Working mom/Daycare families

[honeybee434]

So we will need to put LO in a "real" daycare when she turns one. (SIL watches her right now if both DH and I are working). We have an in-home option (possibly) in our neighborhood, or a daycare center that has come highly recommended about 7ish minutes from our house. Do any of you recommend one over the other? I was instantly wanting in-home, but the more I think about it I wonder if a center would be better for us.

DH often has weekdays as his days "off", and on days he does he may have to be at work at 7, 10, 12 or 3 depending on what his schedule is for the week. I leave the house at 7:15 and get home around 5:20 M-F. I realize we will now have to pay for the whole week regardless of when she is there, but I'm thinking that a daycare center may be a lot better with the flexibility of hours than an in-home person who is trying to probably stay on a schedule. I know a lot of facilities will have a period from like 10-2 when you can't drop off or pick up, but that wouldn't really be too much of an issue for us. I don't want to take her to daycare if she can be home with one of her parents. And it would also be nice for DH to be able to drop her off for a half day on his day off to run errands and actually get some house items fixed that we want done.

Any suggestions from anyone?

[jnnfrrose6]

We're in a center and never considered in home. I went to a center and met my best friend (seriously, I've known her since we were 6 months old) so that's the experience I wanted for my kids. Just be sure with your slightly inconsistent schedule they aren't going to have issues with it. Ours is pretty non-flexible with it, but that isn't an issue since I drop off at 7 and pick up between 4-5.

[honeybee434]

Mar 2, 2015 20:13:21 GMT -5 jnnfrrose6 said:

We're in a center and never considered in home. I went to a center and met my best friend (seriously, I've known her since we were 6 months old) so that's the experience I wanted for my kids. Just be sure with your slightly inconsistent schedule they aren't going to have issues with it. Ours is pretty non-flexible with it, but that isn't an issue since I drop off at 7 and pick up between 4-5.

Do they have specific drop off and pick up times? I'm not quite sure what to do with our schedule being non traditional. :/

[jnnfrrose6]

Ours is just less flexible on the part time options. I'd think as long as you're paying for the full week (which you said you'd have to) and can give them some heads up on the schedule on drop off (more than 24 hours notice) they'll be ok. Also, if you're paying for the full day anyways (and your husband is the kind of guy who would do it) it may make sense to drop your LO of at a more regular time, even on days he goes in later, so your husband can take care of things around the home that are harder to do with a kid in tow.

[lucanjo14]

DS goes to a daycare center on the days I work; I have a non traditional schedule too. He's there 2-3 days a week depending on the week, usually dropped off around 10, and my DH picks him up by 6. I only send him on the days I work-if I'm home I'd rather have him with me. We do pay for 5 days a week though, which stinks but only until he's 2, then he can go part time. At his age now they are flexible with when we drop off, and if I get called in to work sometimes he goes earlier or later. They did mention when he gets older they'd rather it be at a more consistent time because they start to do a curriculum. I don't have any experience with in home daycare, we just knew a center felt right for us.

[jnnfrrose6]

I will add that our center also has a curriculum that I really like. I don't know how in home centers run and if they have anything similar, but that was also a big factor for choosing a center.

[ladytiffany24]

I know that from my research daycares were a little more strict with their schedules than my in-home options were. But I'm sure it depends on the daycare center.

My DD has been with an in-home provider since she was 3 months old and we LOVE it. Her sitter is so good with her. She learns, she plays, she interacts with other kids still which are all things I wanted for my DD. Of course you can get all of that with a daycare, but I like that DD gets more one-on-one attention and doesn't deal with as many germs as a daycare center.

I would just do your due diligence with research. Find out the daycare center's policies and also the policies of the in-home person. Ultimately, it's going to come down to what works best for your family. And every family is different. The in-home option was the best choice for us personally.


Edit: Just wanted to add...my in-home sitter has a curriculum that she has in place. She used to be an in-home provider on a military base before she moved here so she had to have a curriculum, healthy food options, all kinds of certifications, etc. Not all in-homes do though. So if that's important to you, you'll definitely want to find out if the in-home option has it. If not, daycare center may be a better choice for you.

[bullybutt]

My kiddos are in an IHDC. DS was in a center when I first returned to work with him and I HATED IT! He constantly had diaper rash, he had double ear infections, 2 bouts of RSV, in just a matter of a few months. I got laid off from work and stayed at home with him for the next 5 months. He went to an IHDC after that. I felt more comfortable with him getting a little more 1 on 1 time and less susceptible to germs/bugs. His current INDC lady is like a grandma to them and she runs a pretty tight ship. They both seem to be thriving and she is extremely flexible with drop off/pickups. She is DHS certified and charges less than DCCs. I like the mix of older/younger kids as well. She has a max limit of 5 kids, but typically has 4.

