In Home Daycare Versus Regular Daycare

I did home day care instead of a large center. I was very happy with the provider and the other children. It was a great experience for my son. He was with all ages and ethic types. Had lessons three times a day. Very happy.

I did both in-home and facility for mine and found that I preferred a facility b/c there were more adults around and a better variety of activities and interactions.
As for the sickness in facilities, I guess you could say that that is probably true BUT my children had all the "viruses", bugs, etc that one can get and had built up immunities to them by the time that they entered school so that when all their friends who had not had them were missing school, falling behind etc, my girls were at school and right on track.
This decision is one that all falls to personal preference. Good luck. Remember for in-home, No open door policy is a big NO GO!! If you cannot drop by unannounced then do not go there. (to me no excuse for this was worth the time they spent trying to justify it)

I prefer a daycare center for so many reasons, most of which are personal preference. I would love to hire a nanny, but I would require that she have at least a bachelors degree in ECE and I wouldn't be able to pay her what a school district would pay her, let alone offer the benefits (insurance, summers off, etc.).

-You know when a daycare center will be closed due to holidays. Snow or the elements, nor personal illness NEVER get in the way (at least, not at my center) of care for my child. I never have to scramble at the last second trying to figure backup care. What happens when your in-home provider is sick or wants to take a vacation?

-I absolutely insist upon age and developmentally appropriate activities for my child. You can look for accredited facilities by checking www.naeyc.org. They do checking and accreditation for facilities to exceed basic state/federal standards and are considered to be the cream of the crop. Our daycare center has a structured curriculum that is specific to the age of child in each room. Additionally, many of the staff at my center hold Bachelors degrees in education (specifically early childhood education), so they've at least had some training. Also, the staff has been trained in infant/child first aid and CPR. What type of background would your in-home provider have and would you be okay if she had little to no training?

-It is simply untrue that every daycare center herds children like cattle with little regard to safety or attention. Yes, there are centers that are atrocious and if they were my only option I'd quit my job. Fortunately, if you do your homework you can find a place that has a ratio of 2:1 or 3:1 in the infant room. And, at my center, there are several 'floaters' who move from room to room in the event someone is sick or calls off of work, thus preserving the low infant-to-teacher ratio.

-Personally I did not want to put my child in a home with a mom who just wanted to make an extra buck so she could not work and be home with her children (I know not all mothers who do this are like this, but many are). Everyone can sit there and say they are fair and impartial, but when it comes to your own child it's only natural that they receive the majority and focus of your attention.

-I was not worried about the sick thing. Kids are young. They have developing immune systems. They get sick, just like they will fall, bump their head, scrape their knee, vomit, and have runny noses. They're kids - it happens.

That's just me and I am super picky about who will be watching my child. Fortunately, our child absolutely LOVES where he is - when we drop him off, he goes running to his Lead Teacher for hugs and snuggles (both the director and assistant director who is also his Lead Teacher have been at the same center for 15+ years). He has been thriving ever since he started and while I was exceptionally nervous at first (yes, I cried in the car the first day I dropped him off and felt evil for putting him in *gasp* daycare), he has achieve so much and is happy.

Kids get sick.
Your child will get sick in a day care, at an in-home sitter's, and with a nanny in your home. Don't stress about that.
Your little boy will get sick less often if you practice good hand washing with him, gently teach him not to stick everything he grabs in his mouth, as he grows teach him proper coughing (by covering his mouth and nose with a tissue or coughing and sneezing into his elbow -- not into his hands). Also, as he gets older and as your pediatrician recommends, a good multi-vitamin. He'll be fine.
My thoughts on day care -- your child has an opportunity to grow by leaps and bounds socially. Making choices as to who makes good friends and who does not.
My daughter is 9. She started out at 6 weeks old in a large day care, did well there, and still has friends from that place. Then I found out I was sick when she was 15 months old, and with the medical expenses I was to incurr could no longer afford it, and she went into a private home. Her sitter kept a few other children off and on. That person is still her part-time sitter, and my daughter is like a part of that family. They would lay down their lives for my daughter.
Nannies are fine, if you get a good one, if you can afford them (most I know of make more than I do!), and your child may not then get the well-rounded social exposure he needs. Just something to think about.
p.s. In nine years, my daughter has had 2 ear infections, chicken pox, and strep throat once. Public school is where your son will get sick the most!
Good luck, and I hope this helps.
P.

There are lots of pros and cons for all options. It also depends a little on your baby's personality.

Personally, I love having a nanny for my little one as she has someone's undivided attention, she doesn't get exposed to lots of germs. My nanny has been a nanny for over 30 years. she can really meet my little ones needs including having naps when she is ready for naps and for as long as she needs. They do go do things all the time (story time at public library, wonderworks, play dates, singing etc). So she gets plenty of interactions with other children. The main down side is that it is quite expensive. I work full time and I calculate that I spend around $42k per year on my nanny (wages, taxes etc.)

If your choice is home daycare versus center based, my own feeling is that the center based is more regulated and possibly safer. But this all depends on the center. Some children love being with others all day and get more activities this way. However, their naps do suffer and so a baby will likely go to bed earlier, which for me as I don't see my baby all day, I would hate. Of course, this is much more affordable. some places are great.

Once a child is walking around, then I personally would feel much more comfortable with them at a center rather than with a nanny but for the first year, I love having a great nanny.

Well, I'm response #54 I think! Wow, this is a serious topic and I can tell you from my personal experience, a daycare facility is best. I didn't realize this and I placed my first daughter in a home daycare. By her 3rd day, she was coughing like a little old man! She got pink eye twice. At 18 months, I decided to pay a visit to Rogy's Learning Center in Romoeoville. To my surprise, there was a separate room for infants. Never were they around the germy toddlers. Don't get me wrong, toddlers are cute and fun. But they also don't know how to cover their mouths when they sneeze and cough. They also love to touch and feel babies. If you can afford a nanny or daycare facility, go for it!

~M.

I had my daughter in a "regular" daycare for 2 1/2 years, and we loved it. (I withdrew her because she needed to be in a Special Ed classroom - something I would not have found out as early as I did if not for the trained professionals there pointing out her speech delay). Most daycares, especially in the nurseries, are VERY strict about not having kids attend when they are ill. (Seriously, my daughter was sent home for a mosquito bite, and they wouldn't take her back the next day without a doctor's note saying it wasn't some hideous contagious rash). They're more closely regulated, whereas the home daycares can get under the radar with licensing and standards.

Now, that said, there is a certain coziness to home daycares. A lot of my friends have gone that route, and their kids seem to enjoy it. They are also more economical. Just like anything else, though, look into your options, visit the places and go with your gut. Remember, you aren't "putting" your child into daycare, you're "enrolling" him.

