Home Daycare or a Regular Daycare?

The reason I would never put my kids in a home care situation has nothing to do with the people who have them or their programs or anything like that.

I want to know there are other people around that will always be popping into a room, there are almost always 2 teachers to each classroom too, so if one is having a stressful time with a child they can trade that one off. Each person has an automatic back up. Plus their are other staff in the building all the time too, the director, assistant director, cooks, etc.....

I think it is easier to hold a standard day care accountable for their actions. I had a better experience with a center vs a home establishment.

It depends. I would not use a home daycare unless I had solid references. I used one almost exclusively until this year and my kids are 5 and 7. I had found this home daycare through a contact with my work. It worked out really well for my kids and I am glad that we used this special lady. That being said, it WAS harder when the babysitter was sick. If you do go with a home daycare, you should have a back up plan for the babysitter's vacation and sick days. I didn't and it became really tough for my DH and I to juggle. We use an afterschool program at a daycare now and it is nice to not have to worry about that particular issue.

That being said, we still are in contact with our home daycare provider and my kids love her. My kids got a lot more one on one interaction with her and I think were better for it. It's a personal choice really...

There is not enough information to make that decision. You need to know more about how the daycare is organized, the experience and philosophy of the staff, ratio of staff to children, how their schedule fits with your schedule, and many more.

I suggest you google how to choose a daycare to learn what questions to ask at each place. And definitely visit both places while children are there and observe what happens. Once you choose one, then take your children and observe how they fit in. Talk with other mom's and get their experiences with that daycare.

My two grandchildren have gone to both types. Their mom and I were pleased with everyone that the kids were in. They changed daycare sites because one closed. My granddaughter went exclusively to a daycare held within a church. She started when she was 3. My grandson went exclusively to two different home day cares. He changed because the first one closed. The second one was a better fit, anyway.

My grandson is a special needs child and the home daycare gave him more one on one attention. Once he was evaluated he went to a therapeutic day care (preschool-he was 4) and had difficulty. His mother kept him there so that he would, hopefully, become better adjusted for a classroom setting.

The regular daycare that is 10 minutes away.
That is very close by ya know.
And with a regular Daycare facility, they are having to adhere to regulations and comply, per the laws and rules.

LOTS of important details to consider.
Not just convenience of how far away it is or not.

And, a home daycare, does not have to have kids, of their own.
That is not a criteria, for having a home daycare. It is a business.

And with anything, you should also ask them... for references.
If they say no, then I would not choose them. Any reputable business, will have references.
Or see what others say about them.
And, look up both business with the Better Business Bureau and see what their standing is.
Because, BOTH have to be, licensed.

Hello! Marda has it right.
If, after you have found out more about both, and, assuming all things are equal, then, my preference has always been the regular day care setting, because if someone on the staff there is sick or goes on vacation, they should have ways to cover that in the center, where with a home based setting, you would likely be the cover in that situation....Centers are also regulated, where home settings do not necessarily have to be, so who watches the watcher? I have seen here on the site also direct questions about XVZ daycare - you might luck out and get a reply from someone who was/is taking their kid there.
Good luck with these hard decisions!

In general, I think home daycares are better, especially for babies. There is no turnover, more personal responsibility, more flexibility, and usually it's cheaper. But you have to visit both places to make sure the home babysitter is loving, attentive, and has the environment you think would be best for your baby.

I preferred the regular daycare setting rather than the home setting. I liked that there were more people there to see what everyone did with kids than just one lady at a home. I also liked that all of the attention was on the children, rather than cleaning house and that kind of thing.

You do have to find alternative care for sick children, and that's harder when you have a regular daycare. Of course, if other children come into the home daycare, you also have to keep your sick kids at home anyway so that the other kids don't get sick.

I would go with your gut feeling. I checked out both daycare centers and licensed home daycares. My son (who is now 6) started at a licensed home daycare when he was 2 1/2 and I consider her part of the family. She has great hours and I treat her as part of the family. They do little things that I appreciate like celebrating holidays (Valentine's, St. Patricks, etc.), but I also know that he is learning and not just playing while there. When he entered kindergarten this past fall, he was more than prepared with colors, shapes, numbers, etc.

When our daughter was an infant.. The in home care was perfect.. But our daughter walked early(6 months, unassisted) and this lady was not accustomed to such a mobile tiny child.. She wanted us to discourage the walking? Not sure how we would have done this..

So at about 7 months, we moved our daughter to a daycare with excellent referrals. We were very pleased. Her teacher had a degree in early childhood development. This was a loving community of teachers. They had continuing education for the staff.

It was a bright building with 2 different playgrounds for the different ages of children, They documented each day, what the children did, ate and diaper changes. They shared our daughters emotions. with us and any developments or . their concerns.. etc.

I also agree about in home when the caregiver is ill, what do you have planned?

FYI, At our daughters elementary school, the teachers on that campus started their own daycare on Campus.

The district allowed them a portable building and a fenced in area for their play area. They paid for their own teachers.. etc.

We have been celebrating these children that are now graduating from High School! They went through that day care!

l be happy to put you in contact with the teachers that started this. It is a great legacy..

As someone who is from Arizona I would steer clear of any home daycare out there. Arizonas regulations are not nearly as strict as other states. You don't even have to have any experience to work in childcare. I should know I got my start out there! Go to a real daycare.

I agree to visiting both places.

