Starting to look at day cares, how early is too early?
Cat:982ab641-9368-4d63-9123-280cf0ac364aForum:85f7c5b4-abd3-456b-860e-4cd13acf5dd0
Cat:982ab641-9368-4d63-9123-280cf0ac364aForum:85f7c5b4-abd3-456b-860e-4cd13acf5dd0Discussion:8142904c-4546-4b67-b9c6-0a72386c6d42
Pregnancy
Starting to look at day cares, how early is too early?
I'm 11 wks pregnant and am wondering when to start looking at day cares? We have only one in mind so far, but I'm just wondering if there is a cut off date that these places set (how far along in preg
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Starting to look at day cares, how early is too early?
posted at 11/10/2009 12:18 PM EST
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Posts: 31
First: 6/18/2009 Last: 11/13/2009 |
I'm 11 wks pregnant and am wondering when to start looking at day cares? We have only one in mind so far, but I'm just wondering if there is a cut off date that these places set (how far along in pregnancy). When is it appropriate to start seriously looking and getting our name on the list(s) which may require deposits, etc? Thanks ladies!
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Re: Starting to look at day cares, how early is too early?
posted at 11/10/2009 12:55 PM EST
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Posts: 128
First: 5/30/2008 Last: 11/12/2009 |
I think its smart to start looking now. Some will be able to tell you availability this far out, other's will already have a waiting list going. If you find a place that you love, why not settle this now? I didn't run into any place that required a deposit for a waiting list. Only deposits for securing your spot. We were on some wait lists that were long, got calls months after I returned to work. Best of luck searching! |
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Re: Starting to look at day cares, how early is too early?
posted at 11/10/2009 2:11 PM EST
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Posts: 73
First: 1/23/2008 Last: 11/20/2009 |
It's never too early! Some places fill up very quickly so there's no harm in putting your name on a waiting list! With all the things you will have to worry about over the next few months, if you are ready to do this now, it's just one thing to cross off your list. |
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Re: Starting to look at day cares, how early is too early?
posted at 11/11/2009 7:42 AM EST
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Posts: 261
First: 1/1/2009 Last: 11/19/2009 |
I think part of this depends on the kind of place you're looking for. I started contacting places in the middle of my pregnancy (this past summer, which was 9 months from when we'll actually need childcare) and got a lot of "we have no idea whether we'll have space in mid-February, that's too far out, you can come see our space but call me again at the end of the year to ask about availability" comments, particularly from home daycares. I think starting your research early never hurts, but the liklihood of actually finding & securing a place this far out seems unlikely to me. Also, I have to say, we haven't been finding many places with waiting lists these days... with so many people out of work, daycares seem to have more space than ever. :-/ OH, and I will add that one place we met with who DOES have a short waiting list, the director mentioned that she wished people who put their names on her waiting list would CONTACT HER when they find childcare elsewhere. She said most people throw their names on lists and never bother letting centres know when they no longer need care, which, obviously, wastes her time when she's calling them to tell them she now has space, when she's trying to calculate how long her waiting list actually is for other parents, etc. |
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Re: Starting to look at day cares, how early is too early?
posted at 11/11/2009 9:16 AM EST
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Posts: 16
First: 12/10/2008 Last: 11/15/2009 |
Spaces for infants fill up quickly so it is best to at least start researching and asking the centers when they would like you to put your name on the waiting list. At least you will have an idea about the daycare cost, policies etc. Depending on where you live, I found that the YMCA daycare I take my son to in Stoneham is AWESOME! He has been there since he was 8 weeks old and he is 4 now. The staff are so attentive and I found with my son that they at times go above and beyond what is needed for their jobs. My son had EI from 2-3 and his teacher worked her butt off with the EI therapist to make sure there was follow through at school to help with his speech. So depending on what you are looking for, the Y is one idea. |
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Re: Starting to look at day cares, how early is too early?
posted at 11/12/2009 10:33 PM EST
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Posts: 189
First: 5/31/2008 Last: 11/19/2009 |
Never too early, especially for childcare centers. And be prepared, in some areas they might charge a fee to go on the waitlist, others might not. I can't imagine a childcare center not running a waitlist - a center actually told you to call once the baby was born? Our center has a 10-12 month waitlist for our infant rooms, but we are in the DC area so are different than the Boston area, I guess. But how, as a director, would you fill openings if you didn't have a list to turn to when a space opened up? Just hope people call you? But then you might have spaces open for a few months... and since you still need the same # of teachers if you have 1 or 2 openings in a room, your bottom line would be affected. Makes me nervous to think about it. |
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Re: Starting to look at day cares, how early is too early?
posted at 11/13/2009 1:39 PM EST
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Posts: 1
First: 11/13/2009 Last: 11/13/2009 |
I would say to have a decision made before your 3 trimester and interview every possible canidate in the area you are looking for. We are just finishing the process and are 38 weeks pregnant. Those meetings on top of working get to be a bit much. We live about 20 miles north of the city and have found that the going rate is 50/day for home daycares and about $1500 a month for the centers. Forget the centers for now. They dont provide anything additional that a newborn needs that any home daycare cannot provide. Somewhere on thsi site is a way to print the list for all the licensed daycares in your area. It was very helpful as a call list. And do go through the whole list and dont just settle. You will find a personality match though it can seem a bit scary at times. http://www.eec.state.ma.us/ |