So, Rainbow Loom, then....

[WOM]

Is this a thing where you are? If you have small kids, you probably know what I'm on about.

Our house now has roughly 10,000 more small elastic bands than it did just one month ago. My two are cranking them out like underpaid 3rd world factory workers. I'm up to my elbow in them, all gratefully received and then removed as soon as I get to work.

This will all be dead and forgotten in about three months, but right now...hooboy...do fads catch fire fast and burn brightly.

[Incandenza]

So, Rainbow Loom, then....

Oh god, yes. My daughter and her friends have kind of lost enthusiasm about it, though. But three months ago, it was all we heard about. Really fun trying to keep tiny rubber bands and curved plastic hooks from falling onto the floor where babies could eat them.

[WOM]

So, Rainbow Loom, then....

I used to bother picking them up while sweeping/vacuuming, but now...

They're everywhere. You find them in your food, your hair, the shower drain. And god forbid somebody uses your glow in the dark white ones that you were saving to make a Minion (TM).

[caja-dglh]

So, Rainbow Loom, then....

I went to a preschool open day today. They talked about how they don't believe in giving little kids iPads. We like them already (though for the tuition cost I could buy a lot of bloody iPads).

[Incandenza]

So, Rainbow Loom, then....

God, I can't imagine preschool costs in NYC. Some of the places here in Santa Monica are crazy enough. What are the times like, dglh? Morning? Afternoon?

[caja-dglh]

So, Rainbow Loom, then....

Mornings. Like 9-12. Two or three days a week for two year olds, then full week at three.

It is not cheap, though the place is ridiculous. Also we are not in NYC any more so applying and sending kids to a preschool is actually feasible (apparently they had someone who had just experienced a call from a woman who was 2 months pregnant and wanted to get their kid on the waitlist... had to explain it is a little different here).

That said the school is in a Greenwich / New Canaan / Darien accessible pocket. Which is like the trifecta of rich folks in Fairfield County, Connecticut.

Sorry - this is mundane thread III, isn't it?

[WOM]

So, Rainbow Loom, then....

No, this is about multicolour elastic bands woven into jewellery. We're flexible, but we'll snap eventually...

[Vicarious Thrillseeker]

So, Rainbow Loom, then....

Not sure about Japan, but they are Big in Kenya. We have bands everywhere; some have been requisitioned and are now holding my satchel strap together. They are also good for pinging at small animals when they are not looking.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

So, Rainbow Loom, then....

I have this joy to look forward to, it is Thing Two's birthday next week and one of these contraptions is top of her list of present requests.

[ad hoc]

So, Rainbow Loom, then....

I have no idea what this is, which sounds like a good thing. I won't reveal it's existence to my kids anyway.

In other positive news, pre-school is free in Romania, and you can have a morning programme or all day.

[hobbes]

So, Rainbow Loom, then....

Very sensible.

The tiger cub started nursery last week. £225/week.
That's one of the cheaper ones (although very good indeed.)

The cheapest was £200/week. The most expensive £370/week.
We looked at them all, We honestly couldn't see where the extra £150/week was supposed to have gone.

P met someone ages ago who sent their child to the expensive one. "Why did you pick that one?" she asked.
"Because it was the most expensive so it must be the best." was the reply.
the actual best on was £300/week. But it wasn't £75/week better than the one we sent him to.

He loves it, by the way. And it's run by the local community centre/action group so it won't disappear overnight like a friend's kids' nursery and it feels like they're doing some good generally.

[steveeeeeeeee]

So, Rainbow Loom, then....

225 quid a week?

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

So, Rainbow Loom, then....

Quite a lot of people do get childcare free, if they're on tax credits (to ad hoc, in comparison to Romania's eligatarian system). The ones who don't are either deemed too rich (which actually pisses me off, as the "too rich" limit is not actually that much at all) or not working, which seems a real catch 22 - if you're not working, you can't claim the credits to afford to put the kids into the childcare you need to start work in order to, er, claim the credits to ...

[hobbes]

So, Rainbow Loom, then....

You're not wrong, Steveeeeee.
It's still a lot more affordable than either of us giving up work.
And if one of us went part time we'd lose more than we gained and we'd have to move out of town. Which would mean the one who worked full time would never see him because of the commute.
Now I can see him in the morning, take him to nursery, P can pick him up and I'm still home in time to play with him for an hour then bath him and put him to bed.
On the plus side, when he hits 3 we get 15 hours a week free. Awesome.