Comments | merina888: APO National Convention

merina888

APO National Convention

Aug 30, 2008 21:34

So I visited the APO National Convention website because I was curious about cost. At this point, it does not appear that we will be attending unless something changes drastically in our finances. The Convention is cost prohibitive at this point. The hotel rate is $104 plus tax per night. And yes I realize that it's Boston at a Sheraton. Most ( Read more... )

Comments 18

purplelover13 August 31 2008, 02:32:50 UTC

What are the babysitting rates? I'm kinda glad I went on my own and made my own arrangements. I'm lucky to have good friends who live just outside Boston and they're letting Aaden and I stay there instead of the hotel, plus offered their own babysitter when I need one if they're not home. I offered to watch their kids in return if they help with Aaden if I'm around when they're not.

merina888 August 31 2008, 03:20:54 UTC

Dec. 28:

Ages 1 & 2 9:30 AM - 2:00 PM @ $55.00, 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM @ $80.00, 5:30 PM - 9:30 PM @ $50.00

Ages 3-12 9:30 AM - 2:00 PM @ $45.00, 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM @ $65.00, 5:30 PM - 9:30 PM @ $40.00

Ages 13 - up 9:30 AM - 2:00 PM @ $25.00, 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM @ $30.00, 5:30 PM - 9:30 PM @ $30.00

That's just the first day. It's similar for following days. To me that's outrageous! We priced daycares around here and few were more than $35 a day.

purplelover13 August 31 2008, 03:24:49 UTC

Holy crap! Even for Aaden who's 8 it's rediculous...$65 a day??? For a full day??? WTF are they thinking?

merina888 August 31 2008, 20:50:52 UTC

My thoughts exactly. If we go to convention, my in-laws are attending as well so I'll have access to free childcare. Not that I could take advantage of that Childcare since my son will only be 5 months old.

Thread 5

tflyon August 31 2008, 14:14:04 UTC

if you like I can bring your concerns to the planning committee. I am not really that involved in the child care part of the planning, but I think that much of the cost is to defer the cost of supplies like food and toys.

if I may ask, what do you think would be a reasonable amount to pay for child care at convention? you may well be the first of many people being turned away by child care costs, and it is my duty to try to make the convention the best, most well attended convention ever.

ka3ytl August 31 2008, 17:27:19 UTC

It's also an outside corporation doing the babysitting. It's not brothers. I think that the expectation was that brothers were going to be volunteering their time at Nationals to watch children of other brothers so while there would be a charge it would be minimal and you could drop them off for a couple of hours at a time rather than a long stretch.

Is there going to be a "children's room" similar to what was at Nationals '06 in Louisville?

tflyon August 31 2008, 19:57:02 UTC

I will look into it.

I thought that the childcare was the children's room, and the cost was for supplies. if there is going to be an outside group doing the childcare, then this group might not want the competition. again this is not my specialty but I can ask at the next meeting.

merina888 August 31 2008, 20:42:46 UTC

I don't know what the going rate in Boston is, but in my area, such charges would put a professional daycare out of business. The going rate here is about $35 a day and that's not for a private sitter, but for an actual daycare center that must pay utilities, employees, supplies and cost of food.

Thread 13