This article was written by our guest writer Rebecca Smith. In addition to being a blog contributor, Rebecca holds many important titles. She is a veteran, military spouse, and mom to two girls.
Have you ever struggled to find child care so that you could go to a medical appointment? If so, keep reading!
I’m sure that this is a challenge for many parents, but it is especially tricky for military families. We generally don’t live near extended family and are continuously rebuilding support networks due to frequent moves.
Enter the Armed Services YMCA Children’s Waiting Room! This program provides no-cost childcare at installation clinics while a parent is at a medical appointment. Yes, you read that right – no cost and on site. This program was my lifeline while we were stationed at Fort Cavazos, TX. It helped me take care of myself, especially during pregnancy, so that I could take care of my family. The Armed Services YMCA mission is “to improve the lives of military members and their families by providing programs and services that address the unique challenges of military life.” The Children’s Waiting Room is a wonderful embodiment of that.
Is this program available at my installation? I learned the hard way that this great program is not available everywhere. I used it regularly in Killeen, TX (both on-post and off-post locations), but I realized when we moved to Georgia that it is not available here. The ASYMCA Children’s Waiting Room is currently available at the following installations. Click on the individual links for more specific information.
● Armed Services YMCA Alaska: Eielson Air Force Base; Joint Base Elmendorf-
Richardson; Fort Wainwright
● Armed Services YMCA El Paso: William Beaumont Army Medical Center East Clinic;
Hugo V. Mendoza Soldier Family Care Center
● Armed Services YMCA Fort Liberty: Cohen Clinic
● Armed Services YMCA Fort Campbell: Blanchfield Army Community Hospital; Byrd
Clinic
● Armed Services YMCA Hawaii: Schofield Army Medical Clinic
● Armed Services YMCA Killeen: Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center at Fort Hood;
ASYMCA Killeen Family Center, Copperas Cove; ASYMCA Killeen Program Center,
Harker Heights
● Armed Services YMCA San Diego: Naval Medical Center San Diego; referral required.
What age does the Children’s Waiting Room accept?
This varies by location, but most accept children from 6 weeks to 12 years.
How long can my child stay at the Children’s Waiting Room?
Most locations offer two hours of child care.
Who is eligible to use this service?
Active duty service members and their dependents with ID may use this service. Some locations may provide services to veterans as well.
Do I have to be a YMCA member?
Nope!
Do I need to make a reservation?
Yes – reservations are strongly advised or required and can generally be made via phone.
If you are at one of the locations listed above and need child care so you can attend medical appointments, I strongly urge you to consider the Children’s Waiting Room. It has been a tremendous help to our family in the early years, and I hope it will be helpful to yours too.
