Question for mommas who use Daycare

MommaLee · #1 February 24th, 2010, 05:39 PM

We were hoping to use family, but apparently we have some holes in the schedule, so we are going to pay for daycare even if we don't use it often and we'll just claim it on our taxes.

I only need care M-Th so I contacted a church nearby and found out that they have a 15 month waiting list

So now I feel as though I've got to scramble to find somewhere that has an opening....I really wasn't planning on doing this until May or June, but I guess we won't be able to wait that long.

When did you start looking at childcare places and did you have a hard time finding an opening?

ChristinaR · #2 February 24th, 2010, 07:00 PM

I did my research into places about a month before my maternity leave and then interviewed them on my maternity leave. Good luck!

::MummyToTwo:: · #3 February 24th, 2010, 07:16 PM

I know here (and in Australia) places for children under age 2 are the hardest spots to come by. Many of my friends put their unborn childs name down as soon as they found out they were pregnant, 3 got spots 2 didn't and they all went back to work after 6 weeks.

Banned-Jaylas_Mommy · #4 February 24th, 2010, 08:01 PM

i am no help. i work at a daycare so i automatically got a spot.

i hope you find a good place! good luck!

MommaLee · #5 February 25th, 2010, 07:30 AM

I'm going to tour an episcopal school that just opened enrollment, so they have 4 more openings left. It's in the adjoining city which I wanted to avoid, but it's the first one that I found without a waiting list and the lady told me it's only because they just opened enrollment for the 2010 year.

We were going to try and use college kids, but after dh and I talked we might run into some issues with that and we want to avoid all surprises.

Jarheadwed · #6 February 27th, 2010, 10:55 PM

I go back to work in two weeks and just found one yesterday. I think waiting lists vary by location.

Lyz · #7 February 28th, 2010, 06:01 AM

I started looking early on in my pregnancy and secured a spot for Bella even though it was a whole year out (she's not going in until May).

I would say to put your name with that daycare in the adjoining city but don't stop looking in case you find something better! Good luck!

jensma · #8 February 28th, 2010, 07:42 AM

Lee Ann, I work in a day care/preschool right now. It doesn't hurt to start looking. I would think in CS you would have some options that aren't a 15 month wait. Some people look early on, some not until after the baby is born. Just look at all of your options and you'll find the right one.

MommaLee · #9 February 28th, 2010, 12:30 PM

Crazy thing is.....every single daycare has a wait except 4 of them (at least the ones in town do. 1 of the 4 is out because of it's location.....dh is in law enforcement and veto'ed that place right away because he has worked that neighborhood before.

The issue with putting our names on the waiting list is all the daycare's except 1 have a non-refundable fee to get your name on the list. And we don't want to waste money like that. I am going to put my name at the one center that doesn't have a fee....it is down the road from us, but there were 18 people ahead of me as of last week.

2 of the 4 that have openings require a yearly agreement, so I would be responsible for a years worth of tuition even if we were to pull out....and our big issue now is that we only need part time care and we are really not sure how long we will actually need the daycare. We have a feeling that once she gets into daycare, grandparents are going to decide differently about it. So we want somewhere that is a month to month type place.

I'm going to talk to a center tomorrow morning and see if she can give me an estimate of when an opening would be if we were to put our names on the list, otherwise, I'm going to pay the fee at a new center that is opening up next month.

jensma · #10 February 28th, 2010, 01:30 PM

lee ann, you never know who may bow out before the next 20+ weeks are up! If its not gonna hurt you to put your name out there, i say, go for it!

MommaLee · #11 March 1st, 2010, 10:08 AM

You know Kate....when you said I'd find the right one, you were so right. I walked into the baptist WEE school this morning (dh use to live across the street from the pastor long ago) and I just got a great vibe from it. I can't really explain it, it felt so right in there and the lady up front was wonderful. So I put my name on the waiting list....one person dropped off, so I'm #7 on the list, but I found out they also have a part-time program if I ever need to change. There was a better feeling to it than any of the other daycare's I've been to thus far.

DH and I can probably get care (beg family for care) for a few months....if we have to wait that long for a spot to open, but I'm definitely feeling comfortable about the decision. And I'm glad I checked it out before reserving a spot elsewhere.

Soape · #12 March 1st, 2010, 10:10 AM

We went through that too! I hadn't started looking until 16 weeks along and I was surprised how booked they are. I hope that you are able to find something

Oreobaby · #13 March 1st, 2010, 02:06 PM

I am starting to look into them now...There are quite a few that are in my area, and plan on going on some wait lists soon...I haven't asked about costs or anything, but need to make a list, and go for a drive with DH to see what the places look like first, and then we can work on calling them. I feel like I'm shopping for a house again. I know here there is a long wait list almost everywhere, and even though I won't need day care till May of 2011, I just want to be prepared, and probably will have to wait most of that time.