Hi my name is Krystina and I am brand new this site. I am currently trying my hardest to get my life back together after what seemed like i lost it all to a relationship gone bad and then to substance abuse. I have been clean for a couple years now and am doing all i can to be a good influence for my children instead of a weak one. My current situation is that I live with my father as a roomate while i am in school. I go to school fulltime for culinary arts at a university and I work partime and of course the rest of my time is for my 2 little girls ages 5 & 8...BABYSITTING!!!!! ahhhh that is killing me right now i might have to drop out of school just so i can work fulltime to pay for babysitting so i can work fulltime....no child support....no money....just cant seem to afford anything and am trying my hardest to stay in school as it is very important to me....feel like I have tried everything with the babysitting issue but maybe iv missed something???? please help...much appreciated!

Hi Krystina,

How are you financing your education? Are you getting financial aid?

Talk to the school's financial aid office. Find out if they have adjusted your financial aid package to include the cost of child care while going to school. If they haven't you can request that they consider it.
Also find out if there are any more loans you are eligible for. (Sometimes you are eligible to borrow more than what it actually will cost to pay your school expenses) If you are, then you can use that to cover your child care. BUT BE CAREFUL..it's very easy to blow that money.

Have someone help you w/ budgeting and try to find a childcare facility where you are paying a predictable fee and can better budget. (Sometimes informal babysitting can be so much more expensive than daycare!!!)

Lastly, find a daycare (usually a non-profit) that may offer reduced fees based on your income or status (such as single-parent). There might be a community center or social services organization that can help you connect w/ the right people/resources in your community.

Sometimes there is alot more help out there than we think...its just USUALLY HARD TO Find.!!!

Good luck and stay encouraged!