I'd suggest checking out the National Alliance for the Education of Young Children (I think it's www.naeyc.org). It tends to be the gold standard for child care. Even if the center isn't registered, you'll have solid guidelines as a springboard.

Personally, I am not a big supporter of nannies for single-child households. The kiddos don't get supervised interaction. I cannot tell you how many nannies I've seen at the Chicago parks and playgrounds who park children in a stroller or let them run around blindly while they talk on their cell phones or gossip with other babysitters.

Good luck!

In home daycare is the way to go. Your child will get more attention and will be in a much more comfortable environment. If you can find one you should definately use it. Make sure the in home daycare is DCFS licensed and then you can be sure that they are following the guidelines that a daycare center would when it comes to sick children and standards.
As for the comment made about not learning enough in a home daycare situation, that lady just had a bad daycare provider. Kids tend to learn more with in home daycare becaues they get more one on one attention...but the provider has to be willing to do the activities. Most in home daycares do follow some sort of preschool cirriculum when the children reach 2 yo. Maybe that is question you should ask when interviewing providers.
Good Luck!

I am a mom of 4 and have done all of the above. If it is feasible for you to have one care giver for your child that can take them out on outing this is the best as they need to bond with someone and look to one person. The childs brain doesnt see as we do, they in my opinion can handle one or 2 other adult role models. Just be sure the one you choose has similiar values and learning tactics as you. If not this will confuse the child. Hope this helps Dr Meyer DDS I am a dentist but a psychologist firs, and best and most rewarding of all my jobs is being a mom.

I found it harder for me to pick a daycare for my son then to have labor. Mentally and physically finding the perfect daycare is hard, I have been through church, home and friend daycares.
I had my son in a church daycare for the first 6 months (age 3-9months old). He was sick towards the end about every other week. I still had to pay for him to be there when he was sick. so, then I had a friend babysit, wrong-- she wanted to do it on her time, not my work schedule.
I have also tried non & liscensed home daycares. My son was thrown out of the liscensed home daycare for bitting. The lady took on 3-4 new kids and I was going through a divorce when this happened. I believe that my son was not given enough attention, so he acted out (father withdraw from his life). That was hard, because I tried everything to stop the biting. He is good now.
At the age of 3, he has been through about 6 different daycares.
I lost my job- so now I stay home with him,that is hard.
Daycares choices are based on the childs and parents needs.

Good luck --- weigh all of the options.
M.

I have been an in home daycare provider for 16 years. For 10 of those years my husband was in the military, where the licensing requirements are very strict. Now we are civilians and I have been a state licensed daycare for 6 years here in Indiana. The licensing requirements are not nearly as strict here in the civilian world, but I understand that is because the states do not put the money into daycare that the military does.

I have a degree in child development and always strive to stay on top of the latest in child development trends, I take classes all the time for professional development. I have a curriculum for the older children, we have planned activities several times a year outside the daycare, paid for by me, with all the children and their families. I also provide an exercise program and music lessons, the people who do this come to my house once a week for an hour and do the activities with the kids. I care for 7 children every day, and I think that each and every one of them get plenty of attention - I consider myself a professional and I know how to do my job. This may seem like a lot of kids to some people, but I know what I can handle and how many children I can have and still do my job well. This is a business and I have sick policies, set operating hours, a contract, all of the things that you would find in a daycare center. I do not have cameras, but I think that if you are paying attention to your child you would know if there was something "wrong" with the daycare situation - no matter how old they are, even infants can tell you if they are happy or not.

I have worked in a center as well, as a center director, and one of the problems that centers have is a very high turnover rate of employees. Many of these people are young college students who are just doing the job until something better comes along and there is a huge turnover. Many times the people that are hired have only a high school diploma - trust me when I tell you that centers do NOT pay enough to attract the very best or keep people wanting to stay there for long periods. Studies have proven that it is best for the child to have ONE consistent caregiver, rather than a rotating staff of three to four people in one day, which is what you will find in a center. And then every few weeks someone new comes in because someone else has quit.

I personally think for infants the home daycare is the best choice because there is so much less noise and harsh lighting - the infants in the center never nap well (even though the staff will tell you that they do - and lack of sleep and over stimulation makes a cranky baby for mom and dad to deal with.

I just like the relationship that I have with my clients in the home care setting so much better - for me the bottom line is not what is most important, it is the children that I care for and their families. I have one family that has been with me the whole six years I have been here in Indiana, and I love those kids with all my heart, and they love coming here to me, even though we are only before and after school now. Their grandma lives right behind me, but their parents choose to send them here. They invite me to birthday parties, and dance recitals, and football and basketball games - and I love it - I love being able to be a part of their lives. I also keep in contact with several of the clients that I had when I was a military provider, even though we are all over the globe. Those kids are teenagers now, but I really get a kick out of seeing the pictures of them and talking to them on the phone.

Of course I know there are daycare homes out there that are not professional, that take days off all the time and close unexpectedly - but I can say for myself that I have not taken a single sick day in all the years I have been doing this job and have NEVER closed unexpectedly. I take the commitment that I have made to these families VERY seriously. My own children are in college now, but were 4 and 5 when I started, and I always tried very hard to make sure that during daycare hours everyone was treated the same. My children did not get preferential treatment - I was always conscious of the fact that I was running a business during the daytime hours. (People who get into daycare thinking that they will have tons of time for their own children quickly realize that this is not the case!)

I would say to you to check out both centers and homes, because it is a personal decision. Listen to your instincts and go where you are the most comfortable, because you won't be happy if you don't. Look for someone who has been doing it a while and views themselves as a professional daycare provider and not just a babysitter. You will be able to tell within minutes of walking in their door if this is somewhere you would be comfortable leaving your baby. Good luck with your decision - it is never an easy one. The whole reason I got into the daycare business was because when my children were born I was in the Army and I quickly realized that I could not be a soldier and be the mother that I wanted to be. So I gave up my career in the Army for this one and I have never regretted it.

Daycare in general-in home or something like Kindercare-you child will probably be sick more often than if you were at home with him. My 2 boys go to kindercare and the doctor said that even though they get more colds they are building up there immune system so they might not get sick when they get to school age. I think Kindercare is more structured than an in home daycare but it is more expensive. I also believe that kindercare type daycare is better for children than a nanny because the children get to me more social with other children. They learn how to interact and share toys etc.. My two boys ages 3.5 and 20 months love it. They call it school and go 3 days a week. They have made friends, have learned what bullies are, do all types of crafts, they have water days outside during the summer, they go outside on the playground in the summer, if it is not too cold they get to go out and play in the snow, my 3.5 has learned so much from his 3 days a week at kindercare. That is my opinion

I would rather have my son in a home daycare than in a center, at least until he's older. Right now I work during the day and offer night-time childcare. During the day, my 2 year old is in an in-home daycare. He gets time to interact with other children, and I feel comfortable with the person watching him. If I sent him to a center, I wouldn't be able to assess as accurately the care he would be receiving. And for the cost of a center, I cannot accept that.

