Are you getting ready to head back to work and feeling anxious about finding the right childcare for your family?
First of all, you should know that every family’s needs and priorities are different with regard to when and if they choose to stay home with their child or children part-time, full-time, or enter full time child care. There is no one right way, however, there are some factors that are worth considering and discussing with your family…
1. Daycare Centers
Daycare centers have the advantage of being regulated by the state, therefore, they have specific child to staff ratios and training requirements including CPR and First Aid. As daycare centers need to be audited, you can find real time information on complaints and audits online. Many centers also offer regular training for their staff and different rooms depending on the age of the child allowing for socialization and specific program goals based on developmental level. Daycare centers often have a long waitlist, so you may need to sign up as early as when you find out you are pregnant. They can be costly, and may only offer full-time slots. Daycare centers may have more children in a room than other child care settings which may limit individualized attention or cuddles.
2. Family Home Daycare
Family home daycares may also be regulated by the state, but often have fewer restrictive policies than daycare centers and may allow children to be cuddled and given more one on one attention due to smaller staff to child ratios. On the other hand, less regulations may mean that children do not have the benefit of a structured program for education. Children may vary in age which can be valuable in that children learn from one another, yet may also make it more challenging to maintain relationships with same aged peers. They tend to be significantly cheaper than daycare centers. It may be more challenging to find family home daycares for full-time childcare. Family home daycares are run out of the home, so there is the potential for more risk if the home is not kept up to child proofing safety standards. Similar to Daycare centers, family home daycares often require regular inspections and the reports of audits and complaints can be found online.
3. In Home Nanny
Having a nanny can be advantageous in that the childcare is provided in your home which leaves you the option of checking in on your child and the nanny throughout the day if you have the flexibility. It also gives you the peace of mind that the childproofing is up to your personal standards. Having daycare out of your home may also be challenging if you work from home and need quiet to work or are concerned about whether or not you can trust your nanny to respect your belongings. Nannies are not regulated by the state often, so background checks and references are your primary source for information on the quality of your nanny. Nannies tend to be more expensive than daycare centers, but often provide the best staff to child ratio. If you are concerned about the cost, a nanny share with another family may be another option to help reduce rates and increase your child’s opportunity for socialization. Nannies may offer additional services such as cleaning and meal preparation.
Please note that these pros and cons describe general expectations and not every program is the same. I encourage you to create a list of questions to ask your child care provider when considering what kind of childcare is best for your family.
