Daycare - In-Home vs. Center??

[Dymphna]

There are good and bad home daycares and good and bad centers.

As a rule, centers have higher turnover, so although the location remains stable, the people inside the building change quite a bit. Centers are allowed to hire teaching assistants as young as 16 and some of these teenagers have minimal supervision. Some children, especially very young children need more individual attention than then can get in a center. Centers will be more expensive, especially for children under age 2. Centers will be firm on opening and closing times. Unexpected delays such as traffic and weather are no excuse. They won't open 5 minutes early just because you have an early meeting you can't be late for. Of course, centers don't close for vacation, they don't close because their own children are sick or because a single employee is sick.

Home providers vary from the slob who can barely get dressed in the morning and just plop the kids in front of the TV all day to the highly educated and experienced who provide a preschool curriculum to rival any commercial center and do it with a level of personalized attention that no center can touch.

Maryland has one of the most highly rated child care regulations in the country. Recent regulations and incentives are aimed at reducing the number of children plopped in front of the TV with little human interaction and increasing the number of children in an education setting, especially those in in-home care.

Don't discount the value of in-home care just because the first person you meet with isn't all she should be. Make sure that whoever you consider is operating legally. They should be licensed by the state and operating within the regulations. Call the licensing agency and make sure they are licensed and if there are any negative reports on them.

 

[SamSpade]

For us, the number one concern - after safety, our child's care and needs and so forth, things I expect from all of them - is reliability. We have fairly rigid schedules, and we can't afford last minute disruptions, which is why we pay a little more for a center. I think the one we use is very good, they've been very helpful to us, and our son benefits greatly from the broad social experience he gets from being around dozens of children rather than just a few.

The few in-home providers we saw were otherwise good, very involved and dedicated. We just couldn't meet their requirements for hours and flexibility. As others have said, all else being equal, you can't beat a center for always being open when you need them.

 

[LusbyMom]

What about looking into someone coming in to your home to watch the kids? That would cut down on the germ problem.

 

[Cowgirl]

We've had the kids in both centers and in-home. They've been in an in-home daycare the past several years since our favorite center closed. We're not extremely thrilled with the provider they have now, but the kids are safe and happy (we just wish they had more enrichment). We had one center that kept the same schedule as the schools, so if school was closed so were they. What the heck is the point of that? We didn't stay there long.

 

[lovinmaryland]

We've had the kids in both centers and in-home. They've been in an in-home daycare the past several years since our favorite center closed. We're not extremely thrilled with the provider they have now, but the kids are safe and happy (we just wish they had more enrichment). We had one center that kept the same schedule as the schools, so if school was closed so were they. What the heck is the point of that? We didn't stay there long.

I had an in home daycare provider who was like that. If the schools closed for snow day so was she, she was closed for all federal holidays (sorry you're a day care provider not a federal employee) 2 weeks paid vacation plus 1 week sick days and 3 personal days (#### I dont even get that!!!) we didnt stay their either.

With having 5 kids we have been w/ several in home and centers. When the kids are older 6+ I prefer the centers, but when they are younger I like the in hime daycare.

The woman we have now is AMAZING! Love her to death she is like part of our family now. I actually drive an additional 40 miles a day to take the kids there.

 

[Cowgirl]

I had an in home daycare provider who was like that. If the schools closed for snow day so was she, she was closed for all federal holidays (sorry you're a day care provider not a federal employee) 2 weeks paid vacation plus 1 week sick days and 3 personal days (#### I dont even get that!!!) we didnt stay their either.

With having 5 kids we have been w/ several in home and centers. When the kids are older 6+ I prefer the centers, but when they are younger I like the in hime daycare.

The woman we have now is AMAZING! Love her to death she is like part of our family now. I actually drive an additional 40 miles a day to take the kids there.

My sister does daycare in NC and she's on the school schedule, but her clients are all teachers.

Our provider now gets a few paid holidays and a week (or two?) paid per year. Good grief, D doesn't even get ANY leave at all and we have to pay her for nothing. I understand she makes the rules, but I don't have to like them.

 

[Dymphna]

I had an in home daycare provider who was like that. If the schools closed for snow day so was she, she was closed for all federal holidays (sorry you're a day care provider not a federal employee) 2 weeks paid vacation plus 1 week sick days and 3 personal days (#### I dont even get that!!!) we didnt stay their either.

With having 5 kids we have been w/ several in home and centers. When the kids are older 6+ I prefer the centers, but when they are younger I like the in hime daycare.

The woman we have now is AMAZING! Love her to death she is like part of our family now. I actually drive an additional 40 miles a day to take the kids there.