Our 5 1/2 month old daughter has been in an at home daycare 2-3 days a week since she was 3 months old. We chose an at home setting. We selected ours for the following reasons:
Better child to adult ratio
would be with children of all ages
family setting
have the same discipline principals as us
licensed (you can check at https://secure.in.gov/apps/fssa/carefinder/index.html for a licensed in home or center daycare)
offer after hour babysitting services (bonus)

We read that children who are around older children often develop skills faster because they want to do the same things as the others.

Plus, the older kids like entertaining her.

Ultimately you need to choose what is right for you.

There will be fewer illnesses with an in-home daycare vs a regular daycare just because of the amount of kids they are exposed to. I used to have a daycare, someone always has the sniffles and such, but it was never "illness" per the doctors the parents took their children to. As long as everyone has good hygiene, the instances are very low. Don't always blame the daycare, when you take your child out anywhere they are exposed making it possible for them to pick up bugs from anyone. Just make sure your caretaker is good about keeping things as clean as possible and everything should be fine.

My children are now older, but I had a wonderful in-home day care provider for my 3 children when they were young. I chose in-home for a few reasons. I had a co-worker who placed her kids in a day care center. She was always missing work because her kids were sick. Also, centers are not flexible, you miss a day, you pay. You are more able to negotiate with an in-home provider. Also, you have more stability with an in-home situation. Day care centers have alot of turnover since pay is relatively low.
My provider took my kids to story time at the library, field trips to the chidren's musuem and to the park. My kids loved her and I still keep in contact. It was one of the best choices I ever made.

I do in home daycare and find that it is nicer because there are smaller numbers. However, I only watch 1 other child besides my own. When it comes to ages of the children as long as they aren't all babies and younger children it should be okay so that way you know your child is getting one-on-one attention. As for nannies, I'm not a person who is comfortable having a stranger in my home while I'm not home but know people who have success with it. If you aren't 100% comfortable in your current daycare situation you need to follow your instincts and look for a better fit.

I'd choose a daycare center everytime. Since I'm an educator, I have some pretty specific needs when it comes to the care of my child and what type of age- and developmentally-appropriate activities are offered. I've done a lot of reading and research about early childhood best practices and the person I want watching my child needs to enjoy taking care of children and know what he or she should be learning. I want a neutral person with experience dealing with many children, not just the two children they gave birth to and have now proclaimed themself as an expert in child rearing. If I were you I would do intensive research and visit lots of places at different price points.

I think a lot of moms who have been dissatisfied with centers picked cheap ones. You get what you pay for. Don't farm your child out to the lowest bidder just to save a buck.

That's not to say that every inexpensive day care is awful or that every expensive day care is awesome. But think about it - if you had a background in education and were seeking employment, you'd probably choose a place that would provide a decent wage, excellent benefits, and a great working environment right?

I also like knowing that at my center, my baby's lead teacher only has 3 kids max at a time under her supervision. Can the same be said about an in-home center who is juggling 3-9 kids all of different ages?

Dear R.,
If at all possible, stay at home with your little one. Making some sacrifices for the sake of him will be well worth it in the long term.He needs your nurturing. Money is not everything. I don't mean to sound harsh and please don' take it that way. So many children are being raised by someone else besides their mothers. As far as chosing between the mom & day-care I don't think your little one would get much more attention because the Mom would give her children first priority.
Sincerely,
J. in Indiana

Do you ever listen to the podcast Pediacast? Its' wonderful. Dr. Mike says your kids will get germs, it just depends on when. If they're at home as infants, they'll get sick with everything once they start school. If they're in daycare, they'll get sick with everything as infants. Either way, you can't totally prevent it, but older children have a stronger immunity to the illnesses than a newborn or infant.
That being said, nannys are expensive. There is a huge price difference between nannys and babysitters. I lucked out finding grandmas who wanted to babysit. Mine didn't want to sit full-time, so I found two to split the week. It's good in case someone gets sick or goes on vacation.
I too wrestled with in-home and daycare centers. It really depends on the facility. One day care center was a bright, loud, chaotic mess that really scared me. You opened the outside door right on napping kids in this cold weather. It was awful. Another was an organized center with clear plans for each day in a former school building. For home care, think about the other kids ages. Is your child one of many who is a newborn? Then, how often would they be held as they ate? Or, if they're the only newborn, then as they grow older, will there be other children their age to play with? Regardless, do your research and trust your instincts. Good luck!

Your kids will get sick if they are with other kids, whether it's daycare or homecare, simple as that. I personally would rather my child go to daycare than someone's house. Daycares are regularly inspected and have to be licensed, in home care does not have to be licensed. For infants, the ratio is 3 infants to one teacher in a good center. Take lots of time to find a good center - check the help wanted ads, if there is a center that always seems to be hiring, avoid it. Also, steer clear of a center that only lets you visit at certain times or wants to schedule a tour, you should be able to "pop in" whenever and they should be welcoming. We have our son in a very small daycare that is part of a church and we are very happy with it and he loves his teachers and his friends. My sister had her child at an in home center and turns out the husband was beating the heck out of his wife and she ended up in the hospital and had to get a restraining order, so you can just never tell about in home care whether or not there are other things going on in the home. Not to scare you, but this is your baby and you need to be very careful about who you choose to watch them while you are at work.

My oldest ( now 9) started regular daycare at 4 months old, we put her in a smaller KinderCare where they only had 8 infants in the room. I had no problems with it, and I just felt more comfortable with her in a regular daycare as there are more adults around, so more accountability.

As for the sickness factor, my daughter did get sick in the beginning, but she is now the healthiest one in the house. My twins did not start daycare until 18 months, and there immune system is not as strong.

I think as everyone has said, visit many places, you will know when you have found the right place. Also, make surprise visits every so often.

Good luck,
L.

