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Pros and Cons of Centers?

Meg&JesseMeg&Jesse
in Working Moms
Okay ladies fill me in on the pro's and con's of using a day care center.  Thanks!
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Re: Pros and Cons of Centers?

  • NMangerNManger member

    Pro's-At the center all the caregivers attention is focused on LO all day long. They are not watching TV, answering phone, washing dishes, doing chores etc.

    Centers are regulary inspected by state and violated/fined if not meeting standards.

    If DC provider is sick they can call out and not expose your child. Someone else will be in the room to cover the shift and you don't have to worry about alternate plans or missing work.

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  • NicoleWINicoleWI member

    DD is in a center 3 days/wk and with MIL 2 days.

    Center pros: multiple caregivers to me means less likelihood someone will really drop a ball or put LO in a dangerous situation. This is the main reason I chose a center and have stayed with it so far. Once LO is over age one or so, activities like songs, craft projects, games. Dependable in that the center will rarely, if ever, be unexpectedly closed. 

    Cons: Illnesses (we have really had an issue with this), many centers have high staff turnover. Even those that don't will usually have LO switch rooms every 6 months or so--hard for parents to keep adjusting and sometimes hard for kids. Due to number of kids in care, they are often somewhat rigid on rules/timelines for kids. I.e. DD had to go to one nap/day before she was ready and she still naps very poorly at day care compared to at home b/c they are now all on cots together on the floor.

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  • alli2672alli2672 member

    Pros:  There are multiple people there, so if someone is frustrated or sick or stuck with another baby, then someone else can take over.  There is also more sort of peer oversight, which made me feel more secure.  The center is huge, with a playground right outside and another huge play area upstairs.  People are constantly donating new toys.  There is staff to help prepare and set up meals, so the care providers aren't doing that while watching children.  There are no TV's, facebook, etc. 

    Cons:  There are a lot of care providers.  In our first center, there was a decent amount of turnover (not so much in this one...people stay for decades), which is tough on babies.  Sometimes there are floaters in the room caring for my son who I had never met before.   Hours are very strict. 

    I am making it sound like I don't know anyone.  That isn't true.  I know my sons' main care providers very well and consider them friends.

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  • NicoleWINicoleWI member
    Oh, yeah, and I second the floater thing! There are lots of times I don't know the name of the person who has my baby, b/c I pick up right around closing and DD's main caregivers are often gone already.
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  • kim_and_tonykim_and_tony

    Remember though that floaters (who I have come to know as well as DDs regular teachers) mean the teachers are getting breaks and/or getting to leave on time which is going to increase their job satisfaction.

    We have always done a center and found the same pros/cons of each one.  The other day a coworker was mentioning that her DD's clothes had been washed by the in home provider.  Sure, that is a perk for her but I like how the teachers at a center only have the kids to focus on.

    For me the real downside of a center:  cost.

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  • 14years14years

    Pros: A lot of people are around, a lot of accountability and supervision.  A lot of structure.  Set policies and procedures.  No worries about back up care when your DCP is sick that day or needs a day off.  DS sees a lot of kids of different ages and spends some time with them, which he loves, but 90% of the time is with kids his age, doing activities geared to his age, with teachers who are  focused on care for kids his age.

    Cons: If DS is sick, DH and I are screwed.

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  • BrinkerNBrinkerN

    great post! with another baby on the way, i've been contemplating at-home day care to save-but these are great reminders!!!

     another PRO-kids are with their age group.  so you don't have to worry about an energetic 4 year old  running over a 1 year old while the the provider is getting lunch ready or changing a baby's diaper...

    my friends with HDCP need to have a plan b for when their provider is sick, has their own kids who are sick, or wants to take a vacation.  i don't. :-)

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  • anglynn1124anglynn1124
    imageNManger:

    Pro's-At the center all the caregivers attention is focused on LO all day long. They are not watching TV, answering phone, washing dishes, doing chores etc.

    Centers are regulary inspected by state and violated/fined if not meeting standards.

    If DC provider is sick they can call out and not expose your child. Someone else will be in the room to cover the shift and you don't have to worry about alternate plans or missing work.

    Sorry but I have to comment that at a good licensed home daycare the providers dont watch tv, are focused on the children & do clean up, etc during naps & are regulary inspected also, same as centers..so those really shouldnt be listed like it is ONLY pro's of a center !

    Now to answer the OP :

    Pro's of a center :  usually they do not close for vacation ( though i have seen some that do close the week of xmas & a week in summer ) & no closings if a provider is sick, there are other providers there to take over ; kids all in the same age range ( which isnt necessarily a con for a home daycare, but some find this important to them ); centers often have very nice playgrounds & can take older children on field trips; also for older children, they can offer a more learning based environment similiar to preschool.

    Con's of centers : high turnover rates which means you often dont know the person caring for your child as well as you may want to ; for infants, I find them to be too sterile and institutional like, not a homey atmosphere; often you have to pack your own lunches, food, formula etc; they close a lot of holidays that a home daycare provider wouldnt ( presidents day, mlk day, veterans, etc ); changing rooms can be forced before child is ready, child has to get used to a new teacher when changes room; & they are usually always the more expensive option for daycare.

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  • epphdepphd member
    imageanglynn1124:

    Con's of centers : high turnover rates which means you often dont know the person caring for your child as well as you may want to ; for infants, I find them to be too sterile and institutional like, not a homey atmosphere; often you have to pack your own lunches, food, formula etc; they close a lot of holidays that a home daycare provider wouldnt ( presidents day, mlk day, veterans, etc ); changing rooms can be forced before child is ready, child has to get used to a new teacher when changes room; & they are usually always the more expensive option for daycare.

    Chiming in that not all DCCs are the same :)  Our center is very homey (actually designed to look like a home in the rooms) and provides all meals and snacks. Not only that but all foods are locally sourced and organic. They also cloth diaper for us. 

    True that it is expensive, but much less than a nanny would cost.

     

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  • anglynn1124anglynn1124
    imageepphd:
    imageanglynn1124:

    Con's of centers : high turnover rates which means you often dont know the person caring for your child as well as you may want to ; for infants, I find them to be too sterile and institutional like, not a homey atmosphere; often you have to pack your own lunches, food, formula etc; they close a lot of holidays that a home daycare provider wouldnt ( presidents day, mlk day, veterans, etc ); changing rooms can be forced before child is ready, child has to get used to a new teacher when changes room; & they are usually always the more expensive option for daycare.

    Chiming in that not all DCCs are the same :)  Our center is very homey (actually designed to look like a home in the rooms) and provides all meals and snacks. Not only that but all foods are locally sourced and organic. They also cloth diaper for us. 

    True that it is expensive, but much less than a nanny would cost.

     

    I know they arent all the same..Just gave my opinion on how I feel SOME of them are..much like how peope view SOME home daycares as being just an ol' housewife sitting around eating bon-bon's & watching TV all day..I think the most important part of choosing a daycare is too keep all of your options open, look at all kinds & find the one that fits you & your childs needs the best !

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  • auburnbride2beauburnbride2be member

    Pros - accountability - more eyes and ears watching things, I know who comes in and out of there more, don't have to worry about providers getting sick or taking vacation, hours

    Cons - usually there are more kids around so maybe more chances of getting sick, it was hard for DD to nap when she was an infant b/c of light and noise 

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