Daycare

divajackie67

My son was home for me for the first 12 weeks and has been home with my mother in law ever since. She is 67 and the older he gets the harder it is for her to keep up all day. We were thinking about putting him in a daycare half days so she can have some downtime and then feed him lunch, afternoon nap, play and then we are home. It would make it easier on her as well as give him some socialization since we are truly homebodies. 

I went to see 3 daycares. Two of them have half days that end before lunch and the 3rd's half day ends at 2:30. Oddly enough that half day includes a nap so I feel like I'm paying extra for my child to take a nap at school that he can take for free at home. The 3rd school is $100 more expensive per week for half days than the other 2, but is also much nicer. It has a more homelike feel. Really great security, creative atmosphere and oddly enough not one kid was crying for the hour we were there. It seemed like a really great place. Not that the other two weren't nice or anything. They were both really nice too, but just not AS amazing as this other daycare. 

My question to you is would you pay $250 vs $150 a week for part-time daycare because it a really nice facility? My husband feels like we'd be paying $100 more per week for lunch and a nap and I kinda feel that way too, but it also was just awesome. What would you do?

mommymegan831

I guess it depends how much nicer and how much more you like it.  If your MIL isn't charging then you're still getting a nice break compared to those of us who pay for full time care.  The cost also usually goes down around 18 months, you should see what it might be then.  

michelle615

If the additional $100/week is affordable, it sounds like your gut is telling you that the 3rd place is where you want your child to be.  And while you don't want to have to do this, you can always switch daycare providers.  If it turns out it's not what you were hoping for, you have other facilities to try.

You don't ask about this, so I hope you don't mind that I'm sharing.  We had a very similar situation.  DS spent 5 days a week with Grandma after my maternity leave.  She's 65.  After he turned a year, we transitioned him to 3 full days a week daycare, and 2 days a week with Grandma for two main reasons.  Socialization and how much harder it was for her to keep up with an active one year old.  At 16 months we went full time daycare.  I loved the time he spent with Grandma, she was really good with him and listened to our wishes.  But now that he is in daycare full time, I think it's the best decision we made.  But I also know that going part-time daycare first was key in my feeling good about going full time daycare.

Good luck with your decision!

traveltheworld

If you can afford it, I say go for it.  It's nice to have lunch provided, one less thing to do.  And DS has learned a lot by eating lunch as a group - he eats really well.  Maybe also discuss with your MIL and see if she has a preference?

divajackie67

michelle615 said:

If the additional $100/week is affordable, it sounds like your gut is telling you that the 3rd place is where you want your child to be.  And while you don't want to have to do this, you can always switch daycare providers.  If it turns out it's not what you were hoping for, you have other facilities to try.

You don't ask about this, so I hope you don't mind that I'm sharing.  We had a very similar situation.  DS spent 5 days a week with Grandma after my maternity leave.  She's 65.  After he turned a year, we transitioned him to 3 full days a week daycare, and 2 days a week with Grandma for two main reasons.  Socialization and how much harder it was for her to keep up with an active one year old.  At 16 months we went full time daycare.  I loved the time he spent with Grandma, she was really good with him and listened to our wishes.  But now that he is in daycare full time, I think it's the best decision we made.  But I also know that going part-time daycare first was key in my feeling good about going full time daycare.

Good luck with your decision!

I don't mind at all. This actually really helped me. 

RedDDD

My son was at an in home and then we switched him to a center at 16 months part time half days.  Recently we switched him to full time (he is now 20 months).  Having lunch provided is HUGE.  I have to send two snacks and a lunch with him every day.  I have to agree with the other PP.  Once he went to DC his language exploded and the socialization was huge for him.  He really blossomed.  Hence why we decided to keep him full time even though it is obviously more money.  If you can afford the place that is more expensive then go with it.  Its so nice knowing my son is cared for and is safe and I can go to work and not worry.  $250 is actually not out of the ordinary for our area.  We pay $40 per day so $200 per week.  That is actually pretty cheap.  I recently started looking for a new center since we are moving and was quoted $420 for an infant and $300 for a toddler!!!!  Thats just insane.  GL!

cattynine

If you can afford it, then I would probably go with option 3. I prefer to pick DD up after she has eaten lunch and napped. I usually try to wait until 2:30 or later to get her. She LOVES her daycare and often times she cries/whines when its time to go.  She is only 20 months, but will frequently start listing all the names of her classmates and sings the songs they learn there. 

janinekrause

Is there an option to do a few full days instead? That would be what I would do- I just like full days if possible.

 

If not, and you think your LO will nap well out of the house, then go with the 3rd. My kids were in daycare from birth and never napped even close to as well at daycare. Not to scare you - just my own experience.

 

SingleMom31

I wouldn't look at it as paying for lunch & a nap, but rather that you're paying more for a better facility.  Otherwise, I'd go with your gut.  A lot of people in town balk at our daycare because of the price ($40/day for 10 hours, which is high for around here), but I feel good about our choice, and you can't put a price on that feeling.  Like, this morning, she was clinging to me and even cried when DH was holding her.  I hate dropping her off on those days because I really do want to hold and comfort her instead.  But, I dropped her off with Ms. Brenda and she didn't even miss a beat snuggling up with her and laying her head on her shoulder (it's a large center, but she has the same teachers every day).  If I can't be home all day myself, I'm glad that she really likes the person that she's with, and that alone makes it worth the price in my book.

kjsmith9

Honestly, I would probably try one of the cheaper ones first. You said they were all nice, so it isn't like those are death traps. If your LO loves it, great - put the extra $400 a month you're saving in a savings account. If you just don't like it after a few weeks, switch to the more expensive one.

singingirl96

Wow, stickershock! That's really expensive for part-time!  Here (large city) we pay $250 for full time in-home daycare.  Prices here range between $150 - $300 full-time.  So I'm really surprised that price is for part-time!
When it comes to daycare you gotta go with your gut feeling.  Are you just looking at the facility or are you also considering the caretakers.  I would be more concerned about the people rather than the facility.  Of course you want it to be clean, but if it is small but the caretaker is super nice and genuine.... I would go with that rather than a fancy location...  
Just go with your mommy instinct. 

divajackie67

Thank you everyone. My mother-in-law went and visited the other 2 and since she used to work in a daycare many years ago she's almost like a spy and she actually likes the teachers better at one of the cheaper ones. 

My mommy instinct is what I am going to trust and of course now my husband wants to see them all!