The Daycare Decision

What’s the best option for my child?

Karen E. Champney

Daycare Center 

A licensed daycare center has rigorous standards and follows many rules, procedures, and policies on discipline with children and other important issues.

Melissa Ananias, owner and director of The Learning Zone in Weston, Belmont, and Watertown, will be opening centers in Waltham and Woburn in the coming months.  “A daycare center is best for working parents because of the extended hours.”

Pros

1. Requires higher regulation levels

2. Children separated by age allowing for peer appropriate groups

3. Toys cleaned on a daily basis; often a designated ‘sick room’ for children

Cons

1. A commercial daycare center can be an area where germs spread fast

2. Staff turnover could leave your child feeling a wee bit sad

3. Commercial daycare can have a rigid, set schedule for your child.

Price range: Average price in Massachusetts is $50 a day.*

Family Care Center 

A family care center is usually run out of a home by a stay-at-home mom making the center her business.

Ryan Levesque is the owner of Little Ducks Childcare, an in-home family childcare business in Needham. “A family care center is great for a stay-at-home mom that wants her children to spend some time with other children a few hours a day,” he says.

Pros

1. Fewer children attending so a lot of attention is handed out

2. Flexible schedule. Your child could possibly stay all day or a few hours.

3. Can feel like a second home.

Cons

1. If the owner becomes sick you are out of childcare for that day. YIKES!

2. Less government regulation and less strict guidelines for the center to follow.

3. You may not feel comfortable with the rules of the home.

Price range:  Average price in Massachusetts is $47 a day*

Nanny

A nanny is a young man or woman, usually a college student that is working their way through school, and takes a job as a live-in or live-out childcare provider for one family.

“The nanny keeps the house moving and is much more child-centered then any other type of child care,” says Jennifer Russo, a placement counselor at The Boston Nanny Centre of Newton.

Pros

1. Your child is number one. The care is for your child alone

2. Child is cared for in the privacy of your own home

3.  Parents enjoy a more flexible schedule if they employ a live-in nanny

Cons

1. Most expensive form of childcare in the United States

2. Some families go through many nannies until they find the perfect “person.”  This can put a strain on both children and parents.

3. In comes the live-in nanny, out goes the family privacy.

Price range:

Live-out: $15 to $20 per hour.

Live-in nanny: $500 to $650 per week.

SIDEBAR #1

Top 10 Questions to Ask

1. Can you come in and visit/observe?

2. Is it affordable and in our budget?

3. If I have to work on a holiday will the center be open and for how long?

4. Is the teacher/child ratio adequate?

5. What are the turnover stats?

6. Is my child ready to be socialized with other children or would he/she be better off in a small home care center?

7. What kind of environment do I want my child in?

8. Is it safe?

9. Is there any type of educational learning going on? 

10. What does your gut tell you?

SIDEBAR #2

ONLINE SOURCES

The best on line sources for childcare are:

www.daycare.com

www.chilcareaware.org

SIDEBAR #3

NEW TRENDS IN DAYCARE

1. Child care options are out there. Use your imagination and don’t fret. There is drop-in care, parent night out, and child care co-ops.

2. Use the Internet. It is 2009…the Internet is here to stay so learn to put it to use.  Many websites offer listing of childcare businesses.

3.  After-school programs or after-school care is taking off around the country.  In many areas it is run by the local YMCA at the school. The child leaves class when the bell rings and heads to the counselors. Homework, playtime, snack and hanging out with school friends are what will happen till parents pick up.

*Information obtained from the National Association of Childcare Resource and Referral Agencies.