"It's incredibly hard once your children reach school age," says Parmer. "Care options are so limited, and you have to deal with older children's beliefs that they are old enough to manage on their own."

Parmer is fortunate to live in Auburn, where a special summer program targets adolescents between 10 and 14. Her 11-year old daughter is enrolled in the Bridges program and will spend the summer with many of her friends from school.

Her son will divide his time between a half-day summer session of preschool and an in-home sitter.

A family and child development specialist with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System says finding care for children during the summer break is one of the more stressful issues parents face at this time of year.

"Parents are worried about summer care," says Ellen Abell. "Parents want to find care for their children that is safe, fun and affordable. Their options can be very limited, particularly in small towns and the rural portions of the state."

"The stress is compounded by young adolescents who are convinced they are too old for a babysitter."

Abell says care options range from allowing a child to spend part or all day unsupervised to enrolling them in full-day programs, such as the Bridges program.

But even if preteens are responsible and mature for their age, the self-care option is challenging for parents in a number of ways.

"Self-care can work for some parents and children. But it's hard on parents because it requires regular, sometimes daily planning. Issues such as safety and communications will have to be addressed frequently."

If parents choose to hire in-home caregivers, they face other worries. How old should the caregiver be? Will they be allowed to drive the children to activities? Do they check in with parents during the day?

Selecting a full day program has its concerns as well. What training do the caregivers have? Is the curriculum fun and entertaining as well as educational? Will my child fit in?

"It's a hard decision for many parents," says Abell. "The difficulty is often compounded by lack of options and the parents' financial resources."

Abell says for most families, the most successful option may be a combination of several care approaches.

More and more schools, even in smaller towns in the state, offer some type of summer enrichment activity, she points out. Parents may be able to combine these kinds of programs with either in-home care by a family member, such as a grandparent, or a hired caregiver.

"By working some variety into a child's summer, it reduces the potential for boredom. It may also boost parent's confidence in their decisions about summer care."

Parmer acknowledges the Bridges program does a great job of meeting her needs for her daughter.

Abell says more communities in Alabama need quality summer programs like Bridges.

"Community and business leaders need to take a serious look at the needs working families have for child care, especially for school-age children during out-of-school time," says Abell. "If not for the benefit of their employees and their employees’ children, for their own economic interests. Parents who are not worried about their children are more productive at work."