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Working Moms
wallacewife06
member
In-Home vs. Daycare center
wallacewife06
member
in Working Moms
You had such good advice about what questions to ask when I was doing an interview last week that I thought I'd come back to ask you this...
I am trying to get a feel for pros and cons on using an in-home daycare (their home) or taking my kid to a daycare center. Tell my your opinions/ experiences...please.
[Poll]
TIA
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Re: In-Home vs. Daycare center
TTC#1 2003, 5 angels above, IVF-PGS-FET, DD b. Aug-2011
TTC#2 2012/13? FET
Ditto
~Benjamin Franklin
DS dx with celiac disease 5/28/10
Many in homes are run just like a center. Ours is. There are 4 caregivers, including the owner. Children are able to be split out by age for developmentally appropriate activities and even field trips.
The upside is that my son was the only baby when he started, by far. So he got TONS of attention and was never "plopped in a bouncy seat all day long" nor did he have to compete with the needs of other infants. He was a bit of a rock star among the older kids too. Now he's 1, and there are two infants in there - both are getting lots of attention and much lower ratios than they would in a center.
One big thing to consider with an inhome is what you will do for backup care...we have had the girls in an inhome since they were 15 months...overall we were satisfied with the care...but we were also at the mercy of our dcp - so when she needed to do something with her kids (last minute or planned) we had find backup care (or I had to take a day off)...
another thing with inhomes (if it is only 1 person) is that there will likely be some tv watching while s/he preps meals, bottles, snacks, etc...not a huge deal, but still...if it is only one person meal prep, activity prep, changing/pting, etc...all take time and take away from provider interaction...not that in a center is all 100% interaction all of the time...but I wouldn't think at an inhome its more at all.
we are now going with a center and only wish we had made the switch sooner. GL with your decision!
We also go with a licensed in home and love it. Our provider has 2 helpers throughout the day to help with the kids. I like that it is a smaller ratio of children and it is the "home" environment. Since our provider has 2 helpers she is able to take the ones like DD who are a little older to the park or for walks around the neighborhood. I believe today she was taking them to the park
I agree with any daycare (in home or center) you get your good ones and bad ones. We found our daycare through DH's boss, him and his gf took their DD there and had really good things to say. The one thing I like about our in home is the flexibility our provider has if we need it. She has watched DD past her hours and never charges us extra. One night I had an interview that left me picking DD up an hour late. Our provider took DD to dinner for me and then dropped her off at my house when they were done. She has also agreed that we could drop DD off if I go into labor in the middle of the night (since we have no family here). I also like our in home b/c she always has our provider. I don't have to worry about turn over or moving rooms or any of that.
I wouldn't say that there is no accountibility with an in home (atleast with licensed providers). I know that our provider has state workers coming in for random checks and is also on a healthy food program for the kids.
Goodbye little angel(7/22/2011)....see you in heaven
Goodbye my second angel (9/18/2011)
We also chose a center for the reasons above, and because our center also has a great pre-school curriculum.
All of the above reasons. Our center has a required 4:1 ratio but I'd say 90% of the time there are 3 teachers for 8 infants. They get tons of individual attention.
As a plus, we are located in a downtown district so the boys get walks in strollers around the historic buildings. The preschoolers take little field trips.
I've done both and prefer center to inhome. I will add the caveat that we never found an inhome that we really loved.
Center PRO: hours flexible, accountability, most that I looked at provided infant formula and diapers, they don't close unexpectedly, very structured, formal complaint processes in place, a good "kindy readiness" tract; lots of classroom resources.
Center CON: expensive.. we're paying almost twice what we paid at inhome; high turnover of staff; can sometimes feel impersonal; staffing changes (e.g. we were just informed that DS is being moved out of his classroom this summer.. no idea why.. we go to a huge center with 7 different preschool classrooms and they sometimes need to juggle kids around to meet ratios.. when we first started DS was moved around between 4 different rooms during the day!)
In-home PRO: very personable; DS grew very fond of his caregivers; inexpensive; laid back;
In-home CON: My objective cons: closing unexpectedly, hours are more rigid (ours was open 6 am to 5- which meant DH and I were always arguing about who would have to leave work early to get DS before they closed). My other cons are more subjective- I felt like I was intruding in someone's home and never clicked with our provider. They would often complain about how little money they made. They were sometimes too laid back- like they'd laugh and say they were too busy to make lunch so they gave the kids Taco Bell..(really!) We quit them and tried another inhome and she was the opposite approach- really uptight, fed the kids asparagus and brussel sprouts and would send reports home complaining that he wouldn't eat all his veggies. She actually ended up dumping us because she said DS didn't fit in with the "vibe" of her inhome daycare group. We bit the bullet and ponied up for a center after that and love the structure and accountability of the teachers and staff.
To answer the OP - we use both right now.
My son (13 months) is in an in-home. My daughter (5) is in a center.
Here's why.
