We love our current daycare center for our daughter and she loves it as well. This is why this is such a hard thing to think about. We are having another baby due in the next few weeks and our current daycare will end up being quite costly with two children enrolled as they offer no discount and have a flat rate for all enrolled (no age discount, etc.). We could make it work, but I really do not want to spend that much on childcare in a month knowing that I could find quality care at a more affordable rate elsewhere and save money.....
Well, I just called a daycare center that is closer to our home (called them before when I needed care for my daughter, but there were no openings) and they have openings for an infant and a 3 year old and the weekly rate is cheaper for the two and they offer a discount on top of that for having two children enrolled. This would end up saving me a nice amount each month, which makes me super happy in that department.
I'm having a difficult time knowing if this is the right decision because I don't want my daughter to be upset about all the transitions even though I know she is a very resilient child and she adapts to change very well and is very social as soon as she is comfortable (which doesn't take long). Am I making too much of this? What would you do? Would you switch and if you would, how would you make the transition easy for everyone? Thanks for any advice! I know I am making mountains out of molehills here, but reassurance would make me feel so much better! :)
Thanks for all of your advice, comments and experiences. We went to take a look at the center again (we hadn't been there since looking a few years ago) and are pleased with the quality of care offered there. The baby room is adequately staffed as is the rest of the facility and all of the teachers are women with many years experience and all are certified through a licensing/education program. The routine for the preschool room follows a very similar pattern to the one our current center uses and my daughter played with the other children in centers while I chatted with the director and toured the facility. She enjoyed her time there and took really well to the teachers and other children. I found it to be very comforting and felt like everything would work out fine with the transition.
She has only ever been in her current center and she started when she was almost 2 years old there. She is now almost 4, so it is an emotional attachment, more for me and my husband than for her, I think! LOL! She is very excited about starting at her "new school" and didn't seem too upset about having to leave the other school.
We will be changing schools because I have already spoken with our current center's director and did not receive any help with lowering the cost. I understand that there is a business to run and I do not hold this against her and will tell others about the quality care that we received there, but I also have a "business" to run: my household and right now with the added expenses of adding a new addition in the next few weeks any extra savings or money flow to use on other things is a GREAT help.
In the end, I know I am making the best decision for my family all around and do not feel that we are losing anything by switching except the large bill every month. I would never make the change without considering everything and thinking it through. I also would never make finances come above the care my daughter or son would be receiving. Knowing that I'll be saving money without losing the quality care we love makes this an easy decision that I feel will benefit us greatly in the few years ahead while we have 2 children attending daycare.
Thanks again for your help....I knew I could count on the Mama's! :) KE
You're making too much out of this- giving the 3 year old the opportunity to learn how to adjust to change now is going to make it easier on her when change comes again at 5,8,11, 14,18 so on and so forth. Change is a part of life- and since that's the only thing that concerns you about the new school- you're good.
OK, I am looking at this from the PROVIDERS point of view, as well as the parent. First, speak openly to your current provider about your thoughts and possible plans and why you are condisering the change. If the provider cannot afford to change her rate to compete with the new childcare center, then I am certain she will be quite helpful in the transition with you. Your current provider will actually appreciate the heads up and notice on you pulling your child out of her care, allowing her the time to interview other poeple to fill the spot, and she could even start explaining to your child that she is "graduating" to a new school, like a preschool or whatever it works out to be, to help the child understand the transition. Kids do not understand ecinomics, but if your child spends several hours a day with this person, it will be quite important for them to play a role in the transition if you want it to go smoothly. If your provider is not willing to help you out with this process, well, then I am happy that you are changing childcare providers! The child's needs and best interest should ALWAYS come first, and in this case if the current provider cannot change their rate, (understandable with overhead, etc), then you need to be able to change your provider in as smooth a way as possible, WITH their help. I have done this several times in the past, for many reasons, and also kept an open door policy for the kids to stop by and just have a quick visit or say hello if they felt like they were missing me. It always worked out very well. I even had a little boy who I drove to the new center for the 1st week, to help with his transition, and I was on his emergency list there and took him on days when the center was closed when my home daycare was not. There are all kinds of ways to work this out if you have a good relationship with your current provider, and I really hope that the transition goes well. Your families financial security is at the top of the list of your priorities, and any good childcare provider should understand that!! :)
Personally, I think centers are fine for 3 years and older. I DO NOT think they ever compare to a loving in home childcare. I know that there are centers that have an occasional good teacher in the baby room, but from the horror stories I have heard from my parents, they are few and far between. Most of the teachers are young adults who don't have children of their own, nor the patience and understanding that comes with raising your own child.
