Child Care Options for Your Kids
By Robin McClure, About.com Guide to Child Care
Parents can't be with their kids all the time, but thankfully, numerous quality child care options abound. Many families find their needs are successfully met with daycare, an in-home provider, or an academically-focused preschool. Others elect to employ a nanny or babysitter or ask relatives or friends for childcare assistance. Whatever the option, parents should carefully consider the pros and cons of each type of care in order to make a decision that's right for their child and their family.
- Getting Started: Child Care Overview
- Daycare Centers
- Family Home Providers
- Nannies & Au-Pairs (Child Care in Your Home)
- Babysitters and Other Occasional Care Options
- Before-and-After School Related Care
- Camps and Enrichment Child Care
- Academic Focused Preschools
Getting Started: Child Care Overview
When seeking an ideal child care solution, start by asking yourself what type of care you really want based on family needs and what you can afford. Here are some snapshots for quick comparisons to get you started.
- Narrow Your Search by Selecting Type of Care First
- 10 Things to Consider Now When Choosing Child Care Services
- Questions to Ask Potential Child Care Provider
- Research and Understand Your Options
- Child Care Trends
- Top 10 Questions to Ask a Prospective Child Care Provider
- Calculating Costs of Child Care
- Top Things to Consider with Child Care this Year
- Pitfalls to Avoid When Choosing Child Care
- Top 10 Things Child Care Providers Want Parents To Know
- Choosing Quality Child Care After an Extended Break
- Reader Submitted Child Care Provider Reviews
Daycare Centers
Daycare is perhaps the most common and affordable type of care option. Advantages include convenience, consistent care (if a caregiver is ill, other arrangemnents are made), affordability, and longer operating hours. Disadvantages sometimes include high staff turnover, higher child-to-caregiver ratios than parents may like, and an "institutional feel" at some facilities. Some centers feature highly-trained early childhood professionals with a focus on academics, while others utilize largely unskilled workers for basic care only.
- Finding Day Care That Promotes Social, Emotional Skills
- The Great Day Care Debate
- Choosing a Daycare Program That's Right for Your Child
- Helping Your Child Feel Ready For Daycare
- 15 Questions to Consider When Choosing Daycare
- Ensuring Child Care Success
- Preschool Tips at a Glance
- Finding Quality Care Quickly
- Reader-Submitted Reviews of Child Care
- How To Volunteer At Your Kid's School/Daycare
- Finding Daycare That Helps Build Good Behavior
- The Great Day Care Debate
- What Should Day Care Cost?
- People You Should Know at Your Child's School or Daycare
- Parent Involvement Wanted: How To Volunteer At Your Kid's School/Daycare
Family Home Providers
Kids may feel that there's no place like home, but in-home early childhood providers do their best to create that nurturing and comfortable environment. In-home providers operate a care setting with a much smaller number of kids, and often ages vary within the home. Advantages can include a family environment, home-cooked meals (this may vary by provider), and a calmer setting than may be found in daycare. Disadvantages may include less social interaction with same-age peers, a lack of field trips and limited care hours. Back-up care can be a concern when the caregiver gets sick. Training and rates will vary.
- Top Reasons to Consider In-Home (Family) Child Care
- How Can I Find Good Quality In-Home Child Care?
- Researching Care Options
- Top 10 Questions to Ask a Prospective Child Care Provider
- Top Tips for a Successful Conference
- Revisit Child Care Needs Often
Nannies & Au-Pairs (Child Care in Your Home)
If you can afford it, having a professional care provider who is dedicated to watching your children in your own home can be a dream come true for some families. Parents who want the convenience or comfort of having kids cared for in their home (whether while at work or working in-home), often hire a nanny or similar provider who may even receive room and board and remain in the home. Employing a nanny is usually the most expensive care option, and pros and cons may be the same in that people may alternately like and then dislike an additional person in the home during family time.
- Before You Hire a Nanny: Tips to Consider
- Nannies Serve As Extended Member of the Family
- Defining Roles of Child Care Providers in Your Home
- Using a Nanny Cam
Babysitters and Other Occasional Care Options
Whether it's hiring a teenage babysitter, using a drop-in care center, or even relying on family members or friends on occasion, there's a host of considerations to keep in mind to ensure your child is safe and happy while you're away.
- How to Choose a Babysitter
- Questions to Ask a Potential Babysitter's References
- Signs Your Babysitter is the Best
- Warning Signs of a Bad Babysitter
- Teen Babysitters Wanted
- When Relatives Are Your Child's Caregiver
- Taxes and Your Teen Babysitter
- Online Babysitting Services
- Drop-In Child Care
Before-and-After School Related Care
Just because a youngster enters school doesn't mean that the need for child care ends. Working parents may require before-and-after care options through at least elementary school, and many after-school programs are geared toward middle-school tweens as well. There is also an array of enrichment activities that double as child care, and sometimes even transportation is provided! Friendly neighborhood moms sometimes help out as well.
- Choose the Right After-School Program
- The Price of Feeding and Caring for Neighborhood Kids
- Tips For Surviving and Thriving In The School Year
- Morning Madness Tips For Getting Kids Up and Ready For Day
Camps and Enrichment Child Care
If you send your child to any type of enrichment program or sports camp, you're essentially entrusting the adults in charge to provide quality child care for your kid. While a person may be talented at teaching soccer or a renowned dancer, those traits don't make them necessarily qualified to truly watch after and care for kids. Remember, you want your kids to learn something new, have fun, and most of all, be safe!
- Summer Camp Safety
- Kid Fun: The ART of it All!
- Could a Sex Offender Be Coaching Your Kid?
- Too Many Kid Activities Can Take Fun Away
- Keep Kids Safe During 'Breaks' From School Routine
- Kid Sports: Keep Safety as First Focus
- Is My Kid Ready To Spend The Night Away From Home?
- How To Turn Your Homesick Child Into A Happy Camper
Academic Focused Preschools
Whether it is by open registration or involves an assessment of your youngster, some parents opt for early childhood education training for their toddlers that involves a type of academic curriculum and enhanced enrichment skills.
