After finding out you are pregnant there are so many important decisions to be made in a short amount of time. Some parents are able to stay home with their child for the first couple of years but most parents, due to financial needs, they will need to go back to work after the normal 6 weeks you will get off for maternity leave if not sooner. Whether you choose a formal child-care center, family day care, or in-home care, there are some basic things you should know and insist upon before coming to a decision.

 

Comparing Your Options: The Advantages and Disadvantages

 

Daycare Center

Depending on whether you live in the suburbs or you live in the city, daycare can average between $384 to $1,564 PER month. One of the great things about choosing a daycare is that a lot of them do take state assistance. Since child care can be expensive, state child care subsidy programs help eligible families with children pay child care costs.

Pros

  • More affordable than nanny care
  • Reliable (won’t call in sick)
  • Kids socialize with other children of same or other age groups
  • Staff members are trained in early childhood education, most licensed and regulated

Cons

  • Caregivers care for more than one child; recommended ratios are typically 1 to 3 for babies, 1 to 4 for toddlers, but requirements vary from state to state
  • Centers that care for infants can be hard to find — or full
  • Kids get sick more often in group care
  • Most centers won’t provide care for sick children
  • Closed during most holidays
  • Rigid pickup and drop-off times, hard in the city to find parking anywhere for drop off
  • Most daycares end at 3:30 which means more money out of pocket for after care

Home Daycare

When you choose to send your child to home daycare it can average from $300 to $1000 a month for babies and toddlers and $315 to $956 a month for preschoolers.

Pros

  • Nurturing, homelike atmosphere
  • Smaller groups of children than at large daycare centers
  • Less expensive than most other childcare
  • Kids socialize with children in the same and other age groups
  • Usually more flexible pickup and drop-off times than a center

Cons

  • May not have backup if provider gets sick
  • Kids get sick more often in group care
  • Many providers don’t have formal schooling in early childhood education
  • No caregiver supervision
  • Less stringent licensing requirements
  • Closed for holidays and vacations

Nanny

Choosing a nanny for your child is definitely the most expensive option and will range from $500 to $700 a week ($2,167 to $3,033 a month); live-in nannies usually receive a bit less but you will have to pay for all of their live in costs as well.

Pros

  • More personalized attention
  • In-home care is more convenient than out-of-home care
  • More flexible than daycare and home daycare centers
  • Children stay in familiar surroundings

Cons

  • Most expensive childcare option
  • No nanny supervision
  • Playtime with other children must be specially arranged, either by you or the nanny
  • Extensive paperwork and taxes
  • Can leave you in the lurch if she quits, becomes sick, or is otherwise unavailable

What to look for in Choosing the Right Daycare

Research tells us that our children’s healthy development depends on safe and positive experiences during the first few years of life. If you are a parent who works during these early years, choosing good child care is one of the most important decisions you will ever make for your child. We wanted to outline the basic essentials you should look forward before making the final decision on which day care you will be sending your child to.

Schedule

  • What days is the school closed for holidays/ special events?
  • Do they offer early care/ late care? What is the additional expense?
  • How long is nap time and when is it scheduled for?
  • Do they provide lunch and what time is it?

Supervision

  • Are children supervised at all times, even when they are sleeping?
  • How do the caregivers discipline children?

 Handwashing and Diapering

  • Do all caregivers and children wash their hands often, especially before eating and after using the bathroom or changing diapers?
  • Is the place where diapers are changed clean?
  • Do they work with your child through the potty training stages?
  • How many times a day do they change your child?

Lead Teacher Qualifications

  • Does the lead teacher in a child care center have a bachelor’s degree in a child-related field?
  • Has the teacher worked in child care for at least one year?
  • Does the teacher give children lessons and toys that are right for their ages?

Child:Staff Ratio and Group Size

  • How many children are being cared for in the child care program?
  • How many caregivers are there?
  • Teacher to child ratio varies from state to state but usually it should be no matter than 1:4 for infants and 1:5 for toddlers

Immunizations

  • Does the daycare require your child up-to-date on all of the required immunizations?
  • Does the child care program have records proving that the other children in care are up-to-date on all their required immunizations?

Emergency Plan

  • Does the child care program have an emergency plan if a child is injured, sick, or lost?
  • Does the child care program have first-aid kits?
  • Does the child care program have information about who to contact in an emergency?

Medications/Staff Training/First Aid

  • Does the child care program keep medication out of reach from children?
  • Are the caregivers trained and the medications labeled to make sure the right child gets the right amount of the right medication at the right time?
  • Have caregivers been trained how to keep children healthy and safe from injury and illness?
  • Do they know how to do first aid and rescue breathing?
  • Have they been trained to understand and meet the needs of children of different ages?

Playgrounds

  • Is the playground regularly inspected for safety?
  • Is the playground surrounded by a fence?
  • Is equipment the right size and type for the age of children who use it?

No matter what choice you do make, it is important to remember that you are still your child’s essential caregiver and the most consistent source of love and support in her life. Under your care and guidance, along with the help of your well-chosen caregivers, your baby will flourish and grow into a happy, healthy child!