Now...that being said, if you approach your provider and tell her that you are considering moving for financial reasons, ask her if she would be willing to lower her rates to accommodate you. Ask her if she would be willing to meet you half way. She may be able to, she may not. If she cannot, then you have to do what you have to do. Kids are resilient and many times deal with change much better than adults do. My concern would really be simply the baby and the quality of care in a center.
I would move her to the new school before the baby comes. Tell her she is going to a new school so her new brother or sister can go to. She will be fine. But I would not wait until after so that way she can still go while your off on maternity leave. if that is the case. If not then don't take her out till you ready to be off work. then she and the baby will start going together. she will be fine.
I did this...same thing, the daycare my son was at was wonderful but expansive which was not an issue with just one child. When the second came, I started to look around b/c it was just too much. We could afford it but I knew there was something just as good but better price out there. And his pricey daycare did not offer sibiling discounts either. So, I moved them and have not looked back. Very good move on our part and the kids love it. Plus my older son learned that change is normal and how to deal with it.
Usually I see red when I hear people talk about switching for cost because some parents switch OFTEN. But in the case where a child has been in the same place for a long time, I don't believe it's harmful, and maybe even good for children to learn that life changes and we have to go with it. I think the important thing is that you are considering the change carefully, and make sure you really do like this daycare and that it has good feedback from other parents. It's just so sad when I see people come and interview me and tell me their children have been to 3, 5, and sometimes even 7 and even more daycare providers in just a few years.
She will be fine! Make the switch! We had to switch from gram/aunt to daycare then peanut free Montessori when my daughter got exposed at her old daycare and got an allergic rxn- all this when I was due or right after having her brother. We then switched to au pairs at home when that one was 10 mos. They change annually. As long as she is fairly adaptable, it will be fine! Honestly I was sadder about leaving the people than my daughter was-- I teared up when leaving both daycare centers :'-(. If you aren't planning to keep her home with you and the baby at first, I would consider switching now. Best!
As long as you feel the new center is as good as the old one and the teachers are good make the change. At this age most kids are pretty resiliant and as someone else said if you make the change before the baby comes it will be better for her. Ask if you can bring your older child there for an afternoon or a few hours one day and see how she takes to the new environment - it's worth taking a few hours off work if you have to.
But I also belive that sacrificing for a couple of years for your kids is appropriate *IF* it's neccessary. It's all about the comfort you feel with the new daycare center. My kids were 3 years apart so we did have 2 years when the daycare expense was higher than our mortgage - but we knew is was temporary and we were really happy with the daycare center and the quality of the teachers and other staff. That feeling of comfort is priceless.
before you make the switch, talk to your daycare provider and let her know the reasons. You never know... she may be willing to match their rate.
Make the switch... no need to add financial stress when there's another option!
We LOVE our daycare provider, but next week is our son's last week. He will be starting at a preschool the week after, where they also have an infant and toddler program. It's a little cheaper, but a LOT closer and more convenient... they also don't close 3 times a year for vacation, thus sucking-up all of our vacation time!
I won't lie- I cried when I wrote the "discontinuing" letter and got teary talking to the owner, but the bottom line is that changing providers will be easier on us as a family and our son is excited to start "big boy" school!
Just a tip: we took our son to the initial visit to register him and then he went to his new school for a 1/2 day "orientation" so that he could see the place twice and meet his teacher before starting on the 15th! I think it helped, but we'll see!
