I'm pregnant with my second baby and we would like to put him in a home daycare for the first two years like we did my son. However, I'm due in September and the baby won't be needed to be placed somewhere until sometime in November. When should I start calling around? With my first son, i had a sitter lined up, so I didn't run into this.
Honestly if you know where you want the baby I would call them now and see how far out you need to do it. Some places they want you to as soon as you know you are expecting.
As a home provider for the past 8 years, I would absolutely make reservations for a spot now. Infant spots in home daycare don't come up that often. If you love the provider, her home, and the program, put your deposit down (if they request one), and relax for the rest of the pregnancy. You can call back to check in with the provider, and send her updates on how you and baby are doing. Good luck!
Put your mind at ease, start looking now. It'll be a huge item to cross off that to-do list! Good luck!
I would inquire now. Absolutely no later than July. Providers will be filling their Fall spots soon as kids finish school. You'll want a provider to 'hold' a spot for you now.
I would start right now. You do not want to get caught without a sitter at
the last minute. Congratulations.
It's never too early to 'shop' around for your perfect home daycare. Not everybody will hold a spot that long, but you can ask if you could be put on a waiting list.
Still no promises that you'll 'get in', but you'll have a feel for what's available or could be available when the time comes. A provider might not hold a spot starting now, but if you're on her/his waiting list and something opens up in the future, they might be able to hold your spot from that point.
So will you be using the same caretaker that your son had?
If so call her already.
Aside from that, yes, call places already and do a site visit and speak to the child care provider and ask questions of that provider so that you know what her rules and fees are etc.
with home daycare our enrollment can change in an instant, and to hold a spot is hard unless I KNOW that a child is going to be leaving at a certain time.
I mostly go on the school year calendar because I work with teachers and so I do know what my fall enrollment will be usually by May. But before I had the majority of my clients being teachers I couldn't tell you now what my enrollment would be like in November and I couldn't take a hit in my income by holding your spot for that long.
I am a childcare provider and I had a neighbor who is engaged ask me to pencil in a baby in 2 years!!
Honestly I'd start calling now, some people don't know what their situation will be this far ahead, but some do. In my situation I take infants to about 2 or 2 1/2 years so I usually know about 6 months in advance when my toddlers will be moving on.
It doesn't hurt to call early.
M.
I would start calling now. That is the only way you will know what is available.
Honestly, I did not know if I had openings for the next week until a couple of weeks before. If parents gave me the notice I requested in my parent handbook. I would think it is way way way too early to even be thinking of contacting anyone. They may not even be in business at the end of summer. Start calling in October and find out if any know if they will have openings coming up. Even if they do they will not hold place for you unless you pay their full weekly rate from the day they have the opening until you bring little one.
