Have you thought about daycare yet?

hbkises

I don't know if this is everywhere but here, I just discovered through one of my coworkers that there is typically a year waiting list?!?  anyone else run into this? I'm sure I'll find one that doesn't have the waiting list but I had never heard of that.

mcjb09

yep- we're dreading our first few calls and let downs...  and then the price!! oy!

melly918

I have thought about it...but I have not contacted any yet.  Interesting about the waiting list.  I have not heard about that issue where I live.  I'd believe it if it was a big city like LA, NYC, Boston, Chicago...

jdiaz79

I have thought about it as well, but have also not contacted any. I want to wait until after the first tri. for that. If there are really waiting lists that long then I will be in trouble for sure! I am not expecting that though.

Mrs.Husband

DC daycares are notorious for the 1 year wait list. I am not looking forward to it. I have sort of started looking, but I haven't called anyone yet. I should probably get on that!

EricsWife2005

It really depends on where you live as far as how long the waiting list is. I'm actually calling a sitter this weekend, she's a neighbor. I'm going to find out if she has any openings for this fall, if so, I'm going to get us in there. She's been doing it forever and comes highly recommended by my DH's cousin who takes her kids there.  She's losing quite a few kids to school this year - and lives right next door to us. It would be a great set up if we could get in there.

JCapp8306

I've looked into it, but not where I'm living now. ?Sometime later this year DH will be deployed and I'll move back with my parents. ?My old boss already said I could have my job back, so I'm looking for day cares there. ?On websites, non are stating about a waiting list, but when I visit my parents in the summer I plan and checking them out.

tanya8

Seeing as it is cheaper for me to not work (I only work 3-4 hours a day), I am going to be a SAHM!  Maybe once my kiddo is walking and potty trained, I will start babysitting other babies for some extra cash and playmates!

jessicaclare

I live in a fairly small town, and the more popular centers around here (the ones that have preschools attached, usually) have a 6-9 month waiting list for 0-2 years old. Its mostly because the state regulations on child to teacher ratios are VERY strict.

besszilla

We only have one daycare center in my town. I guess most kids get watched by grandma around here. To bad my mom lives 8 hours away. Sometimes they have a waiting list, sometimes they don't just depends on how many kids were born the same time as mine. Ugh.

It will also cost more than my mortgage payment, sure my mortgage is unusually low. But still.

BlairWaldorf

Yep, we've narrowed it down to a few that we'll visit & put our name on.

jrickard7

We've already put down our deposit and reserved our spot.  Our town is not all that big- in upstate NY- but the first space available in the daycare we wanted isn't until January 2010!

Brownie_222

FYI, most web sites don't list the wait list timeframe.  We're now on two wait lists - both for a year (minimum) after our EDD.  One place I called had a 2.5 year wait.  I wish I would have started in 1st tri.  GL to you all.

DCHappy2B

i'm with Mrs. Husband, DC sucks, I am hoping to have something nailed down this week!

rc1276

Yes, I've thought about it and it's freaking me out. It's so expensive where I live, and waiting lists are ridiculous.

My company has a family care consultant who comes in every few months, and I've scheduled a meeting with her for a few weeks from now. Hopefully she'll give me some good leads.

sbe0517

What frustrates us the most is that for the first year, the LO has to be enrolled full time. After their first birthday, you can enroll and pay part time. DH works 2 weeks on and then he is home for 2 weeks. It doesn't make sense for us to pay for childcare when LO won't be going during DH's weeks off. We just aren't sure what to do. My mom lives nearby and I know she will watch LO a couple of days a week, but I hate to ask her to do it every day, even if it is only for 2 weeks at a time.

TarheelsInNJ

DH is in law school, and we think his class schedule will allow him to be home 3 days a week after I go back to work. Then he'll be studying for the bar, so he won't start working full-time until September.

So basically, we won't need full-time care until our baby is nearly a year. We'll probably start looking in the next few months, and go ahead and get on some waiting lists.

My parents are pretty close by, so I'm also wondering if they'll decide they want to pitch in and help. We'll see!

borc0080

I have a sister in college who thinks she'll be able to limit her class days to 2 per week, leaving her 3 possible child care days.  Since the job I plan to keep is only 3 days per week, I'm hoping it will work out for her to watch the baby.  It's win-win -- she gets paid to do homework and spend time with her niece/nephew and DH and I don't have to think twice about who is taking care of our child.

alikat07

I have thought about it, but haven't really done much about it.  I'm dreading this part!

Love Sugar Sweet Minxy

I just saw your pot and I live in Hollidaysburg.  To answer your question, the better daycares, like Lily Pond, Began With Us, etc have approx.  6 months - 1 year wait.  If you want it one of those places, I'd put my name on the list now.  Some of the cheaper places are only a month or so wait. 

sunshinegirl75

We started to look and are on a couple waiting lists. The average wait time here for an infant is 6-9 months.?