In-home day care vs. child care centers

[Anonymous]

It all depends on the centers, right?

We started DS in a center, and while we liked the infant room teachers, it was a bit clinical and noisy and DC was sick all.the.time (anywhere from 8 to 11 other infants but also toddlers visited often too). Communication with director was poor, there was turnover, and it was expensive. On the other hand, the faciliities were great, super clean, the security set up very good and the teachers were trained. However, we did not like what we saw/heard about the next room--seemed to be a bit crowded, chaotic for the toddlers and several parents were not unhappy, so when a space opened up in our home daycare we took it.

We started in-home with some trepidation--the space was not as nice (though the yard fabulous, better than the center), hours not as flexible, and Iw as worried it was less structured. In fact, DS has flourished there. 9 kids, 3 providers (so if one is sick there are others) tons of activities, and they all have training. They do lots of fun activities, are really engaged with the children, and work with DS in both his areas of strength and weakness, and provde evaulations 4 times a year. Most of all, they are warm and loving, and he absolutely adores them and the other kids. It is like his second family. We planto keep him there until 3, when he will start preschool, and we are starting our baby there soon.

[Anonymous]

I am a former home daycare assistant turned teacher in a large child care chain. I am beyond against home daycares. It was horrible working there, and I did not last long. The lady who ran the daycare was as sweet as she could be in front of the parents but once her doors closed, the babies would stay in the crib all day, she would smoke, and abuse the children. I left that home daycare and wrote a written note to all the parents on my last day, telling them of the things I witnessed. I do not care how sweet you think a person is that runs a home daycare center, but they are not supervised at all. No one is above them. Please go to a child care center unless you really know the person running the home daycare like a close friend or family member. Even then, I would be hesitant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a former home daycare assistant turned teacher in a large child care chain. I am beyond against home daycares. It was horrible working there, and I did not last long. The lady who ran the daycare was as sweet as she could be in front of the parents but once her doors closed, the babies would stay in the crib all day, she would smoke, and abuse the children. I left that home daycare and wrote a written note to all the parents on my last day, telling them of the things I witnessed. I do not care how sweet you think a person is that runs a home daycare center, but they are not supervised at all. No one is above them. Please go to a child care center unless you really know the person running the home daycare like a close friend or family member. Even then, I would be hesitant.

WHOA I take extreme offense here for several reasons-the first being WHY in the world did you not TURN THIS WOMAN IN???? Not sure what area you are talking about but I have a home daycare and AM monitored and regulated including surprise visits by licensing and the food program. If indeed what you described was taking place you are a MANDATORY REPORTER and were obligated to report any of the above described incidents immediately! I have been licensed for 9 years and care for each child in a loving nurturing environment no matter who is present. I have no "assistants" and care for 6 children maximum. I do NOT think you should lump all home daycares together ESPECIALLY since YOU were neglectful in reporting what you were part of when working in one that should have been shut down.

[Anonymous]

Here's our experiences, with three kids:

First child was in a home daycare for 10 months, before we moved out of the neighborhood. It was a small home daycare, maybe five kids total. DS never got sick, got lots of one-on-one attention, he thrived and did very well. We moved to the new 'hood and I put him in a center. He was sick non-stop, lots of colds, flu, ear-infections. Still was lovingly cared for, but it was just overall a more chaotic environment. Plus...the center smelled like bleach - yuck! When he turned two we put him in a pre-school center and he did very well, was hardly sick minus a few bugs overall.

Second child - put her in a home daycare. Did lots of research and visits, found a wonderful provider who was truly operating a "professional" care. She took lots of child-care courses after-hours, and really employed a structured environment with her kids. Very impressed, and my DD has thrived in her care. Third child - we're having him in the same caretakers house, which allows him to be with his big sister. He's six months old now and (knock on wood) hasn't gotten sick yet.

Next fall, once DD is four, the caretaker will walk her to the next-door church's preschool, so that she can have the opportunity for that more structured school environment, in prep for her next year in Kindergarten. This will allow me to still have DD and DS in the same care, which is ideal.

If I were a FTM, having gone through what I've gone through, I'd stick with the home-care. BUT, be diligent and do lots of research and visits. I'm heard of some HORRIBLE stories of home care providers gone bad, so you just need to be diligent and follow your gut. The costs of a home care provider tend to be less expensive, but you have to make sure that the savings are worth it!!

[Anonymous]

Regarding the sickness issue: we had our first child in a home daycare as an infant and our second in a center as an infant. I have seen no differences in the amount of times they got sick during that first year in care; both got sick a number of times. My oldest is now in the center with the youngest and has not gotten sick nearly as much once we got past about the two year mark (which, incidentally, is just a little after we switched to a center).

I think many factors go into the illness thing, including the kid themselves. All kids are different.

[Anonymous]

Our daycare is open year-round, Monday to Friday, from 6.30 am to 6.30 pm. We offer care for infants, toddlers, pre-K, and drop-in care, as well as before and after-school programs. Additionally, we organize a summer camp each year to provide children with a fun and engaging learning experience.
preschool

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have always gone with a center. Two pros for centers that I didn't see in your list: a center has more of a curriculum. This becomes more important as the child gets older so this might be something to think about for the long term. In a center a child is unlikely to be alone with just a single caregiver at a center (decreases possibility of abuse).

