Part Time Child Care for Infant in Dfw

Just a thought, do you have any SAH mom friends?? That way you at least have the trust already there so you are at ease and they can make some extra money...win/win.

I was going to a mom's group and another infant/mommy group when my first child was an infant and I wanted to return to work part time when he was about 5/6 months old. I asked around with all the SAHMs I had met and one of them was just thinking she would like to work part time. She had a masters degree in childhood development and was WONDERFUL. She was my son's 2nd mama and her daughter was like his sister and best friend until they moved away when my son was 3.5 years old. We still keep in touch. When my daughter (2nd child) was 2 I wanted a part time nanny and so did another friend. She found someone off of sittercity who also was wonderful. She also had a childhood development degree but was going back to school for nursing. She was taking classes and only wanted part time hours so we figured out a schedule that worked and stuck with it for that year. She was a wonderful, calm, kind woman and she was great with both our kids. I never had a complaint. So, my advice is to ask around to all the moms you know and also interview people from the website sittercity. I had awesome luck both times I needed part time child care. Good luck.

ETA: Please explain your slam on Plano. I have lived here since 1989 and it is consistently on the top listings of places to raise a family. I find that slam insulting. There are plenty of areas in the US that I might not find as my favorite place but out of respect for other moms on this site who may live in those areas, I keep that to myself. You should too.
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Congratulation on your baby!

I am not familiar with nanny share. My daughter is almost 21 so I am not familiar with child care either because I only had babysitters for date night (which I strongly suggest you and hubby take advantage of).

What is the "(kidding around Plano)" comment? I have not heard any horror stories and living in this Plano/Allen area since 1989, if/when something "horror" happens around here EVERYONE knows it and it is well covered in the news media. So, I don't get that comment. You also need to beware of what you read just off the internet. Of course some bad things have happened here as they have in other areas but I have not heard of baby horror stories.

Does your neighborhood have a private facebook page? Ours does and a lot of people on our neighborhood HOA FB page get references and sometimes use each other's nanny when children outgrow one family, the nanny moves on to another family close by.

There is also a site called Nextdoor.com which is a network of neighborhoods close together where people get references for all types of things including nanny references.

Speak with your friends and colleagues in all of the areas where you are located to see which area has the best option for you. I understand it would be difficult to leave a little one at a sitter. Gather all the info you can and then make an informed decision.

Best of luck to you..

As a part-time working mom, just be prepared for some difficulty finding childcare that suits your unique work hours. Over the years, we've had to pay full-time rates at times to have care for our kids (even though I'd pick up 1/2 way through the day), because there just weren't places willing to do part-time. I'd be open to all options -- centers, home-based providers and nannies.

Take online reviews with a grain of salt, because you don't have the full story. DO trust your gut instinct. Visit the different places you find, talk to the administrators and staff, and really take a good look around. Would YOU want to go there? The best places will leave you feeling inspired and happy. Then, check the frontrunners' status with state licensing. Ask for references and call them. Do a similar process if you go the nanny route -- really pay attention to your gut instinct.

Good luck!

not getting the Plano reference. (eye roll)

is going to back to work a surprise, unexpected event for you? Usually childcare is planned months prior to birth...waiting lists & all. :)

friends, family, co-workers, dr staff....are all excellent resources.

good luck & congrats!

With those kinds of limited and unusual hours, your best bet is probably to look for a college student. We got our part time sitters that way, by advertising at the local community college and university.

Its hard leaving a little one for the first time. I am not in your area but I wanted to give you my advice. (I have been a home daycare provider for many many years as well as a nanny for the past few years) do the following before settling on any one provider for the care you need.

Interview the prospective caregiver
call all references
interview them a second time to go over the answers the references gave you
check around and see what the going rates are
don't discount the convenience of a nanny person in your home but don't automatically skip the centers as sometimes they are better for your situation.

I bet you could find a retired woman looking to to do some very part time work. Just keep asking around.

the internet is full of horror stories. horror stories get shared more than happy stories.
do not take stock of the internet for important things.
no clue what the jab at plano is about. most of the folks who come to this forum are NOT from plano.
don't know anything about nannyshare, but it sounds like a great idea if the nannies are screened and bonded.
i get the extra concern over a preemie, but finding child care for a preemie isn't any different than finding it for any other child (unless your preemie has medical issues, in which case you're in a whole different category anyway and need to find a professional nurse.)
local references are your best bet. we have FB pages both for our little town and for my immediate neighborhood, where we network madly on everything from hauling away unwanted furniture to child and pet care to knife-sharpening.
the internet is GREAT for that sort of thing.
you could also check with your local elementary school to see if they have a list of providers, or with your pediatrician's office, or any local colleges.
plan to check references and do a background check.
good luck!
khairete
S.

Hi S.,

It's hard to say, no knowing how old she is and if she has special needs or not. Is she old enough for a daycare? I know some of them provide part time schedules and/or drop in care. If that's out of the question many of the suggestions below are also quite salient. I'll add two more words....nanny cam.

hoping all works out well for you. work/life balance is a never ending process. :-) S.

Congrats on your baby girl :) I don't have any experience with Nanny Share but I just wanted to send a hug -we've all been there. This is when I just have to take a leap of faith and trust that they will be taken care of - there's no real way to "know" for sure. You can interview and get a "feel" for a person, you can read reviews online, but in the end, who knows.

One thing I did (and plan to do for this one) is ask on fb for recommendations from people who know the area. If my friends on fb trust some place with their kids and I trust them, then I plan to go that route knowing that my child will be in good hands. I still don't like it, but it's the best I've got.

Here, MANY centers offer PT care, 2-3 days, etc.
ASK around, your family, your coworkers, your neighbors, etc. betcha someone knows someone.
Good luck!

I don't think you'll find part time care in a child care setting of any sort so you will have to consider having someone in your home. Do you have a friend or neighbor you trust to come in and watch your child? Do you have to use a service?

I have a friend who had her younger sister come and stay with them for 6 months when my friend had her last child. She was able to help with all the kids and all the chores and running them around. It was such a blessing.

In return they gave her room and board and a vehicle to use. She was able to help in every way.

This is something you can consider. If you have a responsible adult/near adult sibling or relative or even a friend then make them an offer. See what they say. Use someone you know instead of a stranger if possible.