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What do you do with your schoolkids on Wednesdays?

Our son is going to go to school in a year and a half and I'm trying to get ahead of the curve in terms of how my wife and I who both work at 100% will best handle the Wednesday issue. Does anyone here have any solutions that don't just involve a nanny and won't bankrupt our family?

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Our son is going to go to school in a year and a half and I'm trying to get ahead of the curve in terms of how my wife and I who both work at 100% will best handle the Wednesday issue. Does anyone here have any solutions that don't just involve a nanny and won't bankrupt our family?


Andy HDec 21, 2017 @ 21:39
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Re: What do you do with your schoolkids on Wednesdays?
Post 1

Check the Maison de Quatier around you, if you are in Geneva, who usually have good program to help 100% working parents, take good care of children during working hours, or long school holidays while parents are working.

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Check the Maison de Quatier around you, if you are in Geneva, who usually have good program to help 100% working parents, take good care of children during working hours, or long school holidays while parents are working.


Jessica G, Dec 22, 2017 @ 10:03
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Re: What do you do with your schoolkids on Wednesdays?
Post 2

Thanks for the response Jess! I'll do that in the next months. We live in Servette so we have the Maison du Quartier pretty much across the street, I just wouldn't even have imagined they can handle a kid for a full workday (which with travel does equate to 10 hours).


Any other ideas?

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Thanks for the response Jess! I'll do that in the next months. We live in Servette so we have the Maison du Quartier pretty much across the street, I just wouldn't even have imagined they can handle a kid for a full workday (which with travel does equate to 10 hours).


Any other ideas?


Andy H, Dec 22, 2017 @ 10:56
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Re: What do you do with your schoolkids on Wednesdays?
Post 3

I see what you mean, I have great experience with the Maison de Quartier around my place, they have a good programme of getting kids for Wednesdays, holidays, summer holidays and the cost are very reasonable - according to parents' income. I think they support you the maximum of hours they can, which is the idea of them to support working parents.


Good luck. Smile

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I see what you mean, I have great experience with the Maison de Quartier around my place, they have a good programme of getting kids for Wednesdays, holidays, summer holidays and the cost are very reasonable - according to parents' income. I think they support you the maximum of hours they can, which is the idea of them to support working parents.


Good luck. Smile


Jessica G, Dec 22, 2017 @ 11:04
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Re: What do you do with your schoolkids on Wednesdays?
Post 4

I'm in a similar boat. My daughter starts school in September and we live in Servette also.


The Maison de Quartier only takes children from 5 years on Wednesdays. I'm probably going to put my daughter in English classes on Wednesday mornings (we speak English at home) and then that still leaves the rest of the day...


Finding childcare (other than a nanny) for school age children for more than 3 hours on a Wednesday seems to be near impossible. If I could work 80% or 50% I would jump at the chance.


Bell offers English classes on Wednesday mornings OR afternoons and Gymboree has a preschool that allows children to attend on Wednesday mornings only.


Other than that I have no more ideas. so please keep us updated if you find anything!


 

The text you are quoting:

I'm in a similar boat. My daughter starts school in September and we live in Servette also.


The Maison de Quartier only takes children from 5 years on Wednesdays. I'm probably going to put my daughter in English classes on Wednesday mornings (we speak English at home) and then that still leaves the rest of the day...


Finding childcare (other than a nanny) for school age children for more than 3 hours on a Wednesday seems to be near impossible. If I could work 80% or 50% I would jump at the chance.


Bell offers English classes on Wednesday mornings OR afternoons and Gymboree has a preschool that allows children to attend on Wednesday mornings only.


Other than that I have no more ideas. so please keep us updated if you find anything!