Centers and in-home daycare have pros and cons. It really depends on what you are looking for. First of all make sure the in-home daycare is licensed by DCFS. If they are licensed they will need to have CPR and First Aid also 15 in-service hours a year of ECC education. I have worked in a center and I am curently a family daycare provider. The one thing to keep in mind is that the daycare no matter if it is family childcare or a center is only as good as the teacher. Please do not think just because a daycare is ran from a home that your child will not be getting the opportunities to learn and grow through age appropriate actvities. Many famliy daycare providers have Early Childcare education. Many of us follow a curriculum also. I follow the Creative Curriculum which is recognized by the State of Illinois. I began family daycare because I did not want my children in a center setting. I wanted to provide a "home" like setting for the children. Yes a center is structured but that does not mean that is what is best for a child. I have watched children that have come from centers because they could not handle the structure. I provide activites each day for the children in a relaxed atmosphere. Today we seperated beads by color, matched the beads to number cards, added the beads together, strung the beads on a string and practiced longer and shorter. All with beads and a piece of string! As you can tell this activity was meeting many different age groups, yet we were able to do it together and learn from each other. I like the mixed age group the children can learn from each other and they learn how to help each other. The older ones help the younger ones and eventually everyone becomes the older one. The children do get sick I think no matter where you have them. I was told by our doctors that if they were not in daycare they would then be sick alot when they started school. So it is bound to happen. We have had good and bad years. Knock on wood this year has been great! As for time off I do take vacation but I generally give a month notice. For sick days lets just say those are few and far between. Maybe 1 or 2 a year. Just today my daughter is home with a sinus infection and my husband came home from work to take her to the doctor so I would not have to take time off. It does depend on where you take you baby though. In centers there are times a teacher calls in sick and there could be 1 teacher with 12 babies. I would rather be looking for back up care then have my child in that setting. And I have seen this happen. The best thing is to check and double check where you take your child. There are good and bad in every kind of care. I would drop in at different time for the first week or two. Get to know the day care provider. Spend time talking to them when you drop off and pick up your child.
Best of luck. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions. I have been in child care for 22 years!

Get references and check out all options. If you can do a background check on them. Either way there is a chance of your baby getting sick, being exposed to other kids, you caring the germs home. I myself take care of two of my nephews and their mom gets sick and then we all get whatever she had. Make sure that the home daycare is one that is approved and inspected. Just do your research and go with your instincts.

My Kiddo has been in the regular day care from begining. She did fall sick few times. She is 2 now and she is hardly sick at all. Bottomlineis they would get sick whenever they get the exposure.

The in home day care and regular day care have same adlt to infant ratio. So in effect the in home day care provider can have same no. of infants to an adult, if not now maybe later.

I like the education focus at the regular. Take your pick.

Best Luck!

Obviously my opinion is a little biased as I have a home daycare. The one advantage little ones have in a home over a center is that they have the same person caring for them all day long. The infants I care for also are fed and held on demand, not on a schedule as I've heard centers do because of the number of babies they have in their care.

The biggest suggestion I would give if you are looking into a home daycare is make sure the person is licensed by the State of IL Department of Chidren & Family Services. They regulate most everything we do in the way our homes are set up, to the toys we have available, to their guidelines we have to follow. I also carry private daycare insurance in the event that something terrible would happen. This is only available to licensed providers.

Best of luck, I know it's a very tough decision.

C.
www.cindyslittlepeople.com

I have worked as a caregiver in all three situations you've described; daycare center, home daycare, and as a nanny.
The pros of a center:
Your cchild will be socialized with many children his/her age
All employees are pre-screened and interviewed
You pay a set weekly rate, that will decrease as your child gets older
Employees take childcare courses through the center/state to keep knowledge of childcare fresh.
First aid/cpr are mandatory inkeep current
This weekly rate is average, not usually high unless the center is "elite"- around $250-350 per week
Weekly learning program is incorportated into every classroom

The cons of a center
Your child is one of up to 12 babies (up to 4 teachers) in an infant room
Your child's schedule may or may not be followed the way you would like due to the amount children in the classroom
Your child will not get a lot of adult interaction due to the needs of other children
communication problems with teachers in room/directors
shift changes halfway through day with a new set of teachers

The pros of home daycare: (I owned my own last year)
Your child is in a "family" envirornment
Your child get more one-on-one care
Your rate is the lowest of all three options ($200 or less usually per week)
You child's scheudule will be followed
You have "say" in your child's daily life

The cons of home daycare:
Only one adult to interact with your child
Hours maybe not as long as you need
Sick days may come up with out warning
communication problems

The pros of a nanny:
Maximum amount of one-on-one time given
Able to go on outings, take your child to classes, etc
Nanny will follow whatever schedule you would like
Nannies can become "part of the family"
You do not have to worry about drop off or pick up as nanny comes to your house

The cons of a nanny
Weekly cost (usually $500+ per week for a well qualified nanny)
Communication problems (communication is key)

I hope this is helpful to you in making your decision. I tried to give you what I know as pros and cons of each situation although there are probably some points I am forgetting. Please email me if you have anymore questions! I'd be happy to help. Good luck in your search! By the way, sittercity.com is a great place to find nannies if you decide on that as an option.

I am an in home daycare provider. I have 2 boys, a 6 year old and a 3 year old. My 6 year old experienced a bad day care, therefore my youngest has never been to a day care center. I decided to stay home and watch neighboring children to be home with him. I think centers are too over crowded and the children DO NOT get the attention they need and deserve. One of my daycare parents is a day care center provider and she brings both of her children to me. I have 4 kids here, and it really is a good number of children, they range from 8 months to 3 years. It really is not as hard as people think, you get on schedules and the children mix well with each other. When they want/need juice or snacks its there for them, we play games and have alot more one on one attention than a center could provide. My advise, take your baby to the in - home provider. He can get the attention a baby needs.

Good Morning:

I actually have a licensed home child care and coordinate the home child association in my community. I do this with post Masters work in early childhood. I have worked in many child care centers and have much experience with nannies. I think quality home child care with a low ratio of babies to adults in a nurturing and stimulating environment is absolutely the best care for babies. Make sure that this woman will not be taking on additional children unless she hires an assistant or I don't think your baby will be getting enough attention.
J.

Hi R.,

I think my opinion reflects that of others: if you trust the at home daycare person and are happy with the number of children she's watching and her philosophy on caring, I think it's a better atmosphere for a young child. I have my daughter in an at home daycare and she gets a lot more love and attention than she would in a center environment. Her provider is truly called to do the work she does and she values all the kids, she also has the pride of ownership since it is her business.

That said, whenever you have multiple kids in a play environment, a runny nose is almost inevitable, especially in the winter months.

If you can afford a nanny to come to your home without putting undue financial strain on you and your family, I would take that option until your child is over 12 months just because you'll know that he's getting one on one attention in a familiar environment and exposure to less germs, etc. You could consider finding a family that would be willing to have their 1 child (of different developmental age) looked after at your house by the nanny. This could help to cut the cost without diluting the personal attention too much.