[ursula]

I use a IHDC for my J-14 baby and a daycare/preschool for my J-11 3 year old

Drop off and pick up times are flexible for both, but each has a specific time that is the earliest and latest

IHDC 7am-5pm
Daycare 6:30a-6pm

Lots of my friend's husband's work shift work, so their "off" days are during the week. They like IHDC because they can tell our provider that "this week, Frankie will be here Tues, Wed & Thurs" So they guarantee a minimum of 3 days a week, but some weeks it could be 5 (as long as the provider has space).

I love the environment of an IHDC. My 3 year old went there until she turned 3. Due to how inconvenient the IHDC location is, my 8 month old will only go there until she's 2. Also, the 5pm pick up time is super inconvenient for my husband and I since we both, normally work until 5pm so it takes some tricky scheduling to make pick ups happen. I love the attention and care the IHDC provider gives, I love the minimal germ exposure, and I love the other parents that also chose the same IHDC.

Mine is completely off the books, and unlicensed, however I've known the girl who runs it since we were 10 years old. When our core group of friends started having kids 6 years ago, she quit her job and watches our children full time. Her business has spread beyond our core group of 5 women, but each family that has come in has been amazing.

The pros of the formal daycare setting to me are more flexible hours during an individual day. Back up plans if teachers are sick, arts/crafts, and food is provided. Although with my older one, I really liked providing the food myself because it gave me control over what she was eating.

[mary1217]

DD has gone to an in home daycare since week 8. We love it. She only has 3 other kids besides dd, there is a one year old a two year old and a three year old. So dd gets tons of attention. She had two other girls who just started preschool this year and I met them both when we were there interviewing her and they both seemed very smart and loved her. Our dcp loves on dd like she was her own. The only down side is her days off or if she is sick then I have to find alternate care (she shut down for a week at Christmas). So that was definitely something to consider.

[dawnfire]

We do DC. They seem pretty flexible schedule-wise, but your mileage may vary depending on policies. We drop LO off anywhere from 7:45-8:30 am and when I pick him up it's around 6:15. But sometime my mom picks him up, so it can be as early as 3:00pm. They don't mind so long as the person getting LO has permission. (We had to give them the names of anyone who may pick him up, and then when they come they have to show their drivers license and I think the DC makes a copy of it.)

I kind of wish I could find a DC or IHDC that allows pick up past 6:30, because most nights I'm having to speed since I don't get off work till 6:00 pm. So I definitely understand the non-traditional schedule, that makes it rough!

[oldwheeze]

DS has been in a small DC since he was 2 months old. I love it.

Their hours are 6:30-6 with flexible drop-off/pick up. They do want heads up if something changes from the "norm". You pay for the whole month regardless of how many days you miss. My provider does allow teachers to "take off" for the summer without any penalty or spot-holding fee.

There are two teachers in the baby room and 9 babies (aged 7months to 18months currently). Since the schedule time is flexible, there are usually 3-6 babies there at a time. Some parents are only mornings, some are only afternoons, some MWF, etc. I feel like DS gets less germ exposure and more attention because of this, but still has the benefit of socializing and learning from the older babies.

[sararl07]

My husband and I have flexible schedules and DD gets dropped off at different times and her DC doesn't care. One reason I choice DC is sick days...an in home one what is her plan? In DC there are other employees that can sub in that room and daycare isn't cancelled and hopefully the bug isn't passed around. I also really like the curriculum and how there wouldn't be a TV on in the back ground. lasty there are web cameras I am able to log on to and view dd at any time at her dc

[soon2bmrsn]

We've always used centers and have never even considered in home care. Just a few of the pluses of centers: they can't call you and say they're sick, little to no screen/TV time, structured curriculum, background checks for employees, cameras in the classroom, etc.

I've never heard of a daycare that doesn't allow pick-up/drop-off between 10 and 2. Is this a thing elsewhere?

[bullybutt]

Mar 3, 2015 12:27:39 GMT -5 oldwheeze said:

DS has been in a small DC since he was 2 months old. I love it.

Their hours are 6:30-6 with flexible drop-off/pick up. They do want heads up if something changes from the "norm". You pay for the whole month regardless of how many days you miss. My provider does allow teachers to "take off" for the summer without any penalty or spot-holding fee.

There are two teachers in the baby room and 9 babies (aged 7months to 18months currently). Since the schedule time is flexible, there are usually 3-6 babies there at a time. Some parents are only mornings, some are only afternoons, some MWF, etc. I feel like DS gets less germ exposure and more attention because of this, but still has the benefit of socializing and learning from the older babies.

THERE YOU ARE..>SHIT!

[stellabunny]

I really like my daycare. If one of the teachers gets sick, there is always someone there to cover it. If someone wants to go on vacation, the daycare stays open. I like the curriculum at DD's daycare and she gets plenty of interaction with adults and other babies. Mine doesn't have any strict pick-up or drop-off times. If I'm coming in later than usual or not at all I'll call them so they don't worry though.

[honeybee434]

Thank you, everyone, for your replies!! A lot of them give me things to think about that I had never really considered before. Definitely some new research for me to do and questions to ask!

[oldwheeze]

Lol I have been taking a break from my phone. I gave myself 15 minutes per day for PB/FB/IG. Crazy, I know.