Infant care crazy wait lists

[Anonymous]

I am freaking out today as I realize that every place in town seems to have at least a year long wait list for infant care. I'm due in July and I'm sure my work will expect me back in October -- does a year really mean a year, or is there a likelihood that many people in front might eventually decide to get a nanny or stay home? It's financially somewhat hard to justify getting on every wait list as well, since they seem to be up to $100 a pop!

Realize I am preaching to the choir but I'm just trying to talk myself out of a panic attack. I'm wondering if my job will be in jeopardy should I be unable to find anyone to look after my child and I really can't go back to work after three months. Anyone who can share experiences, please do!

[Anonymous]

There is hope, really. We got our spot at a great daycare after jumping 20-30 people on the list because (1) many kids had already gotten in/started someplace else by the time the spot opened up; (2) some other families had opted for nannies/parent staying home; (3) kids had been on the waiting list so long that they were too old for the spot (had to be under a year for the infant group); or (4) some people weren't ready for the spot yet (e.g. child was not yet born or parent was not going back to work yet). It takes some good fortune to have the spot open up when you need it (if it opens too soon you pay to hold it or pass it up or if it's too late there are obvious other issues), so my advice is just suck it up and get on as many waiting lists as you can. And breathe. It will work out, but that's not to say there won't be some stressful times before then.

[Anonymous]

you can always get a nanny or be in a nanny share until a spot opens so don't panic about losing your job.

[Anonymous]

Unless you live and work right in DC, I'd suggest looking at some alternatives in the suburbs. Don't get me wrong--get on some lists in DC. But I spent over a year on them, and even with a DH working for the federal government, which supposedly gives you priority, and me making regularly follow-up calls like they tell you to do, I only got into one, and that was almost 3 months after I went back to work. Luckily I found a center near my house with openings. You might also start looking into in-home day cares. I have no idea what the wait times are on those, but knowing you have options will set your mind at ease.

[Anonymous]

I am in your same boat. I am due in late March and plan to return to work in October. I'm on 3 waitlists so far (very pricey) and am visiting one more day are later this month and calling 2 others. I don't know what else to do. I figure I'll just use a nanny for a few months if I get desperate despite the fact that would be so expensive. I'm in the Alexandria area. It is crazy.

[Anonymous]

I am the most recent poster. I've looked into home daycares (in Alexandria.) Their violations are either innumerable (and serious) or they have no spots available. Home daycares otherwise are a great option!

[Anonymous]

I'm really, really sorry to tell you this - but in my experience, it DEFINITELY meant a year+ to get off the list.

I was on eight different lists by the time I was 12 weeks pregnant and we only got called for our first spot after 11 months from the time of joining the list. We called with an offer for the second spot at 13 months.

Have yet to hear from any of the other places - and it's been 1 year, 4 months now.

We did end up using a wonderful in-home day care provider for a couple of months, so I recommend you look into it.

I know this process is awful but hang in there - something will turn up!

[Anonymous]

A year can mean more than a year. My kid is 17 mos and he hasn't gotten in yet.

Go to your county's website and look for a list of daycares run out of people's homes and start calling. Then go visit the ones that have openings (or say they may have openings when you need them). Some are not so good, but others are fantastic. We like ours a lot. The advantages are no staff turnover and it is a very loving environment.

[Anonymous]

Yes, it's totally insane. I'm due in May, planning to go back to work in September. I've gotten on a couple of waiting lists, but really there's just not enough infant care to go around in this city.

For the folks who found in-home care providers in DC - how did you do that? The list on the dc.gov website is just overwhelming. BTW - suburbs are not an option for us - we live & work in DC.

[Anonymous]

I've heard that if you call and check in often they will bump you up on teh list. Don't know if that's true, but worth trying. We were on a few waitlists at centers and never got in, but had better luck with home daycares. Ended up finding a gem and can't imagine life any other way. Somehow you have to have faith that something will break and it will work... faith and a back up plan (like a nanny share!)
Best of luck. I found this to be one of the most stressful parts of the first few months of my daughter's life.

[Anonymous]

Could anyone please provide me/the group with information on in-home daycare -- names, where located, if advisable, etc.

I don't have any luck with the regular daycare.

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

if you are in Virginia, the place to start looking for daycare is infanttoddler.com. That's how I found mine. They're a network of in-home daycare providers who are licensed.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I'm the poster who was on eight lists and when we went with an in-home place for the first few months, I found her straight off the Web site (Fairfax or Arlington county - can't remember which), went to her home, sat with her for an hour or two and then called her references. It really did freak me out finding child care this way but in the end, it worked out well and I actually missed our in-home place at first when we moved to the center.

Finally - for what it's worth - strongly recommend you find a place near HOME if possible and not work. If you are involved (married, etc), it makes it a lot easier for the other person to pitch in and do drop off/pick up on an equal basis.

[Anonymous]

I got on a waiting list last december and was given a spot this september--so 9 months.

[jedeye]

I have to just vent out my frustration here. I live in Arlington. I got on SEVEN wait lists the day after I found out I was pregnant last march. Not one single center I applied to will have an opening in April when I need it, so we're having to hire a nanny. Remind me to apply to preschool 2 years in advance! I really thought I'd done everything right. Signed up right away, called dutifully to find out where I was on the list, but still, no luck. A few places told me siblings were taking all the spots, but most just seemed to let people onto the waiting lists in weird orders and I found myself getting bumped further back instead of moving up.