As I said originally, though, if getting a nanny in your home is a financial strain, I think the at-home daycare is a great option! I couldn't afford a nanny, so I did the daycare thing, and overall I was really happy with my experience.

Good luck!
T.

Hi Rena, I definitely recommend an in-home daycare versus a place like Goddard School or Kindercare. There are sooooo many kids at those places, and many of them come in with colds, etc. With a LICENSED in-home daycare provider, they are limited by the state to 6 children, and no more than 2 children under the age of 2, so your child will receive personal attention at all times.

A licensed in-home daycare provider is on the State Food program, so your child is receiving proper nutritional meals and snacks needed throughout the day. They are also visited by the state so that their homes, toys and play/sleep areas are clean, safe and sterilized.

If you can afford a nanny, I say go for it, but if you are looking at a budget, I recommend a licensed in-home daycare provider...which is also cheaper than daycare facilities. Good luck!

Employing a nanny is the best option for you and your baby!!!If you make inaf money this is the best way to go.Specialy when baby is just 3 mos.old.Just think about that!Personal atention to your baby all the time....plus nanny also can help around the house like baby food,loundry,toys and ext..
I'm a mom of three....
I..P.

Hi there,

My oldest son went to an in-home daycare from 6 months - 18 months. The caregiver took care of 4 other children, all under 2. It was wonderful! She was willing to give my son breast milk that I had pumped, and made me feel very welcome to stop in whenever I had an opportunity. I think my son really needed the quiet, homey environment. As he got older he enjoyed having the other toddlers to play with. Another great thing was that she got my son to fall asleep in a crib on his own, which he wouldn't do at home! The only time he got sick was when he got chickenpox from my niece. But when he was 18 mos. it was time to move on, so we went with an organized day care center. We were very happy with it, and my son loved all the activity and other kids! But he did get sick a LOT, and had numerous ear infections and tummy viruses. We never considered a nanny--I was afraid it would be out of our budget--but if you can afford it, it's probably a great option.

Good luck!

R.

Both my kids spent time in an in-home daycare when they were young. My son from age 21 months to 4 years. My daughter from ages 7 months to 3 years. I wouldn't have it any other way. I think they get more one-on-one attention from the caregiver, which they need when they're so young, plus they get interaction with a little older kids, which is great for development and socialization too. An in-home provider can also be more flexible than a daycare center. (For example, my provider would adjust the kids' activities to suit the naptime of the infant.) Of course, not all in-home providers will be great, so just make sure you do your research and listen to your instincts about how you feel leaving your baby in their care.

R.,

Well, my boys (2.5 yrs and 5.5 months) have been in commercial daycare since 8 weeks. We were at a center that we ended up not liking very much and changed over to a KinderCare when my oldest was 6 months. We absolutely love it. To the point that when recently looking for a different home, we wouldn't look anywhere that required us to change centers.

We looked into a home daycare when we started trying for baby #2. We met the lady and it was a nice set-up. But my husband and I got in the car, looked at each other and said, "No way." We felt that we would have been doing a disservice to our son by switching him.

I can agree that a home center MAY offer more one on one attention, but if you think about it my 2.5 year old is in the "Two's Room" where they do age appropriate activities all day. My little guy is in the infant room where things are focused for infants. At an in-home center, the provider will have to split her/his time among different age ranges. See what I'm saying?

In home care is less expensive. I pay more for our two boys per week what my friend pays for her three kids at an in home care.

The best advice I can give is for you to visit as many in-home and commercial centers that you can. Go more than once, bring your child with and try going alone. You will get a feel for what works best for you and your little one.

Good luck.

EDITED TO ADD: I wanted to mention that I've found the key to a happy relationship with our center - and probably any caregiver - is communication. I try to talk to the teachers in both rooms on a daily basis. I drop my boys off about 15 minutes earlier than I have to and a lot of days I stay and chat with the teachers while watching them interact with the other kids. My reason for this is two-fold...1) I ask them about their lives and try to get them to open up. I want them to see me as approachable so that they can come to me with anything about my boys and 2) It gives me a little peek as to what goes on in the room. I've also picked up the kids at all different times during the day - without notice. I've yet to come in on any babies being neglected and crying their eyes out OR any Two's taking over the room.

Someone mentioned in another post that their fear would be that a teacher would call in sick and one adult would be left with 12 infants. Well, it would never happen - at least not where we are. They have plenty of staff and the director is always going around checking the ratio and helping out if needed. Our center has enough "extra" staff that they will often loan out their teachers to other centers in the area if needed.

This could end up in a heated debate, I'm sure...but, if you think about it, that's good. The people that are THAT passionate about their choice of childcare have found a situation they're happy with - and that's a blessing. There are good centers and there are good in-home situations. I'm thankful everyday that I've found a center that I'm so happy with. If I had found a home-care situation that made me feel the same way, I'd be just as happy.

R. -

My children were enrolled in a traditional daycare until I chose to stay home with them.

My daughter attended for 5 1/2 years and my son attended for 2 1/2 years.

I loved the center I chose, it is TRCC in Mokena on LaPorte and LaGrange. The owners are wonderful people, the staff is pretty consistent and in my opinion, it was the best place for my children to be next to being home with me.

When choosing a home daycare make sure that it is structured and there is consistency. In a traditional daycare, every minute of the day is accounted for with nap, snack, lunch, motor skills, craft/art, outdoor play, etc. If your child is going to be sitting at someone's house just playing with no interaction, no learning, I do not find that beneficial. Just my opinion though.

Also remember, that if your provider or her children get sick, you will have to stay home from work or seek another caregiver for the day. In a traditional setting, this situation does not happen.

In response to your concern about your child getting sick. My children did get sick. I won't lie. But my daughter is now 6 and is almost NEVER sick, she is more than half way through her Kindergarten year and has not missed a day.

Also, if the person willing to watch your child is a friend, this might eventually cause stress in your friendship - be prepared for that to happen - I have seen it many times.

Good Luck in making your decision, there are a lot of things to consider. In the end, as your son's mother, you will make the right one for your family.

Congrats on your baby boy! Leaving your child (no matter how old) with someone else is one of the hardest, emotional experiences to go through! Before I give any advice, I would like you to know that I am a full time teacher (so I interacted with lots of kids!) and I have my 2 year old son in a home day care. I have also worked in a child care center before becoming a middle school teacher, and I didn't feel it was a very favorable environment for the kids. (We only had 2's and older.) I have always been an advocate for home child care. Even though your child care provider will have 3 other kids, she will be able to give much more individual attention to your son and it will be a good experience for the other kids. Germs are a big issue in a center and your son will be exposed to many more illnesses being in a center than in someone's home. If you can afford an in-home nanny, then that that might be an option to explore. The most important thing is to find someone you really trust and that follows your expecations and listens to your concerns. A personal reference is the best place to start! I had my son in a liscensed home daycare for one school year and found it just wasn't the best place for him. I now have him in a home where my provider is not liscensed, and I find the care to be more nurturing and more enganging. Good luck and go with your gut!