One big question to ask would be about their inclement weather policy.

My son used to be in a regluar daycare,
- he cried every day at dropoff. He liked the afternoon teacher, but not the morning teacher.
- They often closed early on bad weather days, or and were be closed all holidays.
- they had a set menu. If they were serving something my son didn't like/would eat, they would not offer him another option and we were not allowed to send in a lunch due to food allergies.
- Payment was due on Monday morning for the week beginning. If you didn't pay by Monday morning, your access # was locked out by Monday afternoon/Tues morning so that you had to ring for a staff member to let you in where you were not allowed to go past the front desk until you paid. Even if your kid was in the back.

Now both kids attend an in-home daycare that is near my house and near their bus stop. They LOVE it there. I wish I had moved my son sooner, but I was stubborn.
- She stocks foods that the kids like. If they have specific favorites, she makes sure to have them available.
- She is licensed by the state and monitored by USDA.
- My kids fuss because when CAN'T go to her house because of a holiday or weekend.
- Payment is due by Friday, for the week finished. Full payment IS expected, even if your kid was not there. (standard expectation)
- She takes one week of paid vacation in the summer. The same week each year. She is closed on the 6 major holidays, Black Friday, and day after Christmas. This was all disclosed in the contract.
- If I am sick, my kids can walk to her house.
- She does not close due to inclement weather, unless she loses power.
- When she has a doctor appt, she has a backup caregiver come in.

It really depends on the specific places. Whatever you decide to do, make sure you have a backup sitter lined up in case your kid(s) get sick and you can't take a day off work, as sick kids can't go to daycare. If you go with a home daycare you will also have to take into account the fact that the provider could get sick.

More info needed, especially cost and experience of the home one, do any kids go there?

I had my son in an in home daycare for about 6 months after I went back to work. It was nice because it was more one on one, but then I found out she was preggo & I started noticing that whenever I picked him up, he was swaddled in the swing. Not sure if he was in there a lot, considering she started telling me how fussy he was. Other than her, everyone always told me he was such a happy baby, so I started looking for daycare centers & found one that I could use as a back up when she had her doctor appts, or after she had the baby. I ended up taking him to the center months before she had the baby & he has been there ever since. I absolutely love it. There is more structure there, you know that they are interacting with all the kids, they teach them. I dont know if knowing primary colors & animals is early for a 2 year old, but he knows almost all his colors, he knows how to count 1-2-3. Everything he does he seems to be excelling at. I dont think I would have that if he was still at the home care. But I would definatly do some checking cuz I know there are home cares that do also teach the kids.

Good luck with your decision as well as your new teaching job!!!!

If I were you, I would visit both places and get a feel for them. It's amazing how much that can help. You don't even necessarily need to ask questions, just make an appointment to see both places (during regular hours so you can see what the place is like with the kids there).

Home daycares can be ideal for little ones, as they can receive extra attention and be in a smaller environment. My boys went to a home daycare, part-time, for a few months, and it was a nice fit at the time. When I went back to work full-time, I chose a daycare center. That has been a really good fit for them. My oldest had started school by then, so he only needed aftercare. My youngest was 2 1/2 and was in the 2's room. He's been with the same kids for two years now. He's really gotten to know them, the teachers have activities and a schedule and it has been really good for him. They do special events, have groups come in (soccer, tumbling) and go on field trips. We are very lucky to have such a great daycare center. The staff is great, and we really like it.

There are pros and cons to each, and you've already gotten a lot of great responses! Let your gut and your child be your guide. I felt more comfortable with a center environment because of the accountability, the eyes watching, the adherence to rules, safety measures, etc. But my son was miserable there -- even though I loved that he would be physically safe there, it just wasn't a loving environment and he didn't enjoy it there. I found a place that is licensed, run out of a house, with more than one worker (there are four or five teachers in adherence to licensing ratios) and it works for both of us. I am more nervous because it is more lax, but he loves it there and has great days almost every day.

Also, choose a place and give it a month or so. If you aren't comfortable, don't be afraid to switch until you are happy.

Usually I prefer home day care for. Rey young ones. Given your kids ages, I think a daycare center would work well for them. Go visit both and see what your gut tells you.

I prefer a daycare setting. I like that fact that there are lots of eyes. I feel like in a home setting, you never know who is coming and going from that house all day. Is a creepy cousin or uncle staying over for a week and you don't know about it? Now, I'm sure that is the total exceptions, but I liked my daycare setting. I had a lot of trust in it.

Also, you have to look at several places. One will jump out to you and you'll feel at home there.

Good luck with the new job! Congrats.

The closeness to your home is not nearly as important as you being comfortable with the teacher/staff or home provider. Tour both places, ask the same questions at both places and then see if you feel more comfortable with one, if not keep looking.

I am a home provider and I think the little ones in my care get more loving care than those in a center. I love the children in my care and I tell them that. My own children questioned this at one point and I just explained that I love them more because the are mine.

Depending on the age of your children they might really be more challenged in a center depending on what is offered in the home program near you.

Good Luck,

M.

You can have awful and amazing experiences in both. We ultimately chose a day care center because of the accountability. For really young ones, if I knew the in home provider and knew their situation, I might consider it. However, when I first started looking, I referred to child care referral sites and just didn't feel comfortable not having any connection to them other than the Internet. For older kids (2 and above) I really like the day care setting because of the structure and educational aspects.