To send DD to daycare, or not...

BPer · August 2013

Okay, so I need some advice regarding whether or not I should send DD to daycare on a part-time basis...

I'm a licensed realtor, and have recently signed with a new broker. Because it's real estate sales, I can pretty much put into it as much or as little as I want. I can choose to be in the office, or not be in the office because I am technically an independent contractor.

H and I were hoping to get some help from our families with regards to watching DD one or two days a week, or even half-day so that we wouldn't be paying for childcare up-front before I had actually made any real money. Unfortunately, MIL considers herself to be one of the busiest people on the planet, despite having no actual obligations outside of hosting one support group meeting per week for a hospice program, and my mom acts as though watching DD at all is a huge inconvenience to her, even when it's only for a couple of hours at a time.

So I've researched some daycares, and I've found one that Hannah could attend part-time (half-day M-F or 3 days per week) for $140, which I think is pretty reasonable. I'm just torn as to whether I should be spending money when I'm not consistently bringing it in, despite the fact that I'm a lot more likely to make money when I spend time in the office. So, what are your thoughts? I go back and forth like every 10 minutes as to whether or not it'd be worth spending the cash.

Unknown · August 2013

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AKB090609 · August 2013

If you can afford to lose that $, yes. Remember that you can always pull her if you don't feel like you are making enough at your new job.

linzeek44 · August 2013

I would do it.

(I work from home right now and with E here and a terrible napper, it's pretty impossible to get good work done. I think if you can swing part time care at a place you like, it'd be worth it to get your real estate stuff up and running. Plus, your ILs are crazy, right?)

BPer · August 2013

linzeek44 said:

I would do it.

(I work from home right now and with E here and a terrible napper, it's pretty impossible to get good work done. I think if you can swing part time care at a place you like, it'd be worth it to get your real estate stuff up and running. Plus, your ILs are crazy, right?)

Yep. I had anxiety leaving DD there for an hour during my doctor's appointment today. Sigh.

danabsd · August 2013

When I was unemployed I continued to sent Beb to daycare even though unemployment barley covered it. I considered getting a job to be my job and I couldn't do that with a baby climbing all over me and the computer.

Kissty · August 2013

I would also do it if it wouldn't put too much of a financial strain on yourself.

BPer · August 2013

Thanks for the input all. It wouldn't strain us financially, we've just been saving pretty much everything so that we can pay cash for as much as possible for the construction on the new house.

hmp1 · August 2013

I would do it for 6 months and then re-evaluate your situation. You may feel like you need full time or you may feel like doing drop-in care or on call nanny is a better option so you can be more available when the clients need you.

bosha711 · August 2013

I would do it, and I would choose the 3 days a week for full time, as opposed to M-F half days.

The reason is b/c with the half days, I feel like you're barely getting your work day started before it's time to go pick up LO again. Also, your day (and mind) is always split b/w work & baby. 3 full days are much more effective in my experience. HTH

melody921 · August 2013

I would do it. You can always pull her out later if it's not working for you. But I think there would be advantages to being in the office at the beginning.

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