We did nanny first and then in home daycare. It worked out but if I could go back I would probably do in home daycare from the beginning. Just make sure you have a good one with strict policies about sick kids not attending and you should be fine.

i think every working mom struggles with this issue. i had some great advice given to me by a Christian marriage counselor. He said the best way to care for your children is to stay at home and do it yourself (ouch!). BUT, if that is absolutely not an option, then you need to find a provider that mimics a home environment similar to yours. this has been perfect for me, since it's such a natural transition for my toddler. she has formed a strong, nuturing relationship with the provider and she even asks to call her or go see her on the weekends! a mom couldn't ask for anything more. good luch and God bless!

daycares have to be certified so I would just definately check to see if your in home person is as well as do a back ground check on her. children in daycare do get sick more but I can also say this- it helps build immunities later- by the time they are school aged. my daughter didnt need to see a dr for 7 years! lol. just her physcials. she missed one day of highschool. I beleive daycare paid off. I feel the same way about my boys- I was at the drs office every week. so much- I started to work there to earn back that co-pay. now my boys are hardly sick. good luck to you.

Well, sure...the more kids your baby is around, the more he's likely to get sick. At least you will be starting at the end of cold and flu season and they should be able to play outside more so they aren't couped up all day together sharing germs!

R.,

You have gotten a lot of thoughtful responses but I still felt the need to add my two cents : ) When we were looking for daycare for my daughter (I was still pregnant) we looked at a lot of places, centers, home daycares, au pairs, etc. We ended up at a large in-home daycare. Our daycare is in a woman's home. She lives upstairs, the main floor is for infants, and the basement (a Chicago basement so it is only half underground and there are a lot of windows and light). She employs I think 5 full-time employees and at least one part-time employee. So it is very large for an in-home daycare.

I love our daycare. The main reason is because the women that work there are wonderful. It is small like a home daycare, so my daughter gets a lot of attention (which she needs she is a total extrovert like her father). But it is still large enough taht if one person that works there is sick they can still handle things so I don't have to take a day off work. Plus the care givers don't have to work when they are sick so they aren't exposing my daughter to more germs. My daught is also learning so much there. She is learning Spanish as well as English and sign-language. The owner is excellent at sending out newsletters and the women are great at making sure we know what they are working on so we can reinforce it at home. My daughter can already almost count to 5 (she still skips one for some reason and starts with 2), can tell us what most animals say, knows some of her colors, mainly blue and purple. Plus, she loves the other infants, there are 5 currently and they can handle up to 8 with the 2 full-time women taking care of the infants.

When she goes downstairs and is potty trained, she will start going on field trips every week and the education continues and they have someone come in and teach them about music and art, etc. I can't say enough about this place, it is great. My husband and I have had our doubts sometimes though, there have been a few things that made us nervous in the beginning, like any new parents. Our main struggle was that my husband has a severe food allergy so we had a very strict diet for my daughter for her first year as we very slowly added foods. I wasn't great at communicating the diet and a couple of times she got foods she wasn't supposed to. We, luckily, didn't have any problems though and now she can eat most foods and I am better at communicating what she still can't have.

This isn't to say that you can't find quality care in a day care center or in a small home day care, but I think you jsut have to interview as many places as you can to find the one that provides the things you are looking for. For us we wanted somewhere that would teach my daughter a second language. Neither my husband or I are bilingual but we think it is important to start early and wanted our daughter to be bilingual. We also wanted somewhere that did not require us to use the cry it out method to get her to nap easily. My friend had to do so after being told they were going to kick her son out at 4 months becuase he needed someone to hold his hand when he fell asleep. (This was at a home daycare with only one provider and 4 kids.) We also needed a place with flexible hours because my husbands hours change a lot and some of the home day cares have very strict 8 to 5 hours.

Anyway, that is our experience, I hope it helps you.

Good Luck,
D.

I am a bit biased, because I run an in home child care. I have left my children at both and for the smaller ones definately recommend either in home care or personal nanny.
In a center, seen first hand, the children are not cared for as well, caregiver turn around can be great, and they do get sick much more often.
In home child care, I think is much more personal, and if you get really good response from checking references, and with a low ratio, it can be much better. Not to say colds and such don't pass around at someones home though.
Biggest issue with a personal nanny, is finding someone you can trust.
Leaving your child in someone else's care is a huge decision and I wish you the best.
I think in home child care you will see will be the best option for your child...Good Luck

I have read most of the post and I was trying to keep quiet, but can't. Their is a negative and a positive for both places. I have had parents who have taken their children from a daycare and placed in my in-home daycare. A child can catch a cold or bug from anywhere, you walk outside you have germs. They don't just come from a in-home daycare. In-home daycare is better for infants, I feel because we are able to give more one on one with them and adapt to their schedules. Most facilities you have 5 infants to one caregiver, I only take one or two at a time. Just make sure the in-home in licensed. Their is a lot more I would love to say just don't have the time. Good Luck

Yes there tends to be more illness in daycare...However, bottom line unless you live in a bubble just going out in public exposes you and your child to virus/colds etc...My daughter and now my son are doing well in daycare and the stimulation/exposure to all the sensory learning and interaction with other children is great. Now your 3 month old obviously does not interact with other children at this point so if you have a private sitter it works well but by the time he is toddling around the socialization is so important. Any decision is hard. Right now this is my first week back to work in a new job and my son is almost 5 months old. It is an adjustment. One day at a time. Best wishes.

R. - I have used an in home day care since my son was 6 weeks old and we loved it up until recently. I truly do believe that my son got way more attention at the in home day care then he would at a regular daycare. The ratio of adults to children in a day care just didn't sit with me well because it is 4 kids to every one adult so I know that if all four kids are crying at the same time someones' kids are going to have sit and cry until the adult can get freed up to get over to them. In the in home day care my son was the only child and being so young he got all the attention and affection he needed instantly. No waiting. Now, my son is 2 and we are ready to get him into a regular day care because we believe he can learn more in a day care setting and he will learn how to better interact with kids his age. The in home day care just doesn't have enough activities for him at this age now so he will be going to Bobbie Noonan's in June. Summing things up - I would do in home day care over regular day care for their first year at least and then to regular day care after that. Hope that helps.

