surrounded by trees! It's only 2 bedroom, but the square footage is actually larger than our house in town, so the bedrooms are almost twice as big. We've also gained a dining room, a larger kitchen and utility room, plus a basement that has a cellar and a largish room that we have converted to a TV/Playroom. It'll also be our computer office once we get the office bench/shelves built. We have a garage, too!

Personally, I am happy we're out here in the country; Nolan has been "helping" Grandpa Bob and Grandpa Wayne fix the pipe to the cow waterer. He loves being able to take hikes and play on the big tractors.

Childcare Issues

I have a little bit of a rant.

As you probably know, I'm going back to school. This is good. What isn't good is the fact that I can usually take a maximum of 4-7 credits a semester. Full time is 12-18. This is bad because it's going to take me years to get an AS of Biology, normally a four-semester degree. The reason I can take only one or two classes a semester is simple: Nolan.

What I'd like to know is why a community college like CSI - with a significant percentage of non-traditional students - does not offer some sort of babysitting service. Oh, they have a childcare center and an Early Childhood Development program, but the "daycare"at the Childcare Center is open to the public, not only CSI students or staff/faculty, and it's usually full. Moreover, you must sign your child up for either a half day or a full day. There's no flexibility for students whose work and/or class schedule will change every semester. The Early Childhood Development Program, if you can even get your kid a spot, is even less flexible.

So I made up a "proposal" of sorts. A Community College should have such a progam to benefit students who have obligations outside of their education. I submit:

1. Such a program should be available to only CSI students who are in good standing and attending class. It is a babysitting service, not a daycare, so staff/faculty should use the CSI Childcare center.
2. The Program should be affordable; either subsidized by student tuition/fees, or a per hour/per child system should be set up. Or more ideally, both. For reference, Gold's Gym has a Kid's Klub where parents can leave their children during their workout. They purchase a punchcard for $20 that gets 25 hour-and-a-half punches (may be vice/versa). Or you can pay by the hour (I do not know what this rate is; I use a punchcard)
3. Students should only be allowed to use this service during the hours they are actually attending class, as listed on their schedule. Any necessary deviations could be approved by the student's instructor(s) or Advisor. (eg. Activity by Contract is a self-study PE course with no set schedule, therefore, if the student is using the CSI Student Rec center to fulfill their class obligations, an exception should be made for them.)
4. The program should be available during normal working/school hours. If enough demand warranted an extension, possibly hours could be extended to include night classes. (I am operating under the assumption that during evening hours, most people can probably find a babysitter elsewhere.)
5. This is not a 'drop-off" service. Students should sign up at the beginning of the semester, (or perhaps a deadline *before* the semester begins should be implemented) and give notice if their child will not be there for their expected time slots. Students should leave their child no more than 15 minutes before their scheduled class time and pick them up no later than 15 minutes after.
6. This can be a good work/study position under a child-care-certified head. (I am unfamiliar with child-care laws about how many adults per child need to be present, CPR certifications, etc - all that would need to be addressed.)

I would LOVE to have comments on this entry, if people can think of circumstances or policies that would need to be modified or added.

Nolan Playing Bedbug