Affordable Childcare
From LoveToKnow Baby
Parents can be quite inventive in their quest for affordable childcare. With so many parents working today, dependable childcare is simply a necessary fact of life. If you have a unique childcare solution you'd like to share with our readers, please do. We'd love to know!
Types of Childcare
Childcare can run the gamut from grandmas who baby sit to childcare centers and everything in between. There are several different types of childcare, but one size certainly doesn't fit all!
Home Daycares
Home daycares are childcare services which are maintained in someone's home. Most states require strict licensing procedures for home daycares. In addition, there is typically a limit on the amount of children that can be kept in a home daycare.
How can you find a reliable home daycare? Word of mouth is probably your best bet. If other parents are satisfied with a home daycare provider, you may be too.
Keep in mind that home daycares that only keep a small number of children will probably be more expensive than childcare centers, although this may not always be the case.
Before you commit, however, get answers to the following questions:
- How many children do you care for each day?
- Do you have a license?
- How many years have you been caring for children in your home?
- What type of first aid or emergency medical training have you had?
- What foods do you serve?
- What kind of schedule do you use with the children?
- Do you have any helpers? What are their qualifications?
- What type of outside facilities/playground equipment do you have?
- How do you deal with parents wanting to bring sick children to your home?
- How is discipline handled?
- What is your policy on cancellation of services?
- What are your hours?
- What is your rate? Is it calculated daily, weekly, or monthly?
- Do you offer discounts for taking care of more than one child per family?
- What are the ages of the children you will keep?
Childcare Centers
Some childcare centers may serve children from infants to kindergarten, while others won't accept a child until he or she is potty trained. Childcare centers or daycares typically have a staff of trained early childhood specialists, although they may use part-time help, including high school students, as well.
These childcare centers should follow the requirements set aside by your particular state, and you can certainly check into this as you search for affordable childcare.
Use the following checklist as you visit various childcare facilities in your area:
- What is the training of the staff?
- What is the ratio of children per teacher?
- What medical training has the staff obtained?
- What is the appearance of the facility? Is it clean and orderly? Are the toys clean and in good shape? Are there a variety of toys and activities for all ages?
- What foods are served?
- What are the rates for childcare and how are they collected?
- Will you have to pay if your child doesn't attend some days?
- What is the policy on cancellation of services?
- What holidays are observed by the daycare center?
- How are emergencies handled?
- Where do the children sleep, eat, and use the bathroom?
- How much emphasis is placed on learning?
- How is discipline handled?
Preschools
Preschools are often used as a means of affordable childcare, and they may offer the best of both worlds. Your child may get good care and an education at the same time.
However, preschools typically don't service infants. Instead, they concentrate their services for toddlers up to kindergarteners.
Preschools aren't just babysitters. They offer hands-on learning activities that should ready children for school. If this is what you want in a childcare situation, ask to see a copy of the school's curriculum in addition to asking the standard childcare questions.
Other Affordable Childcare Alternatives
In some cases, parents get really creative when it comes to finding affordable childcare. Check out the following alternative solutions:
- Swap babysitting services with a friend.
- Split your job with a coworker who also needs childcare.
- Share a nanny with someone else. The nanny can take turns taking care of your children and your friend's children together at each home.
- Ask your parents and in-laws to take turns.
- If it's possible, work opposite shifts from your spouse so that you both are home with the children.
- Hire a college student, but be sure you check references first!
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