I disagree on both points-I have a wonderful curriculum and only care for up to 6 children. They have tons of opportunity for individualized help with whatever we happen to be working on. If you choose the right in home provider there should never be fear of abuse, that's ridiculous. Another thing-there is NO staff turnover in a small in home daycare such as mine, I am the only person caring for the children allowing them to bond and be comfortable with one constant caregiver. In most instances I become extended family attending birthdays, school plays and performances and even eventually graduations long after children age out of care. My daughter worked at a center for a short period of time, and was extremely unhappy stating "mom they don't LOVE the kids like you do they just deal with them until the parents come back" "it's ridiculous the staff turnover they have here, the pay is too low to keep anyone who should really be here". I have averaged one unplanned closure per year due to illness in my several years as a licensed provider. Not all in home daycares are the same just as in home and center care differ-go with your gut and references as well as licensing history...

We are at an inhome and the above has been our experience as well. It’s been a wonderful experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went with a home day care from the time my child was 3 months until she turned 2. When she turned 2 I enrolled her in a center because I felt that it was more structured and had a "school curriculum" which will prepare her for when she does enter public school. I felt that the in-home is more warming and loving and personal unlike a center when they are that young. The price was a big difference going from one to the other and I fell like a child really doesn't need center base care until it's time for them to start learning. They should learn from day 1, but I hope you understand what I'm trying to say. One more point is that they also need to be around others in their age group and home daycare don't seem to offer that as much.

This is us exactly.

Us as well. We ended up in an in-home because we didn't get into a center in time, but were really happy we did. A GOOD in-home has the benefits of a nanny and daycare in one. Close, loving relationships with a primary caregiver, but reliability of a daycare. Our in-home provider loves babies, and loved "her" babies like they were her own. She was truly the sweetest and I don't know how she had the heart to keep doing it with how upset she'd get every time a kid left her care. And she had a good network of family and friends working for her that they never had unexpected closures or extended closures around vacations and holidays. Then around age 2, we got off a waitlist at a high demand preschool, and it was the right time to move into more of a structured setting with a school prep curriculum. Really best of both worlds.

Friends kept their kids in our in-home until DC pre-K3, did say their 3 year olds were ready for more at the end. The in-home provider did do letters and numbers with them, but it still got very small feeling and they just couldn't offer the music and yoga type extras that centers can.

[Anonymous]

My DH was uncomfortable with in home daycares so we mainly looked at centers. Ended up at a small center with only 2 classrooms and very low teacher turnover. The director is very closely involved with everything. DD was able to stay from infancy until she started kindergarten. The consistency was really good for her as she does struggle with transitions.

I can definitely see the benefits of in home daycares, especially with regards to having one provider that is consistent because they are the owner. I think with either in home or center, you have to vet carefully and try to get a sense of ratios, turnover and how warm the caregiving is.

[Anonymous]

We only used a NAEYC approved center. I know it's controversial, but we liked that there was continuing ed for teachers and larger space requirements

[Anonymous]

I think its both personal preference and place to place.

This was in another area, but we sent our first to a center (not a big chain) and had a good experience. We toured several places and tried to get in at a home daycare but narrowly missed the spot -- ended up at the center. We ended up happy, but I think we would have been happy with that particular home daycare too.

Several years later when I looked again for our next child, I could not find another home daycare near me that I liked at all. One in particular, this lady had 6 children in a second floor apartment with no outdoor space, and she could only take the kids to the park if she had someone around to help that day. That's just one example, but it really highlighted for me that the maximum legal ratios for home daycares may not be ideal. The spaces used at home facilities can vary a great deal as well -- I like that the centers are designed for small children with (in my experience) fewer hazards and immediate outdoor space. Our center had cameras as well.

There are many home daycares that DON'T go to their max, and that's great, but it really varies and it can also change once you enroll. I have a friend who enrolled her son at a great home daycare in Maryland and for a long time her baby was one of three. A year later (and he's still under 2), he's now one of five. Me? I would not like that.

[Anonymous]

I prefer small daycare homes. In Maryland is 4 infants x 2 teachers

Our son's are so happy with our daycare provider and staff!

[Anonymous]

I prefer small daycare homes. In Maryland is 4 infants x 2 teachers

They have a permit for 8 kids but always has 5 or 6 kids total, infants, toddlers, preschoolers up to 4 years old.

Our son's 4 months old and 3 years old are so happy with our daycare provider and staff!

[Anonymous]

Wait for elementary school, they get running nose, get sick

LOL

Dicipline your children for the well-being of everyone
Even 1 years old can understand NO when is about to touch the outlet

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I prefer small daycare homes. In Maryland is 4 infants x 2 teachers

They have a permit for 8 kids but always has 5 or 6 kids total, infants, toddlers, preschoolers up to 4 years old.

Our son's 4 months old and 3 years old are so happy with our daycare provider and staff!

We were briefly in a in home that had 8 children, including our toddler, and one teacher. We moved her to a center where there were 6 toddlers and 3 teachers. She was much happier at the center.