[Dia0624]

Hi Everyone,

I'm going to be a first time mom in October and I need to figure out daycare options for my little on. I am taking a tour with Building Blocks soon, but was wondering if anyone else has any recommendations for a daycare they really like in Stamford, CT. I cannot afford Bright Horizons as I have read their tuition is insanely high.

Do most people hire a nanny or use a daycare? Does anyone do nanny share? I have no idea how hiring a nanny works. Are you supposed to hire them from a company, are they supposed to have certifications of some kind, tax related issues, can you use someone you know who is not a nanny just an experience mother, etc. From my search hiring a nanny is way more expensive than day care and more of a headache and sort of worrisome leaving a newborn with one. So if any of you experienced moms or dads have any advice for me, it will be great!

Thanks in advance!

[Mike 75]

We use a nanny although we have many friends who use daycare. It really depends on your situation. Both my wife and I work and our schedules can be a little unpredictable and having a nanny gives us flexibility with our schedules that we would not necessarily have with day care. If your work schedule is more static then daycare may be a better option. Its certainly cheaper.

We've had two nannies and been very lucky with both of them. We used a web based service that matches nannies with families. Both have been very personable, loving and responsible. Our current nanny has been with us for over five years and is like a member of our family.

[JayCT]

Congratulations. Get ready for the most wonderful ride of your life. It is good that you are being proactive because daycare is so important and at such a premium, you can never start looking too early.

We went with a commercial daycare, We did not want a live-in nanny like some people we know had. Our neighbors did the nanny route, hiring nannies from Europe through an agency in Greenwich/Stamford. Because nannies from abroad can only work for so long, they went through a couple of nannies over the years. These were young college age girls who came here to go to school part-time and work as a nanny the rest. They had one great nanny but then two problem ones. The problem ones were such that one was not reliable and was fired and sent back to Europe. The other got herself into a very difficult situation at the college she attended. Suddenly they had to deal with a problem of a teenager who was not their own child. It was a very difficult situation for them.

The reason we did a regular daycare was that we wanted reliable daycare. In a commercial daycare, there is a staff of people to care for your child. Rarely are kids left alone with one care provider and when one gets sick, there is another to fill in for them. With homecare this is not always the case. Also we knew our kids were not being plopped in front of a TV set all day and that they got regular activity and exercise. The clincher for us was that the head caregiver for the infant room was a 20 year veteran at the facility which is something you do not find at any daycare period.

I cannot give you recommendations for daycares in the Stamford area but would suggest you visit and talk to several. Also ask coworkers for recommendations. Ask to see the resumes of the staff and look for ones that the staff has been at the facility for more than a couple of months. Try and stop at these places in the middle of the day unannounced to see what is going on. Check out the infant room and see what it looks like. Good luck, Jay

[Dia0624]

Thanks for your responses. Yes that's the thing with nannies, if they are sick or out for what ever reason it can become a headache to find a replacement. We have a set work schedule for the most part so daycare would work out for us hopefully. We just moved to Stamford a few months ago so we are still learning about the area. I work in the city, so no help from co workers there. I just hope to find a good one in our budget.

[JayCT]

See if they can put your name on the waiting list as soon as possible. Maybe even consider doing that at a couple of places. Jay

[Mike 75]

Originally Posted by Dia0624

Thanks for your responses. Yes that's the thing with nannies, if they are sick or out for what ever reason it can become a headache to find a replacement. We have a set work schedule for the most part so daycare would work out for us hopefully. We just moved to Stamford a few months ago so we are still learning about the area. I work in the city, so no help from co workers there. I just hope to find a good one in our budget.

Remember that if your child is sick they will not let them into daycare for that day and you will need to take the day off or find a back up. My company offers emergency back up care for just such an emergency. We use it if our nanny is out sick. Check with you employer to see if they offer this. It's a great benefit.