Choosing the Right Childcare for You and Your Family

Posted by ochomefamily on September 11th, 2019

Finding childcare is an important journey, and there are many options available. Here are some insights to help you decide which one will be right for you and your family.

Daycare Centers

One choice available is for your kids to attend a daycare outside of the home. This can either be an in-home daycare located in someone else’s house or a daycare center with classrooms. Each choice comes with its own pros and cons and will be up to you as a parent to decide which environment will work best for your child.

Some of the pros for an in-home daycare include individualized attention and a variety of ages for socialization. There is also the benefit of the children being in a home environment rather than an institutionalized one. Some of the drawbacks to this choice could be less regulations and if the provider is sick or unavailable you could be left without childcare. Likewise, some pros to a daycare center include more teachers, more age-specific lessons, and an introduction to a classroom setting. The drawbacks include an increased chance for illness, expensive tuition, and structured teaching which means less free play for the child.

In-Home Care

In-home care is a great option to provide your kids with individualized attention in a familiar environment. An added benefit is that when you hire a part time nanny in Orange County, CA, job duties often include doing light housework and errands as well. Hiring a nanny means your children get to stay at home where they feel the most comfortable and you can have greater input about their menu and daily activities.

An Au Pair is very similar to a nanny, but is on a live-in basis and becomes more of an extension of the family than an employee. They are generally from another country and it can be a great way to teach your children about diversity and expand their knowledge of other cultures.

Other Options

If you do not have the budget to hire daycare or nannying services you can look into changing your work schedule to provide childcare yourself. Many business are offering work from home or telecommute options now and you could see if either you or your spouse could take advantage of this option so you do not have to budget for someone to watch the kids.

The good news for childcare is that there is no “one-size-fits-all” model. You could start out by working with a part-time nanny in Orange County, CA, or have them attend half-days at daycare. If you don’t know where to start, you can ask your friends who have children what worked for them and see if it will work for you and your family as well.