How single parents navigate summer child care challenges
There are lots of things to love about summer: Warmer temperatures, beach days, and barbecues are a few things that come to mind. But, outside of vacations and long weekends, summer can also become a hectic and expensive time for parents ̵1; especially for single moms and dads.
According to the American Camp Association (ACA), the average day camp cost is $304 per week. Sure, some families can afford to go this route and have their summer child care needs taken care of in one fell swoop. But for other families ̵2; especially those on a strict budget ̵2; this option is more or less out of reach.
So, what do they do instead?
A Single Parent̵7;s Summer Child Care Challenges
Over the weekend, NPR̵7;s Lulu Garcia-Navarro spoke with several moms and dads to learn more about how they navigate the unique challenges that summer creates for parents. Although the callers mentioned a variety of different obstacles, there were two in particular that seemed to stand out: the high costs of camps, as well as their off hours. (Camps typically start later than school, which creates a time conflict with parents̵7; work schedules.)
Deborah Lederman of Nashville, TN, is a single mom and explained her situation to NPR:
Lederman, like a lot of parents, struggles with the high cost of summer camps and the off hours.
It̵7;s All About Creativity
In order to offset the high costs of summer camp, Lederman explained that she doesn̵7;t go on vacation, she keeps her family̵7;s travel local, and she shops at Goodwill. In addition to that, she also leans heavily on another resource: her community of family and friends.
Since she also works with other parents, they̵7;ve turned keeping the kids busy into a team effort:
Additional Resources
If you̵7;re looking for alternative ways to keep your kids busy this summer, here are some additional Care.com resources you can use to find the perfect option for your family̵7;s needs:
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Activities & Entertainment
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Fun Activities for Kids
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Fun Summer Ideas for Kids
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Summer Activities
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