- Pregnancy
- Baby & Toddler
- Parents
- Getting Pregnant
- Baby Names
- Product Reviews
-
Registry
- Community
-
More
Want a personalized experience?
Download the free app
Babies: 9 - 12 Months
DG1
member
in-home daycare question
DG1
member
We are considering an in-home daycare for DS. I have a few concerns. If your LO goes to an in-home daycare:
1. What is the child:adult ratio?
2. How many "babies" are there?
3. What are the ages of the other kids?
4. What do you feel are the advantages/disadvantages of that setup vs. a day care center?
Unfortunately, we have to decide by Sunday night! Any feedback would be most appreciated.
Thanks!
This discussion has been closed.
Re: in-home daycare question
1. 3 to 4, my in home daycare has 3 adults that run it together.
2. DS is the only baby right now, but I think another one is starting soon.
3. Honestly not sure.
4. I feel like DS is more in family setting, that an institution. I have sent DS to 2 different in home daycares. The first one was not set up for infants very well. The second one if perfect. So really debate between center or in home depends on what all of your options are.
I personally like in home daycare than a center. My DS was going to a daycare but she changed her prices so I just watch him during the day now which is a-ok with me
1. There was a 25 year old lady(who was amazing) and five kids
2. My DS and a 13 week old were the only other "babies"
3. They were 3 and two 2 year olds
4. I liked that it was her watching him all the time so she got to know him and his ques. She was very organized and did projects and activities with all the kids. I just liked the smallness of it. It made me feel better like he wouldn't get forgotten or ignored.
I have an in home daycare and will offer some feedback.
Adult:child never more than 1:5 and not more than one other baby (in additon to my son) at a time. I think that inhome is great. I feel as though it is my job to offer the safe care/safety/fun to other kids that I offer to my own. Safety is #1 for me and should be for every provider!
Also.... your state should have ratios that are allowed, if this inhome is licenced.
My feeling.. trust your gut!
GL!
www.facebook.com/TryVermontFirst
I love these two beautiful children!
See, she says she is licensed for EIGHT kids. Just her, with EIGHT kids. I can't imagine. DS would be the youngest at 7 months. (next youngest = 14 months) But he crawls around/gets into stuff just as much as any toddler, I think. (OK, probably not, but he is very high-energy.)
I don't know yet how old the other kids are (we go to meet her on Sunday and get a lot of these questions answered), but all preschool or under, I'd imagine, since this is a weekday day care. And with 8, I wonder what the kids do all day. How does she prepare meals for 8 kids and watch them at the same time?
I also wonder if it's good for DS to be around older kids or if he should be with babies his own age (in the room in the day care center).
In-home is much cheaper, but the center isn't that expensive (as centers go). Once you account for the formula & food the center provides, it's probably only about $10-$15 difference.
UGH! My return to work came about VERY quickly. I hate having to make these decisions so fast like this!
1. What is the child:adult ratio? 5:2
2. How many "babies" are there? 3 counting Hadley (She's 10.5 months, there is a 9 month old and a 5 month old.)
3. What are the ages of the other kids? 2 2 year olds
4. What do you feel are the advantages/disadvantages of that setup vs. a day care center?
I wasn't opposed to using a daycare center but the waitlists here are forever-long and we moved when Hadley was a few months old so centers weren't really an option for us. I love her providers and that their program is very structured which could just as easily be true for a daycare center. I do like that she interacts with toddler-age kids as well as babies.
I guess that is not that helpful but my main point is that the most important factor for me was finding a place with providers that I like and trust.
DS1 born June 2008 | m/c at 9w March 2011 | DS2 born April 2012
1.What is the child:adult ratio? On the two days/week she is there, it is 3:1 but our sitter is due to have a baby of her own next month and then it will be 4:1
2. How many "babies" are there? 2 including Natalie, soon to be 3
3. What are the ages of the other kids? 7 months and 3
4. What do you feel are the advantages/disadvantages of that setup vs. a day care center? The only advantages for us are that she will do a PT schedule (which our daycare center that we send our 2 yo son to does not do this before 15 months, some do) and she is really inexpensive ($30/day). Other than that, I strongly prefer the structured setting, multiple teachers and learning environment of a center. Not to mention the reliability factor. We haven't had any problems yet with that (knock on wood) but a center can't call off sick
I can't answer all of your questions yet, but we are leaving our center next month to start at an in-home that came highly recommended to us. The following are a few of our complaints about the center:
We sometimes arrive in the morning to find a new staff mbr we've never met before. I'd rather just have one (or two) caretakers so I don't have to try to give instructions each time there's a new staff member.
The daycare room is noisy and DD takes terrible naps there. We thought she'd get used to it, but most days she comes home exhausted.
DD has been sick for 2.5 months straight since starting at the center. We want her in a home setting where she comes into contact with fewer kids.
As DD gets older and needs discipline, we want our caretaker to be on the same page as us. From the things we've observed, the overwhelmingly young (aka, immature in our situation) staff at the daycare center are not.
We are considering an in-home daycare for DS. I have a few concerns. If your LO goes to an in-home daycare:
1. What is the child:adult ratio? 1 adult/4-5 children
2. How many "babies" are there? 2 including my DD
3. What are the ages of the other kids? 7 mo, 2, 3
4. What do you feel are the advantages/disadvantages of that setup vs. a day care center? I love my DD being at an in home daycare. Her provider has been doing it for twenty years just because she loves children. My DD gets so much personalized attention ( some days she's there alone or with only one other toddler), and she loves her sitter. She gets a huge smile on her face every morning when she sees her. She notices small thisngs about my DD that sometimes out don't even notice. She gives me geat advice and we talk about the baby and how much she's developing all the time. I wouldn't change a thing.
Unfortunately, we have to decide by Sunday night! Any feedback would be most appreciated.