@mrstmoose ... I'm just down 70 from ya..St. Louis here! I lived in St. Joe and KC during college. I didn't tour LA Petite but Kinder Care quoted me $365 a week! Unbelievable
We did our checking around and it was about $790-$830/month for a quality childcare provider. The one we are going with is on the upper end of the range ($820/month) but we really love the place. The turnover rate is nonexistent, they provide all food, including formula for infants if they are on it, and cover the cost for field trips. The field trips are mostly for toddlers and up but it's something we'll look forward to when our LO gets bigger. All the teachers are certified and the daycare center covers the cost for any new certification the teachers get, which I really like. The other thing I really like about it is since I'm in education and get my summers "off" (yeah right, I also work a part time job lol), the center allows us to do part time childcare for a reduced price during from June-August. So, LO will keep her spot, she can go part time and I can still work my part time job while she is there.We may not be making a whole lot of money after paying for childcare during the summer but it still allows me to work and she keeps her spot and gets social time. Only downside is we have to wait until January 2017 to send her there. There is a waiting list. For Sept-Dec. a woman we know from our church who does childcare will watch her.
When I did initial online research and calls, some providers did give a cost, others wanted you to do the walk through. The one we went with had us do a walk through first, then I sat down with the center director we talked about the details. I was fine with it because it came highly recommended by many people, including a colleague I trust and respect, so I knew it would be worth the time.
We only toured one daycare and fell in love with it. They weren't stingy with information beforehand either. The most annoying thing about the whole ordeal was the pricing/rates were not posted on their website and you had to call an 800 number and talk to a customer service rep. The rep provided the information. We set up a tour online. The one we looked at is 192 per week and include diapers, wipes, and formula. They also are set up like a school and work on age appropriate milestones for each age group and prepare them for kindergarten. They have child care centers all over the country, but the prices can vary from center to center. For example, there are a few in our area and the prices differ on a few of them.
What is the name of the place? Maybe they have one near me--I want to pay $192/week!
La Petite Academy The same company owns Child Time and a few others as well. Prices vary by location. The one on the other side of town cost more.
@mrstmoose ... I'm just down 70 from ya..St. Louis here! I lived in St. Joe and KC during college. I didn't tour LA Petite but Kinder Care quoted me $365 a week! Unbelievable
All of the commercial daycare places I looked at in JoCo were $310-350 per week (the places at the lower end were horrible- some combinations of not kept up, extremely loud, staff not fluent in English, staff way too young/ immature, etc.) We had planned to settle on one of the higher end ones, which we honestly can't afford. But after reading mrsmoose's feedback and doing a little research, I was shocked to discover how much less in home daycares are and that there may be a few in my area- maybe even within walking distance!
I still have my spot held at a more pricy place, but if there's an in home daycare near me for $200 per week or less with quality care, I'd be over the moon!!! It'd still be a little tight, but MUCH more manageable!
@proudparent2b - YAY! I'm glad you looked around. Those places, while amazing, are sooooo expensive and your baby might not get the attention they need (and deserve). Look at Childcare Aware and Daycare Connections. I'll PM you the FB groups you might want to join.
@mrstmoose@proudparent2b I'm also in Joco and found that most of the daycare centers are quoting in the low $300s per week. We ended up putting a deposit down on one that was $295/wk very close to us. I did tour one in-home that we didn't like that was $220. I joined a facebook group for Johnson County Daycares and put out feelers there, but didn't get a lot of response. I've heard good things about Daycare connection though.
@jenbkc it really is hit or miss on those websites, but they did work for me. Or at least to the point where we are going to go visit two places tomorrow night. Good luck!
@mrstmoose good luck to you too! I was just so glad we finally found one we liked! We toured quite a few that were terrible. We both left thinking "Why would anyone leave their kid here????" at most of them.
@jenbkc it's hard in this area since everything is so expensive. Luckily, we are looking at daycares in the southern part so I think that's why we are finding them a bit less than you. It's nice to know there are other mama to be's in the area that will be delivering around the same I do!
@mrstmoose Apparently there's a baby boom going on in JoCo right now!
I swear I spent two hours this evening going from referral to referral to see if anyone has availability. It seems like most are booked way in advance or don't plan more than 1-2 months ahead. So far, I've found one with availability and another with possible availability, but the search will go on!
You could try joining Nextdoor.com for the neighborhood you are moving to. Many people have done this when moving into our neighborhood for both recommendations and pricing info. Good luck!
This entire thread is a huge reason I stay home with DD and next baby. I'd be paying my entire salary into childcare plus some more. I really can't piece together how you working mamas afford daycare! You must make more than I did?? I was an elementary school teacher before my SAHM gig.
Also, I guess we need to have a KC bumpie get together! I had no idea we had so many gals in KC.
@proudparent2b - I was having that same issue. That's why we started looking only in the town we are moving too as there are many more options there. If we didn't find one this week like we did, we were going to give up until March/April. I would stay glued to those FB pages, those will probably be your best bet.
Now that the appraisal on the house we're buying came through and we are for sure moving, we put down our daycare deposit yesterday! Feels so fortuitous that the place we liked best is 2 minutes (I even tested the drive around 5 PM) from our new house. Not so fortuitous that the place we liked best is also the most expensive (but not by much).
