If you work PT, what is your childcare situation?

*sparky*

I am due in April and just starting to look for childcare starting this summer. I work three days a week so I don't need full time care. It seems my options are:

Go to a daycare center and pay full time for part time care

Find an in home that offers part time care for infants

Hire a nanny

I have a DS who is 8 and we had a nanny for him when he was younger. It seems that paying for FT care a a DC center for the LO will cost me almost as much as a PT nanny, and them I will still have the cost of after school care for DS and also summer camps.

In home DCs seem to be much less than centers but to be honest I looked at a couple when DS was little and did not find any that I was very impressed with. I can keep an open mind and look again - we ended up stumbling upon our nanny and my search ended quickly.

So anyway, it is just a lot to consider and I am just wondering what others have done

SparkySharky

I have a DC center that gives me a part-time rate. You'll find them if you keep looking. But some places consider PT an 8-hour day 2-3 days a week, and other places consider PT to be less than 5 hours a day regardless of the number of days per week.

mae0111

A nanny would be nice for your older DS over the summer, perhaps along with some camps if you can swing both.  If you decided to keep the nanny on, s/he may be willing to take on extra hours to pitch on when there's no school - random professional days, snow days if applicable.  And you wouldn't have the cost of after school care anymore.

That's what I'm thinking for when DD1 is in school full time.  I'll still keep our nanny for DD2, and she can take care of DD1 after school and over vacations...

*sparky*

@mae0111 - those are good points. I think we would still send DS to at least a few camps but he does not like going to camp all summer anyway - he likes having some down time - so having a nanny would be ideal. The last couple of summers we have used a combo of sitters/my dad/summer camp and it has worked out pretty well.

@SparkySharky - because of where I live and work there are really only a few DC centers to choose from and the earliest I have found PT care to be available is at 18 months.

glaw

I have a nanny. I work about 70-80% of FT. My main reasons for having a nanny are not finance related. I prefer the one on one care and the convenience of having a nanny. Plus she helps with a lot of household chores. If the cost is the same as daycare then really that shouldn't be the factor but rather what type of childcare is best for your family.

emberlee3

I currently work a fairly normal schedule except with some evenings and weekends.  Both my children are in full-time daycare.    I am considering a schedule change for next year when DS starts kindergarten.  I would work approx. 12 days per month, usually including a weekend.  So, maybe 10 weekdays per month.  I am leaning toward getting a nanny for DD and to pick up DS after school on the days I work.  DS is a bit of an introvert, so I think it will be nice for him to have some down-time at home after full-day kindie. 

jlaOK

I was able to find a center that offers part-time rates. Before I did, I was just going to pay for FT at a center.

I agree with other PP's that a nanny might offer some additional help to your older child and may be worth the cost.