Child care, when to start looking?

Sarah0335

When are you planning to look at programs?  How many will you research/tour?

I sent out my first inquiry to find out rates on an infant program. DH and I both work full time and will need child care starting at 3 months. I know it seems super early and I’m probably crazy, but I feel like I need to get an idea on rates for budgeting. I live close to Boston and prices are insane. 

What are you planning?  When will you start looking into it further?

kgg2241

We started looking with my first at 11 weeks pregnant and that was too late for the places downtown by my work. This was in early 2019 and they were saying they were booked out through August 2021 at the time. We ended up finding a great place in the suburbs and will likely stick with that for #2. So definitely look now! I felt crazy too but they didn't seemed phased by it.

I'm not sure what we will do once we have a second. Paying for two in daycare will be pretty hard for us, so I'm thinking we might need to figure something else out. IDK I'm kind of avoiding thinking about it right now 😅. 

rachelredhead

My husband is a SAHD for our first (who turns 1 this weekend). I’ve gone ahead and gotten him on a waitlist nearby for a toddler program starting in Jan/Feb but I’m thinking DH will stay home with this one for the first year, too.

DH is a chef and when we were pricing daycares for our son it became really clear really fast that his entire salary would go to childcare. In some instances his salary wouldn’t even cover child care. And we were not looking at Rolls Royce daycares by any means.  I know we’re fortunate that we had the ability and my husband had the desire to stay home instead. It isn’t a long term solution for us but it will work for a few years. 

I was definitely looking at childcare in first tri for him so you are not crazy. I think it’s helpful to have information early so that you can make decisions, play with your budget, research alternatives. I found that sometimes nanny shares were equal as to cost but provided more flexibility, so you may want to research nanny shares in your area, too. 

jlbaker08

With my first, I didn't know any better and didn't start looking soon enough.  I ended up with an in-home daycare that I hated.  Moved her to a childcare center at about 6 months and was much happier.  With my second, I told the childcare center we were already using the day I POAS (so basically 4 weeks).  I'm just over 4 weeks now and I've already put in a tour request for a place down the street.  Infant rooms fill up fast, it's never too early to start looking!
I'll probably tour the one place I've sent a request to, if it doesn't meet my standards, I'll go back to the place we started my toddler when we moved here.

quiltandknit

Never too early to start looking, but I think it depends greatly on your area. Is there a local moms group on FB or something you can ask? I know in the city, you need to get on a waitlist right away. But we didn’t start looking til the second trimester for DD, and found a place we loved. I think we actually paid the deposit on week 27!

marbellie

*lurking from Nov21*

@Sarah0335 definitely not too early to figure it out for pricing and possibly even a wait list add in just a month or two. Just to give you an idea: I'm north of Boston (20 mins away) and prefer a center/school up here to a home daycare, the daycare for DS has about a 6ish month wait list at any given time and costs $2k per month

Lcardinal04

@Sarah0335 it is never too early to look! I told my current daycare the other month to hold us a spot in June 2022 and we can shift it/cancel if need be, but at least its there. I thought maybe I was being too early, but the Directors response was that multiple current families were doing the same thing so they were actually already closing in on their limit. 

I do think it depends heavily on your area-- in ours the infant care is expensive and the licensing requirements are tight so a lot of centers don't start taking kids till 2 (the age the ratio of kids to teachers eases licensing wise).

chindimples04

*lurking from Oct ‘21*

Yesterday would be the correct answer. 🤣 I have an April ‘19 baby who I got on a wait list in October of 2018 at our local daycare center and we STILL haven’t gotten a call from them about an opening. I was 8 weeks when I started calling and didn’t find childcare until 3 weeks before I needed it.