 


Marcia L, Jan 17, 2018 @ 12:56
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Re: What do you do with your schoolkids on Wednesdays?
Post 5

Hi,


 


A list of activities here:


 


http://ge.ch/enfance-jeunesse/loisirs-activites-camps/activites-pendant-conges-hebdomadaires/activites-extrascolaires-4-16-ans


 


 

The text you are quoting:

Hi,


 


A list of activities here:


 


http://ge.ch/enfance-jeunesse/loisirs-activites-camps/activites-pendant-conges-hebdomadaires/activites-extrascolaires-4-16-ans


 


 


Giselle C, Jan 18, 2018 @ 15:59
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Re: What do you do with your schoolkids on Wednesdays?
Post 6

Hi, I just found this thread. Did you find anything for your son? Our daughter was on a waitlist to get into the Maison de quartier or a year. We had no choice (as far as we could find) than to hire a nanny and it was a very expensive year. She finally got in. But now my youngest will be going to school and we’re back in the same position again.


Would be great to know if there were any full-day programs for kids with working parents!!


 

The text you are quoting:

Hi, I just found this thread. Did you find anything for your son? Our daughter was on a waitlist to get into the Maison de quartier or a year. We had no choice (as far as we could find) than to hire a nanny and it was a very expensive year. She finally got in. But now my youngest will be going to school and we’re back in the same position again.


Would be great to know if there were any full-day programs for kids with working parents!!


 


Kathryn C, Jun 5, 2018 @ 22:53
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Re: What do you do with your schoolkids on Wednesdays?
Post 7

I only see programs for 1-2 hours here - are there full day programs too? Maybe I’ve missed it.

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I only see programs for 1-2 hours here - are there full day programs too? Maybe I’ve missed it.


Kathryn C, Jun 5, 2018 @ 22:54
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Re: What do you do with your schoolkids on Wednesdays?
Post 8

Jan 1, 70 01:00

Dear Brenda,


I am raising a 9 year old daughter by myself, so imagine the difficulties the 4-day school week present for me, as a single caretaker with just one salary. But you may have gotten more helpful hints on ways of adapting, if you had skipped your very strong negative characterizations.


First of all, it is not a "habit", but a public policy, and it is not "crazy", just because you find it inconvenient.


The reasons behind the policy are that:


1) it improves children's performance in academic subjects, specially in math, (the "break" is not "quite disruptive," but it aids assimilation). This is not a personal opinion, but the results of studies by school districts in the US which have shifted to 4 day weeks.


2) it enhances teacher's performance, as it gives them an extra day to prepare classes (which they otherwise have to do on weekends or at night).


3) it leads to a greater broader education, with greater development of non-school curriculum educational activities for those children whose parents take advantage of the extra time and prioritize their children's future, so they make whatever investment of time and resources they need to.


You "don't really understand how families deal with this"? Really?


With 1, 267, 458 school age children in Switzerland, that is a hell of a lot of families having to deal with this. The results are, of course, a disaster: Switzerland ranks only second world-wide for GDP per capita. Their GDP is $709,118 billion, ranking 20th in gross terms (2nd per capita), in spite of being one of the largest countries in the world, with a huge population of 8.4 million and area of 15,940 mi².


The mean household income is only 120,624. Ok, ok, after health insurance, pension contributions and all taxes, the mean take home income is only CHF 85,560. That is CHF 7,130 per month in household income and they somehow manage. How much do your spouse and you make?


And, of course, education is not only about reading, writing and arithmetic, so Switzerland must have a very high crime rate.


If only they would stop their "crazy" "disruptive" "habit" and keep their children in school all week.


But hey, this is Switzerland, so why don't you organize a referendum and become the most popular person in the country. 


 


 


 




 
 



 

The text you are quoting:

Dear Brenda,


I am raising a 9 year old daughter by myself, so imagine the difficulties the 4-day school week present for me, as a single caretaker with just one salary. But you may have gotten more helpful hints on ways of adapting, if you had skipped your very strong negative characterizations.


First of all, it is not a "habit", but a public policy, and it is not "crazy", just because you find it inconvenient.


The reasons behind the policy are that:


1) it improves children's performance in academic subjects, specially in math, (the "break" is not "quite disruptive," but it aids assimilation). This is not a personal opinion, but the results of studies by school districts in the US which have shifted to 4 day weeks.


2) it enhances teacher's performance, as it gives them an extra day to prepare classes (which they otherwise have to do on weekends or at night).


