Being into my 23rd week, it's hit me that we don't have all the time in the world to make decisions anymore, and the important ones that needs planning, such as daycare, are the most expensive ones... and also the ones that are going to cause us the most stress.
We started our initial research a few months ago, searching for daycares in our area and in the surrounding areas. We just recently started calling around to get pricing, and I swear it's going to be like paying another mortgage. Even for 3 days a week, it's at LEAST $300... ugh. We have an appointment with one in our town next week... the woman on the phone was the sweetest thing ever, but of course they are - they want your business and your money. I honestly don't know what to expect when we go.... I mean, I know I want to see the place I could potentially be leaving my daughter for 3 days out of the week, but at the same time, in the back of my head I have to be telling my "don't fall in love with this place, you aren't making a decision yet."
The daycare decision really is a Catch-22. We need to get onto a waiting list, like, now for January of next year... its INSANE. But at the same time, we're seeing these ads posted on Craigslist that would just be ideal, but it's too early to even try to make a plan with anyone now... so either we wait it out and see whats on Craigslist come October/November, and hope we can find something and cheaper, or lock into a larger daycare and be assured we have someone to watch the baby when I go back to work but at a higher price...
And to throw another option into the mix, my friend that we've known since high school just recently moved back to town, and is talking about maybe starting something up with her sister, and has offered to watch BabyBaby for maybe half the price of what we would be paying at a larger daycare...
A lot of options, a lot of things to consider, and time is running out....
1 comment:
Definitely not a decision to take lightly! My mother works with child care workers and centers in WA to ensure, not only that they're up to state regulations but also safety, good practice and management. There's a lot of aspects to consider, but there are also a lot of resources out there. If you google "choosing a daycare" you get a lot of great pages of tips, checklists of things to look for and questions to ask. Particularly with your friend just starting out, it could be a good way to ensure they get going on the right foot. :)
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