Moving to DC Area - Need help with Childcare

[Anonymous]

It's hard, but not impossible, to find care for a 2yo. I found care for a toddler at the last minute when I went back to work, at a center downtown no less. I've done both care by my house and care by work. The one by work was less stressful as far as getting there before it closed. School for Friends, First Baptist, and Huckleberry Cheesecake are in or around Dupont and are recommended frequently (check the Preschool Forum for recent threads). Bright Horizons L Street has had some issues with director turnover but is also in the area.

Depends where you'll end up in Arlington if you want to look for care there. I don't know anything around Pentagon City, but Crystal City Children's Center also comes recommended. Also look into govt. centers, even if you won't be working for the govt. The one we used had a somewhat transient population due to the nature of the sponsoring agency, which is how we lucked into a spot with no affiliation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just prepare for a couple of things. DC has the most expensive childcare in the country. Also, the bigger corporate daycare centers often have a one year wait list. In home day care in VA is notoriously unregulated (as in there seems to. E a child death every year). A lot of people in DC use nanny shares. Once your child turns three they are eligible for free all day preschool if you live in DC

Don't scare the poor woman with this nonsense. Plenty of people find and use licensed in-home daycares in Virginia. They have state inspections about twice per year and all of the results are posted online. We loved our in-home care provider who gave our child a lot more snuggles than our second child got at the corporate center as a baby.

+1

And yet every year there is another incident in the news about how poorly regulated on home centers are in VA and there is at least one death for the last several years. In home centers have no checks and balances, you have no idea who might end up staying there or passing through. At least in my home I know who lives there, if its safe etc. Either go corporate or nanny share.

Have you looked at WHERE in Virginia those are? They are usually in southern virginia, NOT northern virginia. As I said before, Arlington/Fairfax counties have very strict in home regulations. You can call them and ask them to send you reports if you want to see what they look at. My in home daycare provider has told me all about the things that they look at, how long they stay, etc...they are very strict. She also always tells me the results of her inspections. They are VERY strict.

[Anonymous]

Thre Washington post did an article August 2014, 43 child deaths in 10 years in in home facilities in VA. Thousands of workers have no oversight. Google is your friend. It's definitely cheaper though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thre Washington post did an article August 2014, 43 child deaths in 10 years in in home facilities in VA. Thousands of workers have no oversight. Google is your friend. It's definitely cheaper though.

The article is about unregulated daycares, which is not what is being discussed. Literacy is your friend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thre Washington post did an article August 2014, 43 child deaths in 10 years in in home facilities in VA. Thousands of workers have no oversight. Google is your friend. It's definitely cheaper though.

The article is about unregulated daycares, which is not what is being discussed. Literacy is your friend.

The post article is in fact talking about unregulated childcare arrangements, which would include nanny shares, so.....better luck fear mongering next time PP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thre Washington post did an article August 2014, 43 child deaths in 10 years in in home facilities in VA. Thousands of workers have no oversight. Google is your friend. It's definitely cheaper though.

The article is about unregulated daycares, which is not what is being discussed. Literacy is your friend.

The post article is in fact talking about unregulated childcare arrangements, which would include nanny shares, so.....better luck fear mongering next time PP.

How do you account for 43 deaths in 10 years, those kids were NOT in nanny shares.

[ToddlerMom]

Thanks all for the responses. We picked Arlington because the rents in DC area are so high for a 3 bedroom we have a lot of family visiting us all the time.

I will be doing the do/pu and I agree I want it to be close to home and close to the metro stop so I can do and go to work and vice versa.

I would also pick a corporate childcare center over home because my friend had a couple of incidents and although I dont want to judge all in home day cares that has really made me nervous about it. In Chicago we dont have a lot of in home daycares.

I'll go through the preschool and daycare forum as well. Thanks again and keep the responses coming.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thre Washington post did an article August 2014, 43 child deaths in 10 years in in home facilities in VA. Thousands of workers have no oversight. Google is your friend. It's definitely cheaper though.

The article is about unregulated daycares, which is not what is being discussed. Literacy is your friend.

The post article is in fact talking about unregulated childcare arrangements, which would include nanny shares, so.....better luck fear mongering next time PP.

How do you account for 43 deaths in 10 years, those kids were NOT in nanny shares.

Lady, you're totally out of your depth. A nanny share is an unregulated childcare arrangement. Just like the article is talking about. It bears no relationship to a licensed in home daycare.

[Anonymous]

I'd call First Baptist in Dupont-- with school starting and the PK3 kids going to DCPS/Charter, one of the two year old rooms MAY have a space.
$1600/month
We have had a good experience. It isn't fancy, but it is loving and the caretakers have been there for a long time.