I never got the snow thing, although I know people who do it, but are you saying she's not entitled to a vacation or to be sick? As for personal days, to me that's just a few extra vacation days by another name. And around here, there are a lot of people who get federal holidays off. Most day care providers quickly find that if they don't take those days off, they will end up with a house full of kids while their parents are off shopping or hanging out at the house unburdened by their children. If you can't stand to be around your kid you shouldn't expect someone else to be thrilled with the idea no matter what you are paying them.

 

[RareBreed]

We've used an in-home day-care provider for the last 9 years. Not so much now that both kids are in school full-time but still for Spring Break and summer vacation. She takes the same week off every year for her vacation but works most holidays except Christmas, Thanksgiving, and New Years Day. Once in awhile, she'll ask for a day off for one reason or another but gives us plenty of notice beforehand so we can make arrangements.

This year was the first year that both kids were in full-time school and I would take off the days that they were out except for Spring Break. My kids both agreed that they would have rather gone to the day-care lady's house rather than me staying home. At her house, since they are the oldest, she puts them in charge of the little ones (not really but she lets them think that!) and they get to be her helpers for the day. It works out for me because now I won't have to use my leave.

 

[lovinmaryland]

I never got the snow thing, although I know people who do it, but are you saying she's not entitled to a vacation or to be sick? As for personal days, to me that's just a few extra vacation days by another name. And around here, there are a lot of people who get federal holidays off. Most day care providers quickly find that if they don't take those days off, they will end up with a house full of kids while their parents are off shopping or hanging out at the house unburdened by their children. If you can't stand to be around your kid you shouldn't expect someone else to be thrilled with the idea no matter what you are paying them.

Not saying they shouldnt get vacation or sick time... but federal holidays, personal leave, not open when school is closed, etc... combined with those is to much IMO and that is why we no longer will use a provider who does that. Seriously what is the freakin point of having a day care provider if you have to take off to watch your own kids when school is closed? Isnt that point of a day care provider?

Sure some people get off for federal holidays, but not EVERYONE does. Federal holidays are for federal employees...sorry but daycare providers are not federal employees.

And isnt it their job to watch their children? What difference does it make if they are at work or if they are shopping? Sometimes I will randomly take the day off from work to go shopping, or to the beach, or just clean my house w/ no kids. I am paying for the entire week so what does it matter if I am at work or at home or in space? If they get their $ what is the difference?

 

[hotmomma]

Not saying they shouldnt get vacation or sick time... but federal holidays, personal leave, not open when school is closed, etc... combined with those is to much IMO and that is why we no longer will use a provider who does that. Seriously what is the freakin point of having a day care provider if you have to take off to watch your own kids when school is closed? Isnt that point of a day care provider?

Sure some people get off for federal holidays, but not EVERYONE does. Federal holidays are for federal employees...sorry but daycare providers are not federal employees.

And isnt it their job to watch their children? What difference does it make if they are at work or if they are shopping? Sometimes I will randomly take the day off from work to go shopping, or to the beach, or just clean my house w/ no kids. I am paying for the entire week so what does it matter if I am at work or at home or in space? If they get their $ what is the difference?

amen. couldnt say it better myself

 

[kwillia]

What about looking into someone coming in to your home to watch the kids? That would cut down on the germ problem.

See... here's my take on daycare germs... don't sweat it.

If your youngins don't get exposed and build up immunities before they hit elementary school they will be unprotected when they are bombarded as they enter school. If you let them build up their natural immunity through normal exposure when they are young, they'll miss less school and catch less things as they get older.

 

[lovinmaryland]

See... here's my take on daycare germs... don't sweat it.

If your youngins don't get exposed and build up immunities before they hit elementary school they will be unprotected when they are bombarded as they enter school. If you let them build up their natural immunity through normal exposure when they are young, they'll miss less school and catch less things as they get older.

Jack and Mackenzie rarely get sick, she is almost 8 months old and has only had one cold so far.

My cousin is a stay at home mom of her 2 kids and they are constantly sick and I think it is in part because they rarely see other kids their same age and when they do come into contact with them... like you said their immune system gets bombarded.

 

[Dedee]

Not saying they shouldnt get vacation or sick time... but federal holidays, personal leave, not open when school is closed, etc... combined with those is to much IMO and that is why we no longer will use a provider who does that. Seriously what is the freakin point of having a day care provider if you have to take off to watch your own kids when school is closed? Isnt that point of a day care provider?

Sure some people get off for federal holidays, but not EVERYONE does. Federal holidays are for federal employees...sorry but daycare providers are not federal employees.

