Question: What is the best way to secure daycare for my infant?
Getting daycare has been a struggle. My friends said to start registering before the baby is even born and I'm starting to see the logic of that. What ideas do you have for getting comptent daycare?
Answers:
Community Advice
ErinTM writes: interview them all. I personally like family care over day care centers. Each state should have a list online of all the approved family day cares. Then call them for availability. You should be able to go visit and get a sense of the place. Are the babies put away or are they being held? You'll get a good sense when you visit. And talk to parents of babies at the place. In more urban areas you have to get spots early. We got our son's spot when I was 6 weeks preggo. Does that help?
Community Advice
Emily writes: John, if you figure this one out let me know! We got on waiting lists in the first trimester and may have to wait until he's 1 to get into a daycare. Now we're looking at sitters/nannies who can come to our house. It's been hard since this is our first child and we don't know any sitters, but we've found good leads through friends who have posted to their neighborhood listserves and parenting email groups.
Community Advice
RTatum writes: I found a family child care provider. She is also a private preschool teacher. I observed her with the children and all of the children were learning, from the infants to the 10 year olds. Her website is: https://www.ava24hrchildcare.com. Maybe you can go to the site and find someone in your own area who can do what she does. Good luck!