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During the school year:[LIST=1][*]What service do you have? Before-school care (only for my youngest child now)[*]How much do you pay? $240/month [*]How did you find it? It is offered through the school[*]How did you end up selecting it? I hated the in-home daycare I was using, and switched to the school-based one as soon as two spots opened up[*]Any misc other benefits it includes? Breakfast, craft projects, special guests once per quarter[*]Is it worth it? Yes[*]Anything else worth mentioning?[/LIST]
During the summer:[LIST=1][*]What service do you have? Day camp[*]How much do you pay? $900/week (for 2 kids)[*]How did you find it? I drive past it every day on the way to work[*]How did you end up selecting it? They had great reviews, and were also one of the few camps that didn't charge an arm and a leg for before and after care[*]Any misc other benefits it includes? Swimming lessons, sports clinics, a hands-on science lesson each week[*]Is it worth it? Every. Penny.[*]Anything else worth mentioning? It can be quite expensive, but IMO it is worth choosing a day camp over in-home daycare. My kids were miserable and bored last summer, but this year they are having a blast because camp is designed with big kids in mind. [/LIST]
My son is 14 now, so some of these are answers from the past
What service do you have?
I used daycare centers. My preference was for independent or small chains rather than larger commercial chains. I liked that I knew and could talk to the owner directly if I had any concerns.
How much do you pay?
So many variables based on location and age of the child. I happened to live in two of the most expensive cities for childcare - Boston and Denver (which is surprisingly high on the list, more than it's overall cost of living would indicate). This summer, with a 14 year old, he's only doing a few weeks of more specialized camps but they are pricey - about $400-500 per week! (that is why he's only doing a few weeks, but he's really enjoying the ones he's doing)
How did you find it?
For my first center, starting when my son was 12 weeks old, I used the EAP at my employer when I was pregnant and got some helpful recommendations, along with doing my own research. I liked NAEYC accredited centers as they had more stringent standards than state licensing requirements in some cases. After he had been in daycare for a couple of years, I was comfortable doing the research and making decisions about a new center when we moved out of state.
How did you end up selecting it?
Did research and ultimately went with my gut in terms of whether it "felt" right to me.
Any misc other benefits it includes?
I looked for centers that provided all meals and snacks. That was HUGE to not have to worry about that every day. When he was 5 to 8, he went to summer camp at the same location and they had a pool where I could pay extra for private swimming lessons. I was very happy to do that for safety reasons without it having to be something I had to fit into my own schedule.
Is it worth it?
As opposed to not being able to work and earn a living to support me and my kid (single mom here)? Um, yes. But yes, except for a brief time when he was 2 (tough age no matter what) he generally enjoyed daycare and summer camp.
Anything else worth mentioning?
Try to find something that seems good but know it's not a permanent decision and you can always change your mind and switch to a different place if what you picked ends up not feeling like a good fit.
I looked for centers that provided all meals and snacks. That was HUGE to not have to worry about that every day.
Co-signed! I didn’t purchase the lunch and snack plan because it was $8/pay per kid; seriously, I can feed a gorilla for $8/day. Consequently, I’m up at 5:30 every morning packing lunches, and having to stop back at the grocery store again halfway through the week.
What service do you have? We have a nanny
How much do you pay? $17/ hr - we do 6 hours a day, so about $500 a week / $2200 a month
How did you find it? I looked at at both daycares and private nannies on a few childcare websites and facebook groups
How did you end up selecting it? The cost savings of putting her in daycare wasn't worth the convenience of a nanny for us... especially since she's getting 1:1 attention, not getting germs from other kids when she's so little, and most importantly we end up getting more time with her
Any misc other benefits it includes? Hubby and I both work from home, so we get to keep an eye on everything that's going on. We end up spending more time with her since we've staggered our work days (hubby starts work a little late so spends time with her in AM, and I wrap up a little early so I have her in the afternoon). It's nice not having to stick her somewhere for 8 hours a day + commute time
Is it worth it? Yep - expensive but totally worth it
Anything else worth mentioning? Once she's older, we'll probably keep the nanny and put her in part time daycare/ preschool so she can socialize with other kiddos. Best of both worlds.
1. Daycare center
2. 780 per month
3. Connections
4. Good Reputation
5. Open all day from 630 am to 630 pm. It's located in a nice neighborhood. The setup is perfect as it prepare the kids for school, with class rooms, education and fun.
6. 100 % yes
7. I can't believe it's so inexpensive.
What service do you have?
I started off with a part time nanny when my son was an infant (I went back to work part time at the beginning). Then we transitioned him slowly from a nanny to day care and I am also transitioning to full time work so he will end up being in day care full time before he starts pre-k, which should make the transition to pre-k easier.
How much do you pay?
For the nanny, $13/hr during the week and $18/hr for babysitting occasionally on the weekends. Day care has changed (more expensive the younger the kid is), but it's currently works out to about $7/hr for an older toddler.
How did you find it? How did you end up selecting it?
Nanny was a recommendation from a coworker who used her for 16 years for his amazing kids who love her and didn't need her anymore, and our comfort level when meeting her. Day care was recommendations from other coworkers plus our comfort level based on numerous visits.
Any misc other benefits it includes? Is it worth it? Anything else worth mentioning?
Nanny had the benefits of built in babysitter, grandma figure (our parents are out of state), would take care of him even when he was sick (day cares have rules about when a kid is too sick to come), and gives one on one attention to an infant (something I felt was really important). Downsides is that the nanny is sometimes sick herself (or goes on vacation). With day care, you get the social aspect (which has pluses and minuses, but mostly pluses, especially for an only child), a more structured learning environment to prepare for real school, and somewhere where he can do messy crafts that's not inside my house! Downsides include the germ fest environment. I am so fortunate that I was able to utilize what I think is the best of both worlds -- a nanny when my son was an infant/baby, and was able to slowly transition him to day care/school.
My son is past daycare now (8) but when we he was in it...
1) daycare center
2) we paid $204/week at the end but $250/wk as an infant
3) partnership with my workplace which offered a discount (the rates above were after discount - 5 star center with great reputation)
4) see #3, plus tour and researching reviews online and word of mouth
5) it included everything from diapers to food to parents’ night out. It was open 630-630 and open on holidays (I work for a 24/7 business). Also open in ice and snow.
6) 100%. He went to school ahead of his classmates, well socialized and most importantly - happy!
7) make sure you tour them all and read all reviews with a grain of salt. Follow your mother’s intuition.
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But yes, except for a brief time when he was 2 (tough age no matter what) he generally enjoyed daycare and summer camp.
