Choosing a day care
There’s a lot to consider when you’re deciding what type of child care you want. As you evaluate your options be sure to ask yourself these questions:
- What are our day care priorities?
- Does our baby have any special needs?
- What kind of environment do we want for our baby?
- How large (or small) of a setting do we prefer?
- During what hours do we need care for our baby?
- How flexible are our work schedules?
- How much can the family afford to spend?
- How important is the location of our caregiver?
Types of child care
Review your list of priorities as you consider each of the following day care options:
A caregiver in your home
Not only would your baby be comfortable and familiar with the surroundings, but the arrangement might also make life easier on you. Here are a few advantages to choosing an in-home caregiver:
- Your daily schedule doesn’t have to allow time for delivering and picking up your baby at day care.
- An in-home caregiver may provide services with more flexible hours than other day care providers.
- You don’t have to pack diapers, formula or breastmilk, toys, or extra clothes to take to an outside caregiver.
- Your baby would be exposed to fewer people and possibly fewer germs and illnesses.
Day care in someone else’s home
Many first-time parents choose this type of care, because they believe it's important for their child to interact with other children as well as at least one adult during the course of a day. Here are some other advantages:
- This type of care generally is more affordable than day care or live-in care.
- It can be more flexible in addressing a baby’s individual needs, such as a special diet or routine.
- Your baby would experience a home environment rather than a large-group setting.
- Taking your baby to someone else’s home will introduce her to a new world outside your home.
A day care center
Depending on where you live, you may have a few or a dozen day care centers to choose from. If you’re considering this option here are some of the advantages:
- A day care center can provide your baby with stimulation she may not be able to receive in a smaller setting.
- The high level of interaction with other children will help keep your child busy all day.
- You can rely on a center to provide care even when a staff member is ill or on vacation.
- If your child has special medical needs, a day care center may be better equipped to address them.
- As a child grows, a center may better prepare her for a school routine.
- Safety and hygiene standards may be more closely supervised.
