child care?

norcal · September 2011

I am completely new to all this child care stuff. I'm not sure if we want a nanny, in-home care, or a center. What does child care usually cost?

Structenggal · September 2011

I think it's really dependent on where you are and if you want a nanny, in-home or a center.

We are in the south bay and use a child care center. We are paying roughly $400/week for each child.

I think that an in-home day care would be slightly cheaper and that a nanny would be more expensive.

melgrady · September 2011

We are paying $1,210 per month for a daycare center in the east bay.

norcal · September 2011

I live in the East Bay.

I am thinking a day care center would work best for us, just due to my working hours, etc.

How do you like the day care center?

pink.dutch.tulips · September 2011

in-home is cheaper than a center ... i pay $150/wk for an in-home dc (FT) that includes all food and all i have to provide are diapers, change of clothes and blankets. i would be paying double for a center easily. some in-homes might be more flexible w/ time than a center but if you need really long hrs, a center might work better.

melgrady · September 2011

norcal:
I live in the East Bay.

I am thinking a day care center would work best for us, just due to my working hours, etc.

How do you like the day care center?

So far Rosie likes the day care center. The first week was a bit rough because she didn't know anyone but she has adjusted fairly well. The center I use only accepts three months through two years which I like because they only focus on that age group. They also split the children into three categories, infant, crawler and walkers which is another aspect I like. I chose the center because my SIL recommended it and it is close to BART.

jsugrin · September 2011

I think in your area in home is going to be waaaay cheaper than anything else. I remember someone was in Danville and paying $140 a week for in home that they loved and I was blown away it was so cheap. I'd expect a nanny , for full time, around there to run you $15-$20 an hour and maybe less for part-time, especially for a student at St. Mary's or something.

I know that centers have a ton of advantages and some people just simply don't like in home but Andrew is at an in- home pre-school, which I wouldn't have expected us to necessarily pick for preschool, but she's a credentialed teacher who wanted more control and flexibility and her program puts to shame anything I looked at ( and I looked for over a year before choosing her).

norcal · September 2011

jsugrin:

I think in your area in home is going to be waaaay cheaper than anything else. I remember someone was in Danville and paying $140 a week for in home that they loved and I was blown away it was so cheap. I'd expect a nanny , for full time, around there to run you $15-$20 an hour and maybe less for part-time, especially for a student at St. Mary's or something.

I know that centers have a ton of advantages and some people just simply don't like in home but Andrew is at an in- home pre-school, which I wouldn't have expected us to necessarily pick for preschool, but she's a credentialed teacher who wanted more control and flexibility and her program puts to shame anything I looked at ( and I looked for over a year before choosing her).

Thanks for the info on in home care. I had no idea that they would be less than centers.

ZoeMay06 · September 2011

DD goes to a very small in-home daycare 3 days per week and we pay $750/month. When she went 4 days/week last year we paid $900. This includes all food but we supply pull-ups for naptime (diapers before potty training) and wipes. In addition to the DCP's own baby there is only one other child. I wanted her to be in as similar a setting as possible to being home with me so in-home daycare felt like the right choice for us. I should add that this is in San Jose.

When we have another child to factor in we will likely do a nanny share.

Structenggal · September 2011

norcal:
I am thinking a day care center would work best for us, just due to my working hours, etc.

How do you like the day care center?

We really like the day care center. What scared us off of an in-home daycare was just that if the provider is sick, you have to find alternate care and if they go on vacation (I think they usually reserve the right to take 2 weeks vacation/year), you have to find alternate care. We don't have family that can drop what they are doing to watch our kids in those situations.

Our day care center is open from 7am-6:30pm, which is super convenient for us. DS isn't there from 7-6:30, but I like the flexibility to drop him off early or to pick him up later if we need to for whatever reason.

MommySteph2009 · September 2011

depends on where you are. For two kids I pay $75/day, but it's part time and close to Sac.

That is the same for us now for a nanny as it was for a home day care (with about 6 kids)

amyfelice · September 2011

Nannies are pretty expensive. I currently have my daughter in a sort of hybrid preschool/daycare in a center that is composed of multiple houses with adjoining outdoor yards. It is quite "homey" but there are obviously a lot of kids there. It is Spanish Immersion and supplies all food and costs $290/week for three day (thirty hours). I think that is on the high side.

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