We are switching from a daycare center to an in-home daycare next week because of issues we had with the center. The in-home daycare closes two weeks out of the year, once in the spring and once in the summer. I only get two weeks vacation, and DH has even less than that. It is not feasible for one of us to take off those weeks in their entirety, so we are going to have to find alternate care. The March break is actually not too far off, and I'm beginning to wonder what we're going to do for it. Has anyone hired a nanny for a week or less? Any other ideas?
We are relatively new to our town, and don't have family in town. We have some friends with kids, but none of them do I feel like I know well enough to ask if they can watch our baby for a week.
Re: Care when Daycare closes for a week
The bumpie formerly known as First Time in MI
One of the local nanny services in our area also does care-on-call and short term engagements. We've used them to book alternate care for one week intervals.
Also, since the other parents who use your provider are going to be in the same situation, is it possible there's a parent who might be willing to share a provider and associated costs for the week?
Are you close with any of your coworkers? I have always found the best recommendations through those I work closely with.
I've asked my in-home DCP to be a back-up for one of my colleagues when her sitter cancels, and she has asked hers to be a back-up for me. It's worked out really well, and our kiddos know each other, so when they go to the back-up sitter, they always have a little buddy to latch on to.
We send DS to a ChildTime center and love it. They have a program where you can buy days of care for drop-ins without being registered full or part time there. A couple of my friends who SAH have this (I think the card is for 5 days at a time) and they use it sporadically for days they have appointments, etc.
I think they may offer this at more than just our center, given that it is a national chain (although I know they are operated individually). It may be worth it to visit one and see if you like it enough for it to be your back up care and see if they have a program like that.