This weekend I had to come to terms with the fact that my baby is going to have to go to daycare when I return to work. BIG SIGH.
I’m not exactly in the best “work-at-home” profession. I only wish I could Skype into my Grade 5 classroom and teach in my pjs…although I’m sure “SIT DOWN BRANDON!!” would not have the same effect when yelled from 50 kilometers away.
As I logically understood that I would return to work when my maternity leave was over, my husband and I have been looking at daycares for many months. Our names have been on multiple waiting lists; we have learned that our city only has expensive daycare that requires you to be on a waiting list almost before you give birth to your child. We have done our due-diligence, had the interviews, read the manuals, asked around for good places.
Finally, we are receiving calls telling us there will be an opening for our son, and now we’re faced with choosing a daycare. And I have no idea how to make the choice.
Here’s my problem: Which is better- Home daycare or Montessori pre-school?
I have a huge list of pros and cons for both, which I won’t bore you with, but I’ll give you a taste:
- Pros-Home daycares are personal, loving, have fewer children, more flexible, and less expensive.
- Cons-Home daycares are less regulated, less focused on “learning”, can take holidays or shut down at any time.
- Pros-Pre-school is government regulated/checked, focused on “learning”, structured and scheduled, predictable
- Cons-Pre-school is less personal, more children, more expensive, inflexible
My lists are longer, but you get the idea. I can see the benefits and drawbacks of both and, as it happens, my son has been accepted at the Montessori pre-school of our choice AND the Home Daycare of our choice. We have looked at getting a nanny and/or nanny-share, but haven’t been impressed with any agencies thus far.
So I ask you, how did you choose childcare for you child? What was important for you and your family? And how did you keep it from breaking your heart???
By the large volume of comments here, it seems that this article did it’s job and got people stirred up. Hey, at least it’s generating a conversation. That’s always a good thing.
i love your blog come back soon.
Seven Things Daycares Don’t Have to Tell You
As a former police child abuse detective, I must stress that incidents like this are way under-reported. The more it is exposed the better.
Every parent strives to find a good daycare for their kids. Being the responsible and intelligent parent that you are not different. If you’re about to enroll a kid in daycare, you know you can’t just pick one out of the phone book of off the internet and hope for the best.
If you’re like most parents you’ll at least visit several daycares before picking one for their kid. You’ll do your homework, right?
You have no doubt printed checklists and questions to ask during the appointment you scheduled to visit the daycare. Heck you might even stop by accidentally on the wrong date for your appointment just to see what’s going on when they’re not expecting company. You can take a quick peek, apologize, and confirm the “correct” date for your interview and inspection.
During your interview you’ll ask about the staff and licensing. You’ll ask about lunch and snacks. The staff will do their best to answer your questions, and you’ll leave feeling good about a particular daycare.
Meanwhile, back at the daycare, the staff and owner will be breathing a sigh of relief. There were nine things they didn’t have to tell, and they will be delighted that you didn’t know to ask.
Here are the Seven things daycare providers don’t have to tell you:
Some daycare staff members may work before their background checks are completed. You are smart enough to know better than to risk putting your child in the hands of someone you know nothing about. While it takes the state months to do a background check, I can do a complete background investigation in 72 hours or less.
Daycare Providers Do Not Have to Tell You About Past Complaints to the State. You’ve heard the expression about something that looks, walks, quacks, and whatever else they do being ducks, right? Well complaint after complaint to the state, even if they were unfounded, should at least be a yellow flag needing further investigation.
Daycare Centers Do Not Have to Tell You About Registered Sexual Predators in the Area. You can at least hope they know how many there are, which at least shows some proactive thinking on the daycare’s part. Check for registered Sex Offenders in the area of any daycare you’re considering. Just because the court told them to stay away from kids does not mean they will be able to.
Recent Criminal or Suspicious Activity is Something Else Daycare Owners Would Rather Keep Quiet. Recent criminal activity can include everything from a potential child molester creeping around outside of a daycare, to stray bullets from a gang corner down the street. A pattern of traffic accidents in front of or near the daycare is another area of concern. This is especially true if the daycare’s playground is only protected by a chain link fence. The police will have a records of all traffic accidents at or near the daycare.
Staff Criminal History and Contact With Law Enforcement History. As a former police officer, I hate to admit this, but the police can’t catch every criminal every time. Somebody who was investigated for child abuse or sexual misconduct three times in other states can still be working in the daycare you are considering for your kid.
If they have not been charged and/or convicted, chances are good that they will pass the background check. Would you want someone who has been investigated for sexual child abuse three times watching your kid?
Past Lawsuits They Have Lost or Successfully Defended. If a daycare center has been successfully sued, they still may be able to operate depending on the incident. Even if a daycare has been unsuccessfully sued for an injury to a child, it could also be a warning sign, or a sign the daycare owner has a very good attorney. Either way, your kid’s safety is at risk.
Professional Daycare Licenses Revoked or Suspended in Other States. Since some state’s daycare licensing divisions are way behind others in technology and online records availability, some daycare providers who have had their licenses suspended or revoked in other states can still get a license somewhere else – even in Florida.
Parents can check most of this information on their own. You can also hire licensed private investigator investigate this for you.
If you’d like more information please visit http://www.the-lionfish-group.com/daycare.html
Going back to work after I had my first child was very hard to cope with, nanna couldn’t babysit full time as she also worked so it meant going outside my comfort zone to find someone to watch over my child. Being from a small town has the advantage of knowing most if not all of the home daycare providers (not personally but by site, and what ppl have to say about them).
We chose a home daycare as it was a little more flexible in the drop off & pick up times. We were lucky to find the most amazing woman in the world to look after our little one. She loves these little ones like they are her own, she doesn’t take a lot of time off (and you know months in advance so you can make other arraignments) and my girls absolutely love her. She is the kind of person who will go that extra mile to help the mommies out in anyway she can.
When I had to go back to work after my second one this was not as traumatic for me as I knew that our little one would be going to a safe loving environment
Good luck and here is hoping that you find someone as great as I have to look after your little one
Aa a daycare provider in our neighbourhood,I know how tough this dilemma is for so many Moms…I agree with Jen, a baby should be in a warm loving and stimulating environment…learning environments are ideal for children ages 24 months and up.
Go with your gut instinct.It’s important to have an honest and open relationship with your caregiver.If you chose the home daycare make sure you have a clear contract and back up in case of illness or vacation. Your son will probably adjust to his new situation with ease ….it may take a little longer for Mom.
Unah Grieve
Happy Home Child Care
Oh, Sarah. I remember how tough this was. The strange thing for me was that leading up to it was way harder than when it actually happened. I enjoyed the change of being back at work. Part of that was that we had a really fabulous nanny. For us, having our children in their own home seemed to make things less stressful. They were still in their jammies when we left and could nap in their own beds. There is a huge nanny network in our neighbourhood so lots of socializing and fun at the park, etc.
Having older kids now I would say, worry less about “learning” and more about a loving, stimulating environment. Babies learn by experiencing life so outings and exposure to different things is the best way at this stage. There is plenty of time for school! Find a place and/or person you get a warm vibe from. No one will take care of your child like you would so find someone who offers something really unique.
That is my 2 cents. Hope it helps!