WWYD? It would be for our daughter once she is around 5 months old
We found one place that we absolutely love. They use sign language to teach language development, they have Spanish and gymnastics classes starting at age 3, etc., etc. We love it. It's hard to get into (we're on a waiting list for several months from now even though they JUST opened a new location), so we're thinking that if we pass on it now we probably won't be able to switch when the baby gets older.
We found another place that is also good, but is more of a traditional daycare (i.e. watching your kid while providing basic activities). It's still great, and they have a few extra classes that families can sign up for (though the quality isn't as good). The big selling point??? They have HALF DAY RATES. DH and I could totally make this work, and it'd be less than half the cost of the other daycare. Plus, the baby would spend more time at home with at least one parent. We both agree that had we not known about the dream daycare, the half-day center would have been exactly what we wanted.
The downsides though:- we wouldn't see each other as much- if I get stuck at work late (which happens all the time right now--I am in management), we'd get charged out the a$$. I'm assuming I just will not let this happen once the baby comes. I mean, other parents at my company do this all the time.
- I'm imagining this scenario would be more stressful (though obviously I won't be sure until we're actually experiencing it). We would have to adjust our schedules to make this work (I'd have to go in earlier and leave earlier, DH would go in later and stay later). If we go with the full-day daycare, we'd both work the same hours.- I'm sure the baby will learn at either center, but the other center is just SOOOO good.
Re: AHHMAZING full-day daycare vs. good half-day daycare?
Arranging your schedules so that you don't need as much daycare at the cost of your family and spousal quality time just never seems like a good idea to me.
I agree with all this 100%. My husband and I work almost the same schedule. He leaves at 6 a.m., DD and I at 6:30. He picks up DD at around 3:30 home around 4:45, and I get home about 20 minutes after him.