3) it leads to a greater broader education, with greater development of non-school curriculum educational activities for those children whose parents take advantage of the extra time and prioritize their children's future, so they make whatever investment of time and resources they need to.


You "don't really understand how families deal with this"? Really?


With 1, 267, 458 school age children in Switzerland, that is a hell of a lot of families having to deal with this. The results are, of course, a disaster: Switzerland ranks only second world-wide for GDP per capita. Their GDP is $709,118 billion, ranking 20th in gross terms (2nd per capita), in spite of being one of the largest countries in the world, with a huge population of 8.4 million and area of 15,940 mi².


The mean household income is only 120,624. Ok, ok, after health insurance, pension contributions and all taxes, the mean take home income is only CHF 85,560. That is CHF 7,130 per month in household income and they somehow manage. How much do your spouse and you make?


And, of course, education is not only about reading, writing and arithmetic, so Switzerland must have a very high crime rate.


If only they would stop their "crazy" "disruptive" "habit" and keep their children in school all week.


But hey, this is Switzerland, so why don't you organize a referendum and become the most popular person in the country. 


 


 


 




 
 



 


JR M, Apr 12, 2019 @ 11:30
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Re: What do you do with your schoolkids on Wednesdays?
Post 9

I find this reply completely off point and unhelpful. 

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I find this reply completely off point and unhelpful. 


Kathryn C, Apr 12, 2019 @ 13:39
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Re: What do you do with your schoolkids on Wednesdays?
Post 10

Jan 1, 70 01:00

Hey Brenda,


It took me until today to respond since busy at the moment. Long story short you have the following options:


For the time between the time school ends and when you get home from work there is two things you can essentially do:


1) Parascolaire: The kids are taken care of for a small extra fee of 7 CHF a day until 6 pm by educators. This means the ones that have this situation go on like little field trips and excursions in that time sometimes, other times they just play sports or have a huge session of recess.


2) There's tons of students that do this kind of "babysitting" to make a little cash, however, that will cost you a lot more as I'd budget about 160 CHF a week for the same if you did it for the 4 afternoons. You can of course also mix and match.


 


For Wednesdays there are multiple options:


1) Maison de Quartier (they are basically your local neighborhood association) have Wednesday programs


2) There's classes and soccer camps etc etc you can send kids to. Like for example my little guy goes to public school and then he spends 3 hours in private english school on Wednesdays, the rest of the time he has a nanny from....


3) ... Mary Poppins - from an organization called Pro Juventute. They send someone to your house and take care of kids up to 10h a day. They are partially state subsidized so they cost "only" about 10CHF an hour.


 


My wife and I work 100%, so what we have is a Mary Poppins two days a week that takes care of our daughter on those days and also takes care of our son after school the one day and the rest of the day on Wednesdays. Ther other days our son has parascolaire and our daughter has the creche.


Just reach out if you have more questions. There's no one size fits all approach, but when all is said and done there's "no child left behind" ;-)


 


Andy

The text you are quoting:

Hey Brenda,


It took me until today to respond since busy at the moment. Long story short you have the following options:


For the time between the time school ends and when you get home from work there is two things you can essentially do:


1) Parascolaire: The kids are taken care of for a small extra fee of 7 CHF a day until 6 pm by educators. This means the ones that have this situation go on like little field trips and excursions in that time sometimes, other times they just play sports or have a huge session of recess.


2) There's tons of students that do this kind of "babysitting" to make a little cash, however, that will cost you a lot more as I'd budget about 160 CHF a week for the same if you did it for the 4 afternoons. You can of course also mix and match.


 


For Wednesdays there are multiple options:


1) Maison de Quartier (they are basically your local neighborhood association) have Wednesday programs


2) There's classes and soccer camps etc etc you can send kids to. Like for example my little guy goes to public school and then he spends 3 hours in private english school on Wednesdays, the rest of the time he has a nanny from....


3) ... Mary Poppins - from an organization called Pro Juventute. They send someone to your house and take care of kids up to 10h a day. They are partially state subsidized so they cost "only" about 10CHF an hour.


