The Various Child Care Options You Can Consider

Childcare is right up there when you are considering a family and want to go back to work. The option that best works for you needs to be thought of in the last trimester or as soon as the baby is born. America has a full range of options and that is an advantage. What you go with depends on your child’s needs and the cost.

Childcare Options to Know

 1.       Day Care Centres

Average cost for infants or toddlers is about $380 to $1500a month

Your child is in a group of children of the same age. They are under the care of professional trained helpers and it’s licenced and regulated. It’s certainly more affordable than nanny care and there is no question of them calling in sick and putting you in a quandary.

However, the cons are that caregivers are responsible for more than one child and you need to look about early enough to get a vacancy. It’s hard to find daycares that are ready to take infants. Children pick up infections more easily and you need to be on time to pick up and drop your child.

2.       Home Day Care

Average cost for infants, toddlers and pre-schoolers is $300 to $900a month

Your child stays at someone’s home and they may not have the same level of training as at a daycare. However, it’s a more home-like surrounding and they will be more children. You need to make sure of the caregiver to child ratio. Also, if the caregiver falls sick or is unavailable, you need to have a fall back plan in place.  The advantage is that they may be more flexible and if you are delayed at work then that is one less worry.

Nanny care

Average cost for infants, toddlers and pre-schoolers is $2000 to $3000 a month

This is the costliest as a trained childcare provider comes home and provides one to one supervision. Your child remains in familiar surroundings but it is unsupervised. If the nanny quits then you are left in the lurch. Playdates will need to be organised if your child is a little older and this is important for socialising.

Family Care

If you do have this option there is nothing like it. Though you need to remember that an older parent or relative might not have the energy to take up such a responsibility, however willing they are to do it. As a cost saving option it is the best but they will have their own opinions on child rearing and they might not coincide with yours. It would be good to pick up a few of their bills or give them gift certificates if a fee option is not under consideration. To find specific senior care facilities in your city, look up  Care Child Caree Facilities on Sulekha