With gas prices and food costs climbing daily, the average family is being squeezed even more these days. On an ever-tightening budget, how can parents who were already struggling to do so, afford childcare? Even in two-income families, the cost to provide care for children under six siphons off a substantial chunk of income. Costing as much as $15,000 per year per child, child care is the silent killer of the family finances.
So what's a working parent to do? Although care consumes 10-30% of family income, the option for one parent to simply stay home is not feasible for single-parent families who need every bit of earnings, or parents who depend on company benefits to absorb other costs. And with extended families living farther apart than ever and grandparents still working themselves, parents rely on professional childcare more now than ever.
Pam Shuck, a twenty-year veteran of early childhood education programs and Executive Director of Attilio Inspired Learning Centers, says of her schools, “For parents, the issue isn’t just cost of care, but also entrusting a priceless child to our care. Ultimately, parents realize that their kids love going to school. They’re getting the socialization and early education they need, and our schools [Mirasol School, Bluffs School] have strict safety, health, and staffing regulations to follow.”
For parents seeking a quality experience for their children, the Attilio Inspired Learning Centers invite local friends and families to their annual Back To School Carnival at each of their north Palm Beach County locations. July 28, 2008, 3-6pm, at the Bluffs School, 1430 Marcinski Road, Jupiter (donations to benefit the Be A Star Foundation). July 30, 2008, 3-6pm, at the Mirasol School, 11500 Jog Road, Palm Beach Gardens (donations to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation). Free fun for children ages 2-12, including a bounce house, water slide, cotton candy, carnival games, and more!
