Have a back-up plan: When it comes to young children, know to expect the unexpected. One particularly challenging time for me happened when I was on a business trip in Chicago.
My cell phone rang and, sure enough, it was my daycare. Emily had a fever and needed to come home right away. Scott was unreachable, and Emily needed to bworking momse picked up within the hour due to daycare policy. While I respect and appreciate keeping only healthy children on-site, picking up your child without notice can be very difficult, especially when your job requires travel.
We were stranded. I was 1,000 miles away and felt very alone. It was only after 45 minutes of phoning every friend imaginable that I came to a solution. Looking back, had I developed a stronger back-up plan--maybe a relative or a standby babysitter on call--this situation would have gone much smoother.
Whatever childcare type you choose, whether it be a daycare, nanny, au pair, or relative, make sure you have a thoughtful back-up plan. What will you do when your child gets sick and can't go to the childcare facility or in-home daycare for the day? What will happen if your in-home provider is sick and needs to take a day off? What if your in-home provider wants to take a vacation during dates other than your planned family trip? Be sure that you have considered and created back-up plans to handle unexpected situations.
Consider your budget: It really goes without saying that cost should not be the determining factor when finding quality care for your child. However, it is an inevitable consideration and you need to make sure you have budgeted for this expense.
You also need to consider all the "extras" very carefully. My daycare has always had late-pickup fees for each child past 6 p.m. With three little ones, being even a few minutes late can really add up! Some daycares do not cover lunch or breakfast, or may request you chip in for supplies.
Additionally, some have stringent policies limiting the number of weeks a child can be away for vacations without a financial penalty. As a matter of fact, Parker's daycare only allows one week off per year. Our family usually takes two weeks of vacation, so we pay the daycare for a whole week each year that Parker isn't even there. Although frustrating, it was easier for me to come to terms with it because I understood the policy upfront. This limited number of "free" weeks comes as a surprise to many new mothers and might make other childcare options more attractive or affordable.
It should be noted that these hidden fees are not limited to daycare centers. Many in-home providers and nannies expect vacation pay, reimbursement for daily lunches, mileage, or other expenses. Don't stress over these details, just make sure you know the full cost of your child's care before you commit.
Take a test drive: When I narrowed my choice of childcare options down to daycare, I had to choose between two different locations. To the surprise of many, I brought six-week-old Megan to each center for a half day. I watched how they interacted with her, cared for the other children, and worked with each other. Is it a happy environment? Are the babies content and cared for? Are they loved?
Pay attention to how staff members or your prospective nanny interacts with your child and the other children. If you don't see them at the children's level playing, reading, or participating, then move on to your other options.
Ultimately, I chose the daycare that was about half a mile farther from where I worked because I felt more comfortable with who would be Megan's primary teacher. Interestingly, the center was not rated as high and it wasn't "as pretty," but it just felt better for me.
Good teachers don't mind this step--in fact, they will welcome it. For me, it was a tremendous learning experience that helped me visualize life with childcare and made me feel more comfortable with it. Don't worry about what other people may think about you. Take this extra step to feel more comfortable in your choice.
Samantha Knowles is the author of Working Mom Reviews. To know more about how to dealing with toddler behavior check out Talking to Toddlers Review.To learn tips to renew the spark of your relationship - quickly check out Text the Romance Back Review.