 


My wife and I work 100%, so what we have is a Mary Poppins two days a week that takes care of our daughter on those days and also takes care of our son after school the one day and the rest of the day on Wednesdays. Ther other days our son has parascolaire and our daughter has the creche.


Just reach out if you have more questions. There's no one size fits all approach, but when all is said and done there's "no child left behind" ;-)


 


Andy


Andy H, Apr 14, 2019 @ 12:05
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Re: What do you do with your schoolkids on Wednesdays?
Post 11

Dear Brenda,

I am raising a 9 year old daughter by myself, so imagine the difficulties the 4-day school week present for me, as a single caretaker with just one salary. But you may have gotten more helpful hints on ways of adapting, if you had skipped your very strong negative characterizations.

First of all, it is not a "habit", but a public policy, and it is not "crazy", just because you find it inconvenient.

The reasons behind the policy are that:

1) it improves children's performance in academic subjects, specially in math, (the "break" is not "quite disruptive," but it aids assimilation). This is not a personal opinion, but the results of studies by school districts in the US which have shifted to 4 day weeks.

2) it enhances teacher's performance, as it gives them an extra day to prepare classes (which they otherwise have to do on weekends or at night).

3) it leads to a greater broader education, with greater development of non-school curriculum educational activities for those children whose parents take advantage of the extra time and prioritize their children's future, so they make whatever investment of time and resources they need to.

You "don't really understand how families deal with this"? Really?

With 1, 267, 458 school age children in Switzerland, that is a hell of a lot of families having to deal with this. The results are, of course, a disaster: Switzerland ranks only second world-wide for GDP per capita. Their GDP is $709,118 billion, ranking 20th in gross terms (2nd per capita), in spite of being one of the largest countries in the world, with a huge population of 8.4 million and area of 15,940 mi².

The mean household income is only 120,624. Ok, ok, after health insurance, pension contributions and all taxes, the mean take home income is only CHF 85,560. That is CHF 7,130 per month in household income and they somehow manage. How much do your spouse and you make?

And, of course, education is not only about reading, writing and arithmetic, so Switzerland must have a very high crime rate.

If only they would stop their "crazy" "disruptive" "habit" and keep their children in school all week.

But hey, this is Switzerland, so why don't you organize a referendum and become the most popular person in the country. 

 

 

 

   

 


Apr 12, 19 11:30

Seriously? Brenda's post was slightly clumsy in formulation sometimes, but in general the way things work here are quite frightening to people coming from other places. It's not like there's a lot of resources to help you navigate how that works organizationally until you are here, on the ground either.


Your post was just some random bashing of someone asking for help, without doing any helping whatsoever. If you have nothing constructive to say, instead of being a douchebag, just don't post anything.


Btw, the German speaking cantons don't have Wednesdays off. Since you're clearly in the business of patronizing people you should know the facts.

The text you are quoting:

Seriously? Brenda's post was slightly clumsy in formulation sometimes, but in general the way things work here are quite frightening to people coming from other places. It's not like there's a lot of resources to help you navigate how that works organizationally until you are here, on the ground either.


Your post was just some random bashing of someone asking for help, without doing any helping whatsoever. If you have nothing constructive to say, instead of being a douchebag, just don't post anything.


Btw, the German speaking cantons don't have Wednesdays off. Since you're clearly in the business of patronizing people you should know the facts.


Andy H, Apr 14, 2019 @ 12:09
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Re: What do you do with your schoolkids on Wednesdays?
Post 12

Dear JRM, why do you hand a book to someone asking for fish? 'Cos it seems like that's what you're doing here.


Yeah we get it. You got it all figured out. But there's no need to throw shade at someone asking for help because the find a new system overwhelming.


Be nice.

The text you are quoting:

Dear JRM, why do you hand a book to someone asking for fish? 'Cos it seems like that's what you're doing here.


Yeah we get it. You got it all figured out. But there's no need to throw shade at someone asking for help because the find a new system overwhelming.


Be nice.


Janet G, May 16, 2019 @ 17:46
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