I think your child would get more personalized attention from an in-home daycare (if there are fewer children). Just make sure to do a background check, etc. on the provider. I don't think they have to follow the same guidelines as daycares. I'm a stay-at-home mom, but think I would prefer an in-home daycare from an extremely trustworthy person vs. a daycare. Just make sure you trust & feel comfortable with whoever is watching your child. OOH, I think a nanny would be good, but then the child might not get the socialization he needs. Some nannies just stay home all day (not so good for the baby), others are more active. I guess again, you just have to make sure a nanny would be as active as you want.

I am indifferent about infants in a childcare setting. In a large center, there is probably an infant room with a 4:1 child:provider ratio, as compared to a home (this is my child care home of course and my assistant is out sick today) 8:1. Usually it is 8:2. The rule for child care homes is that you can't have anymore than three infants per one adult, plus 7 other kids. On a day like today, imagine one adult trying to move three infants and 7 toddlers to a storm shelter (ours is in the backyard)! A center has many people moving many children, compared to one person moving lots of children. Our youngest is six months and I don't feel like he gets as much attention as he should. My other two are over 1 and walk and socialize, so they can do most of the activites the older kids do. If you want one-on-one attention, I would go for a nanny. But don't just settle, get one that is the best of the best. Has not just child care experience, but child development knowledge (maybe their CDA) or early childhood degree. Get references from other clients and grill them about what was required of them and how old the children were in their care. There are also some childcare providers out there that only do infants. They are the best of the best and you'll pay for it too, about $150 per week. Good luck with your search.

A.

I much much much prefer an inhome daycare for an infant. It is just much more nurturing, in my opinion, in general than a center. And if you have someone that only has 2 other children to take care of, that is wonderful because she will be able to give your baby lots of attention when she needs it...the ratios are much higher in a daycare center. A center is good for structure and learning but I just don't think it is of any real benefit to an infant. Being in a home with a nurturing caregiver where they get lots of hands on attention is the important thing for an infant. The only thing with an inhome daycare is if the provider is sick or needs a day off you have to have a back up plan. With some providers this is more of an issue than with others. My previous provider this was a BIG problem but with my current provider I have NEVER had to have a back up and we have been there about 2 years now.

*** Also wanted to add that I feel it is better for them to be in a setting with many different ages because then they are challenged by the older kids. They get experience being a leader with the younger kids, and get challenged to their potential by the older kids. In a center where all the kids in the room are the same age, there is going to be much less probability of that.

I have always done in home day care both licensed and unlicensed. I have loved it because they have a "mom" there to take care of them. It is not structured and more easy going if you have a flexible schedule. Also, my kids didn't really get sick from an in home day care because there wasn't a lot of kids there - never more than 6. The meals were home made and the kids could take over toys without fears of them being taken away or anything. I am going to go with a commercial day care this year due to different school hours and transportation of my youngest to and from school (also my in home day care is closing due to a divorce! augh!)

Just interview the home day care person. They should be willing to show you everything and everywhere in their home, ask about discipline procedures, meals, if they allow/have friends strangers in the home during working hours, how you are notified if there is going to be a repair man or someone in the home with your child and all the regular questions that you would of a commercial day care. I have also found home day care to be a lot more inexpensive being able to either pay by the hour or just a flat rate that is adjustable due to snow days and sick days.

Good luck with your search!

S.

P.S. I put my youngest in daycare at 3 months too and she is the most social of all my children and easy going!

you want to make sure whether you choose home daycare or a daycare, it meets lisensing requirements (both will be able to show you a current lisence). The day care action council does referrals (there may be a fee involved). A good clue to finding a quality site is accreditation. Consider sites that have been accredited by NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children).
Visit the sites. Watch what is going on. Look at the children. Managers may give a good tour, but listen to more than her words. Watch how the adults interact with the children and how the children interact with one another. Ask about adult to child ratios. Ask about turn-over.
good luck...do your research...and don't rule out your gut feeling. If you are comfortable with the choice you make, that will help your son be comfortable, too!

They are going to get sick most likely no matter what because the are exposed to germs thay otherwise have not been. Our son is in daycare and, yes, he is sick constantly, but everyone told us just to get it over with and he'll eventually build up immunity.

Little one will pick up more illnesses being in a large daycare, but he'll pick up illnesses from in-home care as well. Large daycares generally have more strict guidelines for illnesses, and you need a back up for whenever they have a fever, are contagious, or require medicine. Rates are generally higher and the hours are not flexible.

In-home care can work with the mother more. The children are able to receive more one-on-one time (as long as there are not very many children). In-home is usually willing to give them consistent meds and take care of a fever, runny nose, ear infections, etc. Since your little boys is only a few months old, he probably isn't that particular in his care. However, once he's around 1year you may be able to see what he desires more.

Large daycares tend to stick to a strict routine, have helpers, have scheduled crafts and learning activities, and there are lots of children to play with and become socialized. In-home daycare gives more special attention and may help with a child that is more shy or not willing to be on that independent yet. Crafts and other activities are usually fewer and they rarely have helpers. However, the children benefit from the comfortable setting of the in-home environment, feeling like they are at home and with a mommy, and they have the structure of a home environment. After he's older you can probably see which environment your little boy thrives in and build his care around that.

I kept my boys at in-home licensed daycares for a couple years. Now my 3 year old doesn't really care about being in a home at all and really likes the large daycare and school setting much better. However, my 2 year old developed separation anxiety being around an in-home daycare with 15 kids, so I'm switching back to a smaller licensed in-home daycare with only about 5 kids. He is still a baby in my eyes and needs more special attention.

Go and visit the daycares. See how the other children react and how the provider takes care of your little boy and others. I usually spend a couple hours interviewing and hanging out with new providers to get a feel for everything and build lines of communication. If you feel uncomfortable or see red flags, look somewhere else. There are hundreds of daycare and in-home sitters out there.

check with www.ecalliance.org
Early Childhood Alliance can give lists of licensed providers, hours, check for openings, addresses, etc for you.

My suggestion to you is to find out what the home day care has to offer. As your child gets older, does the day care do any learning activities. How old are the other children, because your son will learn things alot faster if he has older children to follow after. The disadvantage of sending him to a regular day care & not a home day care, is that one he will get sick more often because there are more kids, & two your child won't get the same amount of attention that he will get in a smaller group setting. I am a mother of 3 boys, & my children attended a home day care up until the age of 3, then they attended a Christian school.

