Mother's Morning Out Programs not attached to church? (Huntsville, Decatur: daycare, home)

[Jai27]

Are there any MMO programs that are not attached to church? Thanks!

[Charles]

If you find one (or some) let us know. We'd like to know too.

From ten seconds of googling:

http://thematrixgym.com/serendipity-...ng-out-program

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&c...&aq=f&oq=&aqi=

[Keeper]

How about something like this..

Modern Mom Meetup (Huntsville, AL) - Meetup.com

http://www.meetup.com/find/?keywords...arch&radius=25

http://www.meetup.com/find/?keywords...arch&radius=25

[Southlander]

There aren't that many MMO programs anywhere anymore.

[ionlife]

Your best bet is a montessori school program if you want a secular atmosphere. Tho' here is is a way of life--church is the hub. As is synagogue etc.

[zenjenn]

Montessori School of Huntsville has a toddler program, and a program for preschoolers, but nothing for babies. And it's rather expensive.

Southlander, there are quite a few MMO programs around here. Some may call themselves "preschools" but they are still MMO programs. They are, however, mostly church-based. And other preschools are actual preschools.

The reason more of them are church-based is that the church often provides the facilities and sometimes subsidized by the church membership for other costs. And with so many churches around, it's hard for a private enterprise to be competitive. Montessori, for example, charges nearly $500 a month for a 5 day preschool program in a cramped rented house. I switched my youngest to a church-based preschool with spacious rooms, a secure campus, a gym to play indoors when it is too cold or wet, etc.

You may also consider keeping an open mind about the church schools. Not all are heavy-handed with the religion. You may be able to find one you are comfortable with. Also for a baby or toddler MMO program, you might ask yourself whether the religious beliefs of the caregivers really matter with children who are too young for it anyways. You're just looking for a few hours a week to have some time to yourself.

Ultimately, I think the key is to find a place with a safe, fun facility and caring personnel with whom you feel comfortable leaving your children with. IMO, ask for recommendations from people you trust and keep an open mind. I feel like I wasted thousands of dollars the last two years on my insistence on a secular program. I may have gotten a secular program, but I also got an inferior (and less safe) facility, less experienced teachers, overcrowded classrooms, and paid over twice as much.

[Southlander]

There are almost none in Decatur anymore. My daughter and I searched just a few weeks ago. It's either full-time daycare or only for older toddlers.
When she and her brother were babies (they're twins)...those programs were the only way I kept sane!

[zenjenn]

This is for your daughter's kids? But she has YOU! You'll take the grandbaby a few mornings a week, right?

[Southlander]

Hey, I'm working too...as my mom did. I remember her and my mother-in-law and sister-in-law saying there were no programs of any kind for them...no daycare, no preschools...you had 'em, you get to keep 'em.

Mother's Day Out programs (which is a laugh - it was 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. back in the day, and now the only one we could find is 9 to 1) were really geared toward stay-at-home moms.

As the daughter wondered...what do moms who work second shifts do? Who work weekends? Who work until 6 or 7 p.m.?

[Mawoods]

I taught preschool for 10 years that was associated with a large church in Atlanta. From my experience I agree with Zengenn. It isn't heavy stuff. It was very general and really about being respectful and a loving God. I don't think that little ones can understand any more than that anyway. We talked about GOD in general because we had many children from many backgrounds. Of course, if you put your child in the school that was a part of a church the parent did understand that we talked about Christmas at that holiday. But still it was all part of a loving package.

I don't know what moms did in the past! I think we all for the most part lived near family and had help. Now we are all over the place and I guess we make new families so to speak. My mother in law kept kids in her home after school for years. But now these days children have so many activities in the afternoon. Even preschoolers. I can't imagine how hard it is for 2 working parents.