The in-home we use is accredited by the NAFCC. It fits the bill for every advantage outlined about centers above - no tv, approved curriculum, key pad security system, fenced yard for play, continuing education for teachers - the whole shebang. However, ratios are lower. There are 12 kids aged 0-4, and 4 caregivers. Some of the kids are part time. So some days there are lower numbers of kids there. All food/diapers/wipes are included. The food served is nutritionally balanced (menus are approved by a nutritionist), whole grain, organic, and homemade. The veggies are mostly grown in the garden, tended by the kids over the spring/summer/fall - which lends a whole new level of learning, and also increases the likelihood that the kids eat veggies - as they had a hand in growing them. Smaller environment, less germs than in a larger center. In our experience, there have been less issues as well - the owner has a vested interest in keeping things running smoothly as her entire life rests on it.
DD is in a center this year, because it's a transition year for her. Because her birthday is in Nov., other kids her age who attended the in-home moved on to K, though they were the same age as her. So we moved her to a larger pre-school classroom for her final year before entering K. This center has 16 kids in the preschool (3-5) classroom, whereas the in home would have had 4. We thought it would help her to transition to a larger class next year. However, the curriculum is the same - if anything she was doing more creative work at the in-home because they had the ability to do more involved activities in a smaller group (such as contributing to cooking the meals, which fulfill science requirements for curriculum if they talk through the changing states of the batter - dry to liquid, etc.).
Of the two - the center is cheaper for us. Doesn't include anything, though - we have to send lunch. So it just about evens out in cost.
Really, quality childcare is quality childcare and so much is dependent on the available providers for your area, your specific needs and your child's needs. I think you can do well with either setting if you find the right childcare. There are a LOT of misconceptions about in home settings, which frustrates me.
We used in home. I only wanted daycare 1-2 days a week and that wouldnt be an option in a center. I can pick any days I want to use on any given week. The person who runs the daycare has a masters in early childhood education and a former teacher. The kids are close in age to DS/DD and she follow a curriculum with them. I get lengthy reports on what the did/ate, they bring home artprojects, etc. The teacher also follows ap stuff like I do so it's a huge help as I know the kids are receiving the kind of care I want them to. They dont have cable so I know the kids arent babysat by the TV all day.
It really is wonderful.
Center - same one I went to...
Why? More adults around, more accountability. They don't close for vacation/sick. They are open 6-6 and also have Saturday hours. The kids go through the different classes/grade levels and are exposed to different teachers. They offer music and ballet classes during the time they are already there. But mainly the first reason - I am not comfortable with one, or two, adults watching all the kids. I like that the director/owner is an R.N. and wanders through the center all day to help out wherever needed.
Our center is not a chain - it is owned and operated by an older couple - their grandson is in my DD2's class. And when DD1 was an infant she was in the infant room with only 3 other kids - one was PT. She was never sick.
DD2 11.17.08
I use a center daycare, but I was open to looking at in-home daycares as well. For me, the in-home daycares that I wanted (the ones that have more of a pre-school type feel) were all full. I started looking for daycare well in advance of DD's birth, and they really couldn't guarantee me a spot.
I did interview one in-home daycare that was available and what turned me off was that the woman said she used the television for "white noise".
When I visited my current daycare, there were projects on the wall and structure to the day. A clean playground and they provide food/snacks. I really dislike my job and need consistency to stay sane. I can rely on my center daycare (for the most part) to provide that for me.
We looked at both centers and family daycare and went with family provider. We liked the mixed aged at the family daycare and the small # of children. Both had similar schedule options - we have DD in care 3 days a week. The downside to the family daycare is that if she is sick then she has to close her business that day but we're willing to take that risk since we really like her and she loves DD.
In terms of costs the family provider is half the cost of a center, at least in our area. A nanny was out of the question (though I considered a nanny share but ran out of time to spend in sorting that all out). We will consider a more structured program when DD is older but for now she loves being with all the "big" kids and gets lots of attention and love so we are happy.
Accountablility, Team care, not having a person in my house, and not having to worry about nanny sick days and vacation. These are why I chose a center over a nanny.
We didn't find an in-home nearby that guaranteed all of these particular aspects so it wasn't a consideration.
I chose in-home because it was less expensive and because the in-home I visited vs. the centers I visited just "felt" right to me. It was warm and homey and I knew my DD would be loved and well cared for.
I have not been disappointed.
This exactly. We started DS in an inhome when I went back to work. I arrived early one day and found him shut in a room crying the DCP admitted he'd been crying for 7.5 hours that day. We switched to a center and I have been so pleased with them. I know there are good inhomes too, but there is just too little accountability. I would never consider an inhome until my LO was old enough to tell me what was happening there during the day.
If an in-home like this existed around here, I would use it in a heartbeat!
I recently recommended her to a new mom - and she has a waitlist until September 2013 right now!
I know this is a big debate, but it really depends on your particular situation. I tend to like in-home more for younger infant/toddlers and centers for preschool age.
We tried a center first, DD made it three weeks. My gut feeling was that she was an 'easy' baby and wound up in the bouncy chair most of the day. She was just 'off' when we picked her up. We found an in-home that we love. DD happily goes to DCP and I like the fact that it is run more like a center. She has a schedule, they do structured activities, no tv etc. I also like the fact that there are some older kids, who have been with her since they were infants, and I appreciate that she gets much healthier meals than she would at a center - organic milk and homemade healthy food. My provider has a backup in case she is ever sick and is much more reasonably priced than a center.