Need Childcare help!!

chricast · March 2014

Okay, so I have to find either a nanny or daycare by the end of this week. My husband is leaving for work for 2 weeks while I am left starting a whole new routine and job!! EEK! So.. I emailed one nanny I like on care.com to arrange an interview and I am going to call the 2 daycare centers in my town first thing Monday to see if they have any openings and if we can tour. I was searching for our prior discussions on the topic of what the heck to ask and look for but I cant find them. So enlighten me please!! I have no idea if I want a nanny or a daycare more. I would love a nanny for Emma to have 1:1 care and for someone to clean the house. I would love a daycare for the interaction and skills that would be taught there. Help please.

Wally3 · March 2014

I second Go with your gut. I have had both nanny and daycare. There are pluses and minuses to both. Ask for references from both the nanny and the daycare. Call and talk to them. You can usually get a gut feeling from others as well. Daycares should be able to give you name of a current parent to talk to even if they have to ask permission first.

StefanieM522 · March 2014

I third going with your gut, I loved what I saw at the daycare and ended up enrolling Wesley after the tour. I asked about teacher to kid ratio, for nap time will she have her own crib or got? What is their definition of sick? Do you provide food or will they?. I love his daycare and he loves going every morning and has the best time playing with all his friends. He is very busy at daycare which i love. I didn't want him to be board.

StefanieM522 · March 2014

Also ask the daycare about what holidays they are closed and if you still have to pay for days you are not their and holidays they are closed.

Sillygirl85 · March 2014

Whatever you do don't rush into anything! Make sure you are 100% comfortable with whatever decision you make whether it is with a daycare or a nanny.

I ended up in a situation where I had 3 days to find daycare and I rushed into one. I wish that I had just told the employer that I needed more time. Even if I had lost the job over that it would be better then the anxiety and the guilt that I still feel over the deplorable care my son received for six days.

LorMor · March 2014

Ask the nanny whether she has first aid training. Also, gut. I interviewed two nannies, one had formal nanny training and loads of experience, the other had v little experience and no training. They both have kids of their own. The inexperienced, untrained one was just so much warmer and played so nicely with T. She works for us twice a week and they have such a sweet relationship. I don't think the other one would have been wrong, but it also wouldn't have been so right.

Ziegeficker · March 2014

I personally can't deal with the instability of single-person care...between sick days, personal time, and the risk that they could just quit, I am a pro-daycare center girl all the way! I also don't like the idea of leaving my LO alone with someone I don't know.

chricast · March 2014

Thanks ladies. Fingers crossed we find something or some one we love and this will be painless!

chricast · March 2014

That sounds awesome @RVASC811‌. I just called the 2 daycares and one doesn't start until 2.5 it is only preschool. So we are down to 1 daycare. We are going to go and tour tomorrow and interviewing the nanny tomorrow night. This daycare does do before and after school with transport to and from until age 10 but as of right now doesn't service my school district according to the website.

Sharon&Paul · March 2014

We have done daycare, live-out nanny, and currently live-in nanny. We like the live out nanny situation best. We felt our kids were on our schedule in their own home. They followed our rules. They also take them to play groups, trips, library school etc... The nanny drives our older kids back and forth to school. There is a lot more flexibility in hours and schedules. With a live-in we don't have to worry about snow days. They also rarely call out sick if they are living with you.

chricast · March 2014

OK we went to the daycare today because my husband has to work late tomorrow. It was small but nice. The teacher to child ratio was 1:6. Depending on the day there would be 7-8 kids in Emma's room. The teacher in her room was very nice. Emma ran off and played with all the toys and acted like she was already going there everyday. They provide breakfast and snacks but not lunch. The toddlers have their own "playground" it is a tiny enclosed yard with a large toy(?) in the middle (I couldnt see it because of all the snow today). My husband did notice there were no outlet covers (my kid likes to stick her fingers in outlets) but he didnt tell me until after we left. I asked how often they wash toys and she said they will do a section of toys each day during nap time IE legos monday, trucks tuesday etc. I wasnt completely thrilled by the place but that could be just because I dont want to leave my baby! It will be half the price of the nanny though. The daycare does have its own Pre-K but if Emma gets in the townships free Pre-K (it is a lottery) then they will bus her to and from school until she is 10.

Tomorrow night is the nanny interview then it is decision time.

Ziegeficker · March 2014

@LauraT25‌, my friend's nanny just quit too. She was super stressed about it, and I am not actually sure what she found as a replacement. I seriously sympathize with your situation and hope you find something fast. I was stressed enough finding a place for Henry back when we had months to choose and deal with waiting lists :-(

StefanieM522 · March 2014

@chricast good luck tomorrow with your nanny interview. Hope it goes well!

@laurat25 that sucks about your nanny hope you can find something else fast. Good luck!

chricast · March 2014

Damn @LauraT25 I'm sorry to hear that! I hope you can find some one or some place for K that you love even more though. I would totally be drinking if that happened!

chricast · March 2014

Ahh waiting lists! I'm so glad the daycare here had an opening. Like I said it not the biggest or most thrilling place but it is a daycare.

chricast · March 2014

Had the nanny interview we loved her and Emma played really well with her. Now we have to wait to find out what my salary will be so we know if we can afford her. If not Emma will have to go to daycare. I will definitely want a nanny for baby #2 I can't imagine sending a 8 week old infant into this daycare. The hubs agrees with that at least.

CP0979 · March 2014

Don't forget there's always the option of doing both. My daughter had daycare 3 days wk and nanny 2 days. It was the best of both worlds. Although my nanny wasn't entirely dependable so it was good that daycare was pretty flexible and could usually take her on short notice. But basically she got 1:1 twice a week with better napping, I didn't have to pack stuff or drive those days and nanny did a little cleaning. It wasn't as expensive as full time nanny and my lol also got socialization so she wasn't bored. Now she's in dc all week bc nanny quit and didn't give me any notice, literally she called out and told me she wasn't coming back the same day. Oh and she watched my baby for 6 months! Thank god dc was there to scoop her up!

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