another question - money

Stillharbor

If this is too personal, I understand.

For those that have family members watching your LO while you're at work, how much do you pay them? How much do daycares run?  I was under the impression that most daycares didn't take infants and started at 1 yr of age.

MammaBear81

My mom did it for free, but we do not use her on a regular basis anymore.  Daycare's vary greatly by COL (around here you are looking about $1,100-$1,500 per month).  Most daycares take babies after 6 weeks (they have to have their first set of vaccinations). I hope that helps.

ksyknelvr73

We've never used family as a full time day care, but my parents have watched DS for us a good bit, and we don't pay them.

We have DS in day care and he has been there since he was 4ish months old. They take babies at 6 weeks typically at the earliest. We pay $180/week so it comes out to $720 a month.

jeffsjayme

My sister is doing it for me.  But I'll be working just half time. I offered her the same price that a daycare center would charge.  So, for the same price, I get personalized care and a known person and much more flexibility.  I'm paying $400/month for a city in the midwest.  Your area will vary.

I found plenty of daycares that take infants, starting at 6 weeks.

LeahCK

Some daycare places start at 6 weeks here in VA. I have found costs that range from 900-1200/month.

EmilyStL

My inlaws watch my daughter 2x a week and my mom watches her once a week.  We don't pay them.

Around here, seems like infant care ranges from around $700/month for an in-home setting, to around $1500/month for center based care.

mplesset23

We don't use family, but we do go to a center.  I live in the Washington, DC area and daycare here varies from around $1600-$2000 a month.  Our DC takes kids as early as 6 weeks.  Infants tend to be more expensive to care for.  We pay $392 a week, but once our LO is 2 the price goes down to $300 a week.

MrsBalletStar05

Where do you live that you had that impression?  I know MOST daycares here start at 6 weeks of age. I'm sure there are some that don't take littles, but they are more pre-schools and less daycares. 

My husband and I watch the kids while the other is working so we don't pay anything, lol.  Sometimes we will give BIL a $20 for watching them one night so we can have a date.  Daycares here run as little as $100 a week for one child and probably up to $150-$180 for a really nice center.  I know this is inexpensive compared to other parts of the U.S.

flows912

My parents watch LO 5 days a week. We don't pay them - they wouldn't take the money.

 

Jenn06L80

We started daycare around 4 months.  My dad watches her one day, and I pay him nothing.  Three days a week she goes to daycare, and it is $50 a day.  I am off every Thursday.  

Daycares vary by COL and if they are centers vs in-home.