God bless,
A concerned mother

R.,

I am a professional nanny and have been for 20 years. I have also worked in a Montessori school. I worked in the Infant/Toddler room. I would tell you to choose what you feel is best. Yes, there and pros and cons about all three choices. Having working in a day care center I would not put my child there. Too many things are going on for one on one attention all day. We had adults for every four children. I would go with the in home care. If you are going to hire a nanny I would check the references and have her/him come work while you are at home to see how you feel about them. I know lots of parents who just decide that the nanny is not working out and then don't have any care. If the nanny were really cheap, I would worry. Why does this person want to work for only $150 a week? They could work anywhere else at minimum wage and make more. Also, if they don't speak english, how will they communicate with your child, you or what if there was an emergency? With a nanny too, you do not have back up as with in-home care. At a center they hire someone for the day. With a nanny your child should be in your house, in his crib with his toys. Your son would get more one on one attention with a good nanny and probably not get sick. Most kids in daycare or in-home care get sick. Most of the time not sick enough to stay home a lot. Just do what feels right and trust your mommy instincts. Good Luck!

K.
Mommy of a 4 month old boy.

I just like to share one thing. I know of someone, who is currently looking for one or two children to take care of in her apartament. She is a mom of 3, one is at school during the day. Still, second is an infant and the third violent, loud preschooler. Seems that she doesn't know how to set boundaries and she ignores the child unacceptable behavior. I'm not sure how much of it can you pick at the first visit. I personally don't feel safe with a nanny as well, I use to be one, some agencies will do anything including false references and job history to get their nannies to work. I believe that daycare is a good option, staff is trained, there is more than one person looking after children, separate rooms for different age groups. They sanitaze the toys, they have daily routine. I just don't recommend Kinder Care Learning Centers. I had bad experiences with them. Good luck to you whatever you decide, M.

Hi mommy! I've written you on another matter. The best thing possible is to stay home, if you can. Otherwise,a nanny is wonderful if affordable for you. Did you grow up close to your moms age that was a great mom herself? That would be great also. Placing your baby with someone already caring for 3 is difficult for her and can't give enough attention to yours. Good luck. Jeanne, Elk Grove Village, Il

Hi R., I just read your email. Yes, I am up way too early. When I had my first daughter, I had to go through the same thing. I ended up putting her in a home day care. I have to tell you that I was so much happier. The mother took such good care of my daughter. She also only had 3 other kids, which I think is great. She was able to take care of my daughter, without being over whelmed. My daughter never came home sick. I also ran a small daycare in my home when I got pregnant with my second daughter, because it was such a good experience. I wanted to give other moms the same experience. It was great. Good luck with your search. In your heart, you will know what the right thing is to do. Ask God to guide you into making the "right" decision. He knows how you feel about your precious gift, as He is the one who gave him to you. Good luck.
T.

It's very hard to generalize. The range of daycares is just huge and you really have to visit some (both in-home and centers) to really get an idea of what's available. In this area (Oak Park) I wasn't crazy about the daycare centers that had spots available in their infant rooms - most had huge waiting lists - so I went with a licensed home daycare with two fulltime adult caregivers for my first son (my second was at home with us/a nanny for the first year, then in a licensed home daycare - our first DCP had moved to another state.)

I don't think there's much advantage as far as germs go. Any daycare kid gets sick all the time the first winter. I would ask the daycare person a lot of questions about how infants are handled. Are they patient about naps, or do they want a strict schedule (same with feeding)? Will she provide you with the information you want at the end of each day? Is the daycare provider willing and able to carry a baby around with her? What are the arrangements (if any) in case the daycare provider has an emergency or illness? Personally, I like the age range of a home daycare - it's very family-like, and we've remained friends with our first son's daycare families and still attend birthday parties for each other's kids (and we are still in home daycare with one of those kids with our second child.) But I have visited some home daycares that didn't fit with our needs also - you really have to use your instincts and ask lots of situational questions (what would you do if . . . tell me about a time that . . . ). And licensing is nice because they do background checks on everyone who lives in the house, as well as home visits.

The legal ratio in Illinois for centers is 4 infants to 1 caregiver, but the AAP recommends 3 to 1. If you look at centers, try to find one with a lower ratio.

For many, a lot of it is what you can afford! The nanny type is obviously more expensive! and yes, they do get sick more often at daycare, the more kids, the more illnesses being passed around. I personally liked bringing my son to a woman's house, she also had 2 or 3 other children to watch. But as he got older, he had kids to play with. The nanny couldn't offer that. and even with a nanny in your home, you won't be able to avoid sicknesses! hey, it builds their immune system...

Hi there,
My twins are now 7. I had them with my friend/neighbor down the street from our home. She's had 6 of her own (now grown) and 11 grand kids. I was extremely lucky to have her. my kids call her nonna. I would definately go with in home care if at all possible. Day care centers are noterious germ factories. There's a big difference between 3 additional kids--(a bit of socialization is good for them) rather than 10x or more than that.

I grew up in a licensed in-home-daycare, and I believe that if I was working this would be my only choice. It is a good way to form a personal relationship with your daycare provider. You have the advantage of seeing someone in their home with their children and you can interview an in-home-daycare provider and discover things about them that you may not be able to in a daycare center. aka you have more control over what your child might be seeing, experiencing, and exposure to different ideas in general. You may even have more control over their diet and your child will recive much more personal care and attention. My mother would do everything she could to stick to any of the parents wishes. Just make sure the in-home-daycare is licensed it will give you the assurance that they are monitored by the state and have regulations they must stick too. My mom formed such excellent relationships with some families that she is the god-mother of their children and she is still in touch with all the families she had worked with over 22year career. She goes to birthday parties, high school graduations, and even a couple of college graduations now. With in-home-daycare your child might meet someone who could be another positive role model for their entire life.
hope this was helpful
K. s

I don't have a lot of experience since I only have one 3 year old daughter but here is what I do know. My daughter was never ill until daycare at 20 months and now she gets a cold every month which would be fine except it always turns into and ear infection or bronchitis. Her immune system is fine and she was 10 days late for delivery, she is just one of those kids who gets an infection every time they get a cold. If I had it to do all over again I would find a small in home situation rather than her 18-20 kid classroom. Socialization I do believe is important but being on antibiotics all the time might be worse. On the up side of daycare is the fact that they are used to the kindergarten routine, i.e. story time, work time, nap time. So one they start school they already know the drill. If your child was premature or is prone to getting sick my advice is the less kids the better but a nanny will limit the social interaction with kids their age.
K.

In home or public daycare, the kids will get sick. Once one kid gets sick, so do the rest. While it really sucks to have a sick baby, you either deal with it now or you deal with it when they start preschool or kindergarten. If you go with daycare you can be sure that by the time your child is 2, he will have a healthy, active immune system.
The benefit of an in-home daycare, she may keep him if he gets sick. She won't send him home for an ear infection just cuz his temp is 100. If you are at a public daycare you can bet if the child has a temp he'll be coming home. There is good and bad to that.
We've done private and we've done public. I'm still not sure which I like better. Good luck with your decision.