Mom of 9 Mos Old Am I Paying Too Much for Child Care

Daycare is crazy expensive. I have a 2 1/2 yr old and a 10 month old. They are in daycare 3 days a week and it costs me $1200.00 a month. Remember you get what you pay for..

I am also a home day care provider. $900/month is maybe on the upper end of home day care around where I live, but not unreasonable. It ranges from about $150-250/week around me it seems from what I've heard. (Remember that you get what you pay for, oftentimes. Preschool versus just babysitting, engaged providers versus just a body to watch over them, and what not.) For one child, nannies are the most expensive option...you would be paying a WHOLE lot more for a nanny as you are paying somebody's entire salary. An au pair or home day care are the cheapest options. A day care center is in between. You are still paying less than any center around here, as centers are around $1200/month for a baby (they have a corporate to pay too). Maybe you'd want to do some research on prices through the YWCA or home day care associations or centers in your area to check out prices and availability for another option. Availabiity can be hard to find for a 9 month old in home day care, as there are typically only 2 or 3 spots for children under the age of 2. A YWCA rep told me that there is a HUGE demand for infant care in my area so it's really hard for parents to find home day care space for their child under the age of 2. I've had my max on infants from word of mouth referrals since I started and have gotten a lot of calls from people looking for infant care that I of course could not take myself. Like the first responder said, price is not likely to go down before 24 or 30 months because of ratios. The ratio does not go down until then. Even then I probably won't lower the price, since I do not increase the price for my families each year and it will have been a couple years that I've had the famlies at the same rate. Centers typically increase rates each year to go with inflation (and employees typically get raises every so often to go with inflation). Child care certainly IS expensive, but it is also important to have quality care for your child. Depending on your job, sometimes it is NOT worth it to work....especially if you are going to have more kids in the near future. I always heard people say how expensive it is to have kids...I really don't think it's THAT expensive EXCEPT for the child care. The child care is what makes it expensive!! Diapers, wipes, clothes, and toys are nothing compared to that. It costs not having income to stay home with them or it costs child care fees to have an income!! So I think everybody is kind of in the same boat when they have kids...just have to figure out what is best for your own family! Best wishes to you!!!

Hi!
As a home daycare provider I think that $900/month or $225 per week is pretty much what childcare goes for in my area(with good credentials)! Depending on the area daycare centers are even higher. I know someone that pays $1500/month for an infant. I would not expect the price to go down until he is at least 2. For licensing infants and children under 30 months fall in the same catergory and use the same "spot". It would be even more expensive to have a nanny so home daycare is probably your best option if you are happy with her!
L.

Dear Jackie,

You are paying $225 a week to a babysitter in her house??!!! Oh my gosh. I truly believe that she is way over charging you, girl.

Why don't you do some research. I think that you could find a daycare for your son for around $165 a week. Well, that is the rate around where I live for a daycare and for home daycare around $125.

Hi Jackie, I came across your inquiry while responding to another mama source mom. I am a licensed in home child care provider(since 1996) I charge $175 per week which amounts to $700 per month. If you are not happy with your child care situation, I have an opening at this time. I currently have four full time children in my daycare. I am located in Bolingbrook.

Thank You

P.

Jackie:

What you are paying seems a little bit high to me. I do home daycare (and have been for almost 6 years), so I am able to respond to your question as a mother AND daycare provider.

I charge the SAME rate for all children-$40 a day. So for FT care that is $200 wk/$800 mo and yes, that is still a lot of money, I know. With the risk of sounding conceited-I know that I am worth the price though. Like people have said, you get what you pay for. I don't plop the kids in front of the tv and feed them mac & cheese every day....I try to go above and beyond each day. I engage them in activities & play and provide a safe environment. I treat them as well as I do my own daughter.

IF you feel that your sitter is charging too much, like I said it sounds a little high....ask her how she has decided on her daily rate? Do your own research and have a frank discussion with her, a reasonable child care provider will not be offended and be happy to explain the calculations behind their rates.

Good Luck! M.

I live in Aurora and daycare is like $300/week for a 9 month old- at 22 mos I paid $280/week. So for a month- 9 mos was $1200 and 22 mos was $1120. I pay more than that for my sitter but that is more of a nanny. While I think it is true that you get what you pay for, I took him to two different care centers that charge the same rate and saw very different results. It is important to feel comfortable where you go and know that your child is in good hands.

We pay $229/week ($916/month) for a daycare center. It is killing us financially but that is what we have to do. I have been looking into home daycare, but if the provider gets sick or wants vac paid etc. (not incl. holidays) I have NO ONE to fall back on and don't see the point of paying 2 people that week to watch him. That is what I like about centers, there is always someone to watch my son.

I think that you are getting a pretty good deal. I pay $970 a month for my 7 month old daughter at a large in home daycare. That includes food, diapers, etc. I actually found centers (at least the decent ones that I would have considered putting my daughter in) to be more expensive. I am super happy with her daycare so I think the $970 is worth it. Remember before you think about quitting that you should look at your total compensation not just your take home pay before deciding whether it is worth it or not. For example, do you get any retirement benefits (401k match, pension, etc.), do you have any employee sponsored health/dental/life insurance benefits, do you have tuition reimbursement that you are considering using in the future. The list can go on and on at some companies. Plus social security and unemployment.

My 5yr old twins are at a daycare center and it is 395/wk total. It is pricier when they are smaller, but I would assume an in home daycare center would be a little cheaper then a regular daycare center. I would check around and compare prices, as long as the care was comparable.