This should be a major part of your decision process, but surprisingly, it is often not given full consideration. Having a senior position with significant responsibility and the hours to match created a conundrum for me: how could I spend some daylight hours with my child and still put in the time needed to be successful?
My answer: I chose a daycare close to my office because it gave me a great sense of peace knowing that I was able to check in on Megan at any time, if only for a few minutes. I checked in at lunch or sometimes even in the early afternoon. She was happy and thriving, and I felt like I could dedicate my days to work without missing out on her development.
Consider your work hours and location before making your decision. Do you need a childcare provider closer to work, or does it make more sense to have your provider closer to your home?
Maybe taking your children along for the commute will foster great quality time. Alternatively, the drive time could also give you the chance to accomplish work tasks, or even have a little down time for yourself. Will you be the sole person responsible for transportation to and from daycare, or will you have a spouse or family members helping? If it's a group effort, maybe a location near home would be more convenient for your support group.
Each has its advantages and disadvantages, so start by walking through your typical daily routine.
Have a back-up plan
When it comes to young children, working moms 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 be 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.
Samantha Knowles is the author of Working Mom Reviews.To understand your numbers and how they relate to you check out the Numerologist Review/ or to learn how to mate for life check out The Penguin Method Review/
