In-Home Daycare vs. Center
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Anonymous
| Hi everyone, I would love any input. If you went with an in-home daycare for your child, could you please share what were the reasons that prompted your selection (versus a daycare center)? Also, if by chance you are in Montgomery County and could recommend an in-home daycare, thanks so much. |
Anonymous
| OP here - my child is under 2 (21 months), if that helps with any details. |
Anonymous
| My son is in a center and my infant daughter is at a home daycare. I definitely prefer the center. One day the home provider overslept and didn't answer the door. Plus the take home report has a lot of misspellings of simple words (poop) that I worry what she's teaching the toddlers. |
Anonymous
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They both have pros and cons. I think when they are babies the home environment is better, more nuturing and not as noisy and stimulating as a ctr.
But as they get older you want more than most home daycares can offer. Unless you find someone who does K readiness type stuff for the 3 and 4 yo's. Personally for an almost 2yo I would do a ctr, otherwise you may be looking again in a year or so. Where do you live in Moco? I can rec a home daycare in Rockville and one in Burtonsville |
Anonymous
Not answering I totally get as a problem, but spelling errors. We are at a center we really like, but the reports are riddled with spelling and grammar errors. It is just a fact of life that many people working at day cares of either kind don't speak English as a first language. We don't feel it inhibits our kids learning, especially at the younger ages. I would care only if I felt we couldn't effectively communicate so we could give instructions and could understand when they told us about their day, etc. But that is very different than needing/caring about spelling and grammar. |
Anonymous
| A center is supervised childcare and a home daycare rarely is. And in a home daycare, anyone at home can have access to your child. Every home daycare is different (as each center is as well) so it's your call ultimately. |
Anonymous
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I assumed we would do a center but we visited an in home and truly clicked with our provider. She is like family. All of the parents and kids at her home are. She cooks them breakfast, lunch, and snacks (milk and most produce are organic) for a lower cost than a center. She is a former teacher and my son is 2 and learning a ton. We love the home atmosphere.
Of course there are cons like when she is sick there are no back ups, she follows school closings for snow days etc. there are pros and cons no matter what |
Anonymous
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OP here. This is helpful, thanks everyone. I appreciate all the points being made and experiences shared. The thought of the close-knit, more family-oriented feel of a home setting is appealing, but then I can see the points of possibly having more resources/training potential at a center. It is a hard decision.
06:43 -- thank you, I would be open to learning your recommendation for the Rockville location (I am near to Gaithersburg), and look forward if any new posters chime in (with comments and/or other recommendations). |
Anonymous
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I vastly prefer centers.
No TV or screen time, ever More than 1 adult = safety and security/checks and balances Center is usually open even when schools/govt are not Socialization More room to play/run around/experience a larger environment Structured activities/daily report Set learning goals, even from infancy; I truly believe my daughter is verbally advanced because of her daycare experience |
Anonymous
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Eh, I like in-home. I won't say I prefer it to a center because I don't have personal experience in that area.
YMMV. Our 9 month old gets a lot of individual attention. There are two care providers for 5 children. It's certified by the state and county. So there are 4+ visits per year, the results of which are posted online (Virginia) All of the kids are from 4 months to 18 months, so there's a nice mix. Our kid is obsessed with the older walking kids and follows them around trying to emulate. The provider has a vested interest in providing quality care because this is her home, business, and reputation at stake. She is not an hourly employee. It happens to be cheaper. We take the extra money we would've spent on a center and stash it in her 529. Most importantly, she's happy and loved. At this age, we're more interested in hugs and play than structure, but that will change as she ages. In the end, it's not really about center v. In-home, it's more about finding quality care that you can trust. |
Anonymous
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When you find a good in-home, it's like a second home and family for your baby. All the loves, cuddles, and personalized attention of family, with the oversight of regular check-ins from various levels of government. That last part is what varies greatly by jurisdiction - in Arlington, my provider was inspected 2-3 times per year by the city, and at least once a year by USDA for the nutrition of the food. There were regular free trainings, ratio was capped at 3 kids to 1 adult, and overall, it was just a wonderfully run program. But I've since moved to Marlyand where inspections are once a year, providers who shouldn't pass are listed as having no violations, and the ratio is 8 to 1. There are still jems in the mix, but they're harder to find.
A center can really vary - obviously the bad cases make it in the news, it can't be as personal as other options, but there is some reassurance in having an extra set of eyes. |
Anonymous
Surely you must realize what a ridiculous generalization that is. |
Anonymous
Better care *usually* costs more. |
Anonymous
Um, what? Speak for your own experience. Our center is definitely very personal. I just gave birth with DD#2, and our daycare director and teachers sent DD#1 home the first day she was back part-time at the center with a box of chocolates for me and a "Big Sister Kit" filled with toys and games for her. There was also a sign on her door congratulating Big Sister Larla with a sign that also read, "Welcome to the World Larlita Mae Smith, 8 lbs, 4ozs, we can't wait to meet you!" We get personal notes, photos, short videos and updates every week. They celebrate birthdays. When I come in and seem overwhelmed, they help me unpack and ask if they can help, etc. We exchange holiday gifts. I helped one of her teachers get into law school at GW. Two of her former teachers regularly babysit for us, and came to her birthday party. We think it's personal and like a family. Speak for your own experience. |
Anonymous
Agree with this |