+ Dynamics

It's amazing how adding a new child to our growing family changes the dynamics so much. For five years, both Kari and I had one child and for five years we both adjusted our jobs and time together at home accordingly. Now, I realize this is worthy of a chuckle for all of you with several children, but this is what I'm experiencing. :)

Layered in with our new baby is our five year-old who, this Fall, will be going to Kindergarten at some prestigious, and hopefully, nearby, elementary school. Which is a different dynamic all its own than a simple daycare/preschool. While Weston is off going to school, we will need to revisit daycares again. We probably won't use the same one(s) we did with Weston for various reasons, and we really won't put our baby Ross in a daycare until he's a year. But where daycares are full-day, until us parents can get home from our respective jobs, but elementary schools start later and close at 3:30! We are a two-income family (mostly out of necessity, partly because we enjoy 'adult' time and careers, etc.) so this causes a time gap issue.

Some schools offer an after-care program (more money) and still others provide a bus-service to and from the nearby Y that Weston currently attends, for after-care. Then, other schools don't offer either.

We are new to having a 'school-age' child. We figured starting in January would be plenty of time to find a school by August. However, sadly, we want to enroll Weston in a school system we do not live in, so we are considered out-of-district. Strike one. (Denver public schools in our neighborhood are rated very, very low and we just don't want to dump him in just any school — we have these resources, we are using them). But, apparently, January isn't early enough, we should have been getting out and about and on wait lists the previous August. Now we know.

We've also decided to not put our home back on the market, but rather refinance, so at least that decision has been made. At least for the next five years, and our next child is looking for a school!

Stay tuned for school updates and where we land Weston.