Care Options

Child Care Options

Child care is such a scary thought for parents -- that some parents even choose to not leave their children with anyone that isn’t a relative. We fear abuse, neglect and abduction. We read about it in the paper and we hear it on the evening news. Even the girl-next-door is not immune to our fears and imaginings. What should a parent do? Do your homework, know your options and trust your instincts.

First of all, there are probably more child care options than you realize. There are child care centers, family child care homes and nannies--and there are pros and cons to each.

	Pros	Cons
Child Care Center	Heavily regulated at the state level Has required training of staff You won't need a backup provider for the illness of a child care worker	Higher ratios of staff to children Moderately expensive You will need back-up child care for the illness of your child
Family Child Care Home	Least expensive option Fairly low adult to child ratio Home environment	Only the larger homes are regulated May have only one adult present May not have back-up for illness of your child, illness of the provider's children, illness of the provider, or provider's vacation time
Nanny	Child is in their own home Don't need back up care for when your child is ill or for when school aged children are on school vacation Additional children are less expensive Convenient - do not need to transport your child to another location Lowest care-giver to child ratio Less exposure of your child(ren) to illnesses	Most expensive option if you have only one child (see options below that lower the cost) Will need back-up child care for the nanny's vacations or sick days

The biggest drawback to most people of having a nanny in their home, is the cost. With only one child the cost differential is parenting article child care options greatest. However, there are two options that can greatly alleviate this concern.

Nanny Share--This is where two families share a nanny, and split the costs. It can be at one family's home or it can rotate every other week between the households. If it is always at one families household, then they would pay a slightly higher weekly rate. An agency can help to match you up with another family, or you can match yourself up with another family. Many families can accomplish this on their own, since having children generally places you around other families of young children. Choose a family that has beliefs and parenting styles consistent with your own.

Own Child--Another option that can reduce the cost of a Nanny, is to hire a Nanny that is bringing her own child with her. It has been my experience that few parents will choose this option. They are afraid that their children will be neglected. However, with proper screening of the Applicants and proper communications regarding expectations -- this is a very viable option that can provide many additional benefits besides financial. To begin with, your child will have exposure to other children and can enhance their social skills on a daily basis.

Whatever you choose, be thorough in your search and your screening and always treat your child care provider with respect.

Shari Schroeder is a mom to sixteen-year-old Jason. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resources, is the President of Parent’s TIME-OUT, Inc. in Phoenix, Arizona and the author of The Nanny Hiring Kit. She can be reached at 480-460-1200.