And isnt it their job to watch their children? What difference does it make if they are at work or if they are shopping? Sometimes I will randomly take the day off from work to go shopping, or to the beach, or just clean my house w/ no kids. I am paying for the entire week so what does it matter if I am at work or at home or in space? If they get their $ what is the difference?

So you get paid time off but a day care provider shouldn't?

 

[Chasey_Lane]

And isnt it their job to watch their children? What difference does it make if they are at work or if they are shopping? Sometimes I will randomly take the day off from work to go shopping, or to the beach, or just clean my house w/ no kids. I am paying for the entire week so what does it matter if I am at work or at home or in space? If they get their $ what is the difference?

Daycare providers get personal days, so should the parents.

 

[Chasey_Lane]

So you get paid time off but a day care provider shouldn't?

That's not what she said.

 

[lovinmaryland]

So you get paid time off but a day care provider shouldn't?

Read the first paragraph

Daycare providers get personal days, so should the parents.

exactly!

 

[Dymphna]

And isnt it their job to watch their children? What difference does it make if they are at work or if they are shopping? Sometimes I will randomly take the day off from work to go shopping, or to the beach, or just clean my house w/ no kids. I am paying for the entire week so what does it matter if I am at work or at home or in space? If they get their $ what is the difference?

I am a child care provider and here's my take on this...

When you take off work and leave your child in day care so you can go to the beach or shopping or clean the house, what do you think is going through your child's head when they come home to see mom's new purchases, suntanned face or spotless house?

Do you think the kids don't notice that you spent the day hanging out having fun without them? Do you think they don't pick up on the fact that you'd rather not have them around? As a day care provider, I can tell you for a fact that even though the child has spent their day just like any other day, even though they have followed their daily routine without missing a beat, when they realize that you had an opportunity to spend time with them and didn't, they start acting out. They whine more and they cry more and in general misbehave more.

I once had a 15 month old girl whose mother was often home at least part of the day. When Mom was home or had been home the day before, more often than not, the little girl would refuse to take her coat off and stared out the window. I could get her involved in an activity and she'd be fine for a time, but would eventually wander back to the window. Most days she was fine, but when she had reason to believe Mom was home (and she was usually right) it was awful to watch this sad little girl.

It was children like her that lead me to include a clause in my contract that parents weren't allowed to do that to children in my care. I've lost some clients over it, but I don't care, because I find I get along much better with those parent who are left.

 

[kwillia]

I am a child care provider and here's my take on this...

When you take off work and leave your child in day care so you can go to the beach or shopping or clean the house, what do you think is going through your child's head when they come home to see mom's new purchases, suntanned face or spotless house?

Do you think the kids don't notice that you spent the day hanging out having fun without them? Do you think they don't pick up on the fact that you'd rather not have them around? As a day care provider, I can tell you for a fact that even though the child has spent their day just like any other day, even though they have followed their daily routine without missing a beat, when they realize that you had an opportunity to spend time with them and didn't, they start acting out. They whine more and they cry more and in general misbehave more.

I once had a 15 month old girl whose mother was often home at least part of the day. When Mom was home or had been home the day before, more often than not, the little girl would refuse to take her coat off and stared out the window. I could get her involved in an activity and she'd be fine for a time, but would eventually wander back to the window. Most days she was fine, but when she had reason to believe Mom was home (and she was usually right) it was awful to watch this sad little girl.

It was children like her that lead me to include a clause in my contract that parents weren't allowed to do that to children in my care. I've lost some clients over it, but I don't care, because I find I get along much better with those parent who are left.

Wow, how pompous and assuming, but you are right, as as business owner it's your right to lay out the contract as you so chose and those who don't the rules can go elsewhere. That's the beauty of choice and a free market society.

 

[Dymphna]

Wow, how pompous and assuming, but you are right, as as business owner it's your right to lay out the contract as you so chose and those who don't the rules can go elsewhere. That's the beauty of choice and a free market society.

Pompous and assuming? I suppose you are entitled to your opinion, but until you've been in my shoes and seen these children, whose parents are leaving them in day care over and over again, not because they have to work, but because things are just easier to do when the kids aren't around, you really don't know what you are talking about.

 

[Chasey_Lane]

I am a child care provider and here's my take on this...

I think there's more involved with a child if they are that deprived for attention. They're not feeling neglected because mom "spent the last 2 hours of her day running chores before picking up little Sue."

AND...Moms (and dads) can go tanning, get pedicures, pick up dry cleaning, get an oil change, grocery shop, hit the gym, etc. on their lunch break and not necessarily have to take off half a day to accomplish these things.