I haven't lived in KC (or JoCo) for almost 5 years but a good friend of mine's sister runs a daycare center in JoCo called Kiddin Around. My friend takes her kid there and loves it. The website sucks, but so do most daycare centers' websites. www.kiddinaroundcdc.com Of course they probably have a mile long wait list too
Now that the appraisal on the house we're buying came through and we are for sure moving, we put down our daycare deposit yesterday! Feels so fortuitous that the place we liked best is 2 minutes (I even tested the drive around 5 PM) from our new house. Not so fortuitous that the place we liked best is also the most expensive (but not by much).
I haven't lived in KC (or JoCo) for almost 5 years but a good friend of mine's sister runs a daycare center in JoCo called Kiddin Around. My friend takes her kid there and loves it. The website sucks, but so do most daycare centers' websites. www.kiddinaroundcdc.com Of course they probably have a mile long wait list too
Shut the front door, the kidding around family are mutual friends of mine! Haven't seen them in a couple of years since I've left the nanny business. They're very kind people, although I can't speak to their daycares.
@proudparent2b@araecasey@jenbkc@khochanadel - Whoa, I had no idea this many people were on here from KC/JoCo. Why is the KC board so dead? I feel like we should get it to come alive! Where are you all delivering at?
@mrstmoose Yeah, I don't know what's up with the KC board. I don't really even bother to look at it now cause there is nothing on there ever. I'm planning on delivering at Shawnee Mission.
I hardly ever check our board because it's so lame. Delivering at OPR with Jeane Ward. Birthed at SMMC last time and it was a complete nightmare. My care team was not on their A game at all. So many blunders. I hear much more positive reviews about OPR, looking forward to touring in the next few months!
Any of you gals up for prenatal yoga with me??? Starting classes next Tuesday at the zen zone.
Sorry @dshannah for derailing your post. Maybe we should make a spin off thread, gals?
Now that the appraisal on the house we're buying came through and we are for sure moving, we put down our daycare deposit yesterday! Feels so fortuitous that the place we liked best is 2 minutes (I even tested the drive around 5 PM) from our new house. Not so fortuitous that the place we liked best is also the most expensive (but not by much).
I haven't lived in KC (or JoCo) for almost 5 years but a good friend of mine's sister runs a daycare center in JoCo called Kiddin Around. My friend takes her kid there and loves it. The website sucks, but so do most daycare centers' websites. www.kiddinaroundcdc.com Of course they probably have a mile long wait list too
Shut the front door, the kidding around family are mutual friends of mine! Haven't seen them in a couple of years since I've left the nanny business. They're very kind people, although I can't speak to their daycares.
The world is a very small place. My in-laws live in Olathe and my family are, respectively, 3 hours north and 3 hours south of there so we come visit KC about once a year. My husband was born at Shawnee Mission and lived there up until we uprooted and moved to Austin 5 years ago.
This entire thread is a huge reason I stay home with DD and next baby. I'd be paying my entire salary into childcare plus some more. I really can't piece together how you working mamas afford daycare! You must make more than I did?? I was an elementary school teacher before my SAHM gig.
Yes, 23-year-old me would be better off quitting my job because my entire salary would have gone to daycare. Luckily 33-year-old me has clawed her way up the tech ladder and quitting the workforce doesn't make sense. We could get by on DH's salary alone, but I really like what I do.
Re: Daycare Cost Mystery
When I did initial online research and calls, some providers did give a cost, others wanted you to do the walk through. The one we went with had us do a walk through first, then I sat down with the center director we talked about the details. I was fine with it because it came highly recommended by many people, including a colleague I trust and respect, so I knew it would be worth the time.
edited for more daycare info
La Petite Academy
The same company owns Child Time and a few others as well. Prices vary by location. The one on the other side of town cost more.
First Pregnancy
Second Pregnancy
- BFP: 09/11/2015
- EDD: 05/25/2016
Baby Born04/15/2016
PGAL
I still have my spot held at a more pricy place, but if there's an in home daycare near me for $200 per week or less with quality care, I'd be over the moon!!! It'd still be a little tight, but MUCH more manageable!
I swear I spent two hours this evening going from referral to referral to see if anyone has availability. It seems like most are booked way in advance or don't plan more than 1-2 months ahead. So far, I've found one with availability and another with possible availability, but the search will go on!
Also, I guess we need to have a KC bumpie get together! I had no idea we had so many gals in KC.
I haven't lived in KC (or JoCo) for almost 5 years but a good friend of mine's sister runs a daycare center in JoCo called Kiddin Around. My friend takes her kid there and loves it. The website sucks, but so do most daycare centers' websites. www.kiddinaroundcdc.com Of course they probably have a mile long wait list too
Any of you gals up for prenatal yoga with me??? Starting classes next Tuesday at the zen zone.
Sorry @dshannah for derailing your post. Maybe we should make a spin off thread, gals?
@araecasey right now I'm on pelvic rest and supposed to be "taking it easy." I see my doctor tomorrow so I'm hoping I get that lifted.
Yes, 23-year-old me would be better off quitting my job because my entire salary would have gone to daycare. Luckily 33-year-old me has clawed her way up the tech ladder and quitting the workforce doesn't make sense. We could get by on DH's salary alone, but I really like what I do.