Child care- Help!! :-]]

socalgrl86

socalgrl86

Mommy Extraordinaire
Aug 20, 2006
2,164
0
#1
Just a quick question- How much do you guys pay for child care? (You dont have to give an exact amount but a ball park figure would be great...) My DH works full time and I would like to enroll full time as a student and I am looking into child care for my 2 boys (one is 2 and the other is 14 months).

Also, how do you know you have found a good child care provider? or center? I am really nervous about leaving my children with people who I dont really know that well and they are so small that they cant tell me what is going on. Any ideas on interviewing?

Thanks!:yes:
 
#2
For one kid..Its like 10-13 dollars per hour here....Depends..If u leave for LONG periods..Its cheaper.Then just pay by day/WEEK in bulk

I found my best sitters thru the temple here....They usually keep a list handy...
 
#3
Only advice I can offer is don't go by the $$ amount; don't try to find the cheapest place around. Expect to pay more for someone who is worth the honor of taking care of your children.
 
#5
Well, are you looking for an in home provider or a daycare center? Around here for in home daycare it's anywhere from $8-$13p/hr. For a daycare center $400 a month on up depending on the location & whether your child is toilet trained or still in diapers. Of course you'll want to ask questions but your child is the best guide. How does your child react to the person when they first meet? How does the sitter react to your child, are they friendly, do they take the initiative to make sure your child is comfortable? After your child has been with the sitter how are they when the sitter comes/you drop your child off are they happy to see the sitter or do they cry? How is your child when you get home or pick them up? Are they happy or do they seem sad, do they have trouble sleeping at night? You can always ask your friends for referrals to sitters they like but even then every mother/child is different. Use your mommy instincts & your child's cues :smile: Finding a good sitter is so hard & so scary for mommies.
 
#6
In my area there is an orginization called 4 C's, that will help you find licensed providers, they give you like 3 or names and info per call, then you got to go interview.

I haven't needed day care for awhile, but expect to pay at least 150.00-200.00 a week per child, for full time.
 
#7
DlkinVegas said:
Well, are you looking for an in home provider or a daycare center? Around here for in home daycare it's anywhere from $8-$13p/hr. For a daycare center $400 a month on up depending on the location & whether your child is toilet trained or still in diapers. Of course you'll want to ask questions but your child is the best guide. How does your child react to the person when they first meet? How does the sitter react to your child, are they friendly, do they take the initiative to make sure your child is comfortable? After your child has been with the sitter how are they when the sitter comes/you drop your child off are they happy to see the sitter or do they cry? How is your child when you get home or pick them up? Are they happy or do they seem sad, do they have trouble sleeping at night? You can always ask your friends for referrals to sitters they like but even then every mother/child is different. Use your mommy instincts & your child's cues :smile: Finding a good sitter is so hard & so scary for mommies.
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Wow, must be a lot less in Vegas than CA. $400 a month would be a steal. Last time I used daycare, 3 years ago I was paying 150.00 a week for a 4 year old, so very easy to care for. Right now I use an afterschool program, in case I can't get to the school in time and that's 90.00 a week for basically supervised playground time. Max 3 hours a day.
 
#8
cjj said:
Only advice I can offer is don't go by the $$ amount; don't try to find the cheapest place around. Expect to pay more for someone who is worth the honor of taking care of your children.
Click to expand...

I agree. Where I live childcare cost is through the roof but with the selection and quality of the care you just can't complain. I've found that you truly get what you pay for.
Our 4 year old is enrolled in a wonderful day care/ pre-K school right now. It's a fortune but worth it for the peace of mind we have.

Also, we interviewed many child care providers/schools before putting our son in the one he's in currently. It was tough finding the right one. So take your time. Go by gut feelings. Ask questions. Find the right fit for your child and for yourself.
 
#9
twinkle.tink said:
Wow, must be a lot less in Vegas than CA. $400 a month would be a steal. Last time I used daycare, 3 years ago I was paying 150.00 a week for a 4 year old, so very easy to care for. Right now I use an afterschool program, in case I can't get to the school in time and that's 90.00 a week for basically supervised playground time. Max 3 hours a day.
Click to expand...


Daycare rates vary from state to state for sure. The childs age, daycare location definitely affect the rates. $400 was the lowest I could find but it may not be the greatest care & it was not the best location for us.
 
#10
It is variable. You have many more options in SoCal.

Do you want just daytime help, or all day/night? Flexible?

One option that we might go with is www.culturalcare.com We know at least 3 families who have recruited international au pairs. The cost averages out to $285/wk for 45 hour work weeks. Check it out.

We currently have our son in day care, which is $180/wk (17 months old). In August, he will attend a private Montessori which will run about 15K/year.

Gulp, I know. Good luck.
 
#14
When I worked, it cost us about $600 a month for both but they only went 4 days a week and they were not strict about us being late either. This was about 7 yrs ago.
 
#15
I'm a nanny for a family with 5 children, although the mother is also home during the day. I work around 40 hours/week, and they pay me $16/hour, + a stipend for health insurance, +vacation time. They also have a car that is exclusively for my use when driving the children around.

When I just "babysit" for people, it's a minimum of $10/hour, most families pay more if they have more children.
 
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