The "Simple" Search for Sitters

I am stuck. Almost literally. Since we got back from China, I've been scrambling week to week to get babysitters lined up for when I'm in class. Usually I end up calling on a friend who I know can back me up in a pinch, but after two weeks it's time to no longer be in a pinch.

The problem: We have no income.

If I had $1,000 a month to drop on childcare, my life would be so much easier. Of course a lot of things would be easier if I had that kind of money. Someone told me about the Illinois Child Care Assistance Program, which sounds so providential, but I can't seem to apply unless I have a caregiver lined up, and in any case need the assistance, like, now, so that doesn't really help. I'd like to go out on a limb and just hire someone and apply. I wouldn't mind paying for a few weeks, but what happens when evil bureaucracy slows down my application or even denies it?

I've tried finding someone among my friends to help out, but 95% of my unemployed friends are students at North Park, which is 20 minutes to a 1 1/2 hours from our apartment, depending on traffic. All of Meng's friends are full-time med students or young professionals, so that rules out most of his contacts and that leaves us with...

Taking her to class. That's not something I've had to do yet, but it's getting more and more likely that it's going to happen. On Wednesday. Unless I can find someone to babysit. So if you know someone who can come to my house (in Pilsen) and babysit, please please please send them my way.

Having emptied my brain of this issue, I am going to attempt to finish my homework.