As the Bellevue School District teacher’s strike rolled through its first week, parents turned to each other and outside sources for help with daycare.

Moms Debby Parkin, Charmaine Graham and Kris Holmberg, who each have children enrolled at Cherry Crest Elementary, have it figured out in their neighborhood.

Parkin and Graham, both homemakers, said if there’s anyone in their neighborhood who needs help finding someone to watch their children, they know to call them.

“I’m at home and I could always add more,” said Parkin, who has children in kindergarten, third and fourth grades, during a school picket Tuesday afternoon in front of Cherry Crest.

Holmberg, who works outside the home and has an older child to watch her youngest daughter, said within her neighborhood parents are sharing childcare and “kids are coming over to houses and they’re doing a normal summer just like they were last week. It’s a good community here.”

Other parents haven’t been as fortunate.

Robin Haaseth, public information officer for Bellevue Parks and Community Services, heard of one parent who just started a new job and needed daycare this week for a child with special needs.

“The parent didn’t have sick leave or time accumulated to be off of work, so they were grateful that Crossroads Community Center opened,” Haaseth said.

To help parents who need outside support, the city of Bellevue is providing childcare help at various sites, including Crossroads that opened its doors Thursday and took in four children that day.

Other sites include the Bellevue Boys and Girls Club expanded day camp that opened at South Bellevue Community Center, where 60 children were signed up for care this week as a result of the strike, and Kelsey Creek Community Farm Park where three children were enrolled this week.

The standard rate at each of the sites is $40 per day and scholarships are available.

Haaseth added that the city is not sure what the demands will be next week, but several parents have said they are waiting to enroll their children until then to see if the strike continues.

Keri Stout, executive director of the Bellevue Family YMCA, has seen the same delay.

“Calls have been picking up each day as parents are starting to realize this won’t be a one or two day strike,” she said. “We expect (next week) to get pretty hectic.”

The Bellevue YMCA has about 75 spots available per day for its “strike camp,” which is taking in students ages 6-12 for $50 per day. This week, about 10 kids registered for the camp.

“This week just seems to be the week that families are sorting it out,” said Brent Christie, executive director of the Jubilee Reach Center, where 20 additional kids enrolled this week because of the school strike. “We heard of families taking children to aunts and uncles in Renton and Seattle … and we expect numbers in attendance and the need will increase next week.”

The center’s priority this week has been for families in the Lake Hills community, however Christie expects daycare to open up next week to other schools, including Stevenson and Phantom Lake elementary.

As the strike continues, Jubilee Reach Center is set to bring in 50 children per day. Enrollment is free.

In addition, the center is working with area churches to assist families with church space and resources if the need continues.

Carrie Wood can be reached at cwood@reporternewspapers.com or 425-453-4290.

For daycare registration information, call 425-452-4240