Daycare shopping is stressful

smilelari · May 2009

We stopped by our first one this morning. It was fine and I felt ok about it, but we also have nothing to compare to.

The problem we have now is not knowing where to look next. Our office building is moving to an awful part of town, so finding centers that are somewhat on the way from home to work is a challenge. This one was actually a little out of the way, but certainly doable.

So, do we check out centers that are not conveniently located now? Or ones that are potentially out of our price range (these would be ones that we could maybe afford but it would be a stretch)?

I just don't know what the next logical step is. It seems pretty stupid to only look one place but I also don't know where else to look.

Any suggestions?

deltagirl79 · May 2009

Personally I would look at places that may not be located great but are in your price range. If you know you can't afford one I wouldn't look at it because if you fall in love you'll always be disappointed in what you do pick. You need to be able to afford it IMO.

browneyes_24b · May 2009

I would look at the "definately doable" one first. I wouldn't look at ones out of your price range in case you LOVE them and then can't use them. G/L!

BeeLove · May 2009

We are hiring a nanny but I agree...it is stressful no matter what....it seems like such a big decision!

Trishacj · May 2009

Have you considered a Licensed Home Daycare?

smilelari · May 2009

Trishacj:

Have you considered a Licensed Home Daycare?

I wouldn't be comfortable with that unless it were someone I knew personally

mandi7782 · May 2009

I am a Director of a Child Care center, and I know it can be stressful!! Make sure you feel comfortable leaving your LO there while you go to work. The amount they charge may not reflect the quality of care they give. Get on the NAEYC website (National Association of Education for Young Children). They can help you look at centers in your area.

mandi7782 · May 2009

I am a Director of a Child Care center, and I know it can be stressful!! Make sure you feel comfortable leaving your LO there while you go to work. The amount they charge may not reflect the quality of care they give. Get on the NAEYC website (National Association of Education for Yound Children). They can help you look at centers in your area.

BlairWaldorf · May 2009

First, I figured out which were closest to Nate & I's work. We work in the city next to our town, but we're putting HJ in a daycare closer to work than home. That way, if anything happens, we can be there in under 5 minutes. Also, we have an hour-long commute each way, so it gives us 2 hours in the car with the babe rather than 2 extra hours of daycare.

Next, I looked at the state's database on child care centers. Checked out their star ratings, any complaints, actions, etc. taken against the center.

Of the four & five star ratings, I made of list of ones I wanted to visit. & just started swinging in at lunch.

I'm do the initial visit for info alone, but when I find one I like, Nate takes a lunch & goes to tour with me.

I've probably visited 10 at least, & found 2 that I like that we can afford.

tigergreen · May 2009

i just started this search as well, going off friends' recommendations at first.

i now know that if we chose to send this one to private school (memphis has a lousy public school system), we could afford it!

these day cares are ranging from $800-900 a MONTH! maybe that's not a shocker to the rest of you, but i was floored...some of the best private schools in the city only cost $300 or so more a month.

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Daycare shopping is stressful

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