Why did you choose a center over an in home daycare?

[Anonymous]

We like both of the options we have narrowed it to for 6mo DD. One is a larger, well respected center downtown. Everything is shiny and new. Cost :$2150/mo. DH works downtown and would do pick up/drop off. Other option is an in home facility near our house (Silver Spring). We know families socially with children that spent 3 years there and they all seem happy, some of the children still visit with the provider and she/her staff are backup care/weekend babysitter for many of her former families. Home is clean, well kept, albeit a tad run down, but nothing unsafe. Just not shiny and new. Cost :$1300/mo. DH and I would split drop off/pickup duties. I work in Columbia, MD (often going into Baltimore for meetings, as my employer's clients are primarily Baltimore based) and commute on 29. Commute to office is usually 30 minutes, door to door. Most of our doctors are on the 29 corridor.

The biggest difference - obviously price. The big center is $850 more per month. We can afford the center, but the idea of spending $850 less per month is really attractive to us. That money could go so many places. Retirement, college savings, mortgage, anywhere, duh.

I am really trying to figure out what is the best option for our family, without making price first consideration, so I'd love feedback on what you would do and how you made the decision between a center or in home care for your child.


Pros of center: Seems incredibly organized. Classrooms on camera and can watch online. Larger group of satisfied parents that we've talked to (DH colleagues, and DCUM feedback). NYAEC accredited. Administration seems very knowledgeable.
Cons of center: SO big. Seems less personal. Teachers are kind, but I don't know if they really LOVE the babies, KWIM? Unsure about how well drop off/pickup will go with DH. He's never had to be so scheduled before and I don't know if he can handle it on both ends. I can see him resenting doing both daily. Very rigid pickup/drop off times.

Pros of in home: super close to home. less than 10 minutes in traffic. Providers seem incredibly loving and really seem to love all the children. The meals seems really good. I like the idea of DD having home cooked meals once she is eating solids. The other parents rave about the food and how their children love it. DH and I could split drop off/pickup. He can drop off and I can pick up. He leaves for work later than I do, so DD won't have to be at daycare for a crazy long day. No long car commute for DD. I can handle pick up every day, thus dividing the load. Flexibility with afternoon pick up (additional cost, but nice to have the option for emergencies).
Cons of center: No cameras. Facility less shiny and new, meets all state standards and such, but no NYAEC.

[Anonymous]

Convenience and accountability for us.

[Anonymous]

What is the extra cost for the flexible pickup at the in-home?

Does your husband ever travel for work? If he is sick, will he drive into the city to do the drop-off/pick up at the center? Just something to think about.

[Anonymous]

I will choose home daycare. Kids have more attention and create great friendship, which they remember all their life, instead of bright and shiny but not much personality.

[Anonymous]

What is your ability to adapt to a home provider's schedule? I needed reliable, consistent care. In a center, if someone calls in sick or has a family emergency, it's their problem, not yours. My nephew was in a home setting and the provider - while lovely, left my brother and SIL in the lurch too much for me to consider home daycare since we didn't have a telecommute option.

[Anonymous]

I have worked in two home daycares and in two childcare centers. I would never work at another home daycare or put my children in one. Yes, the parents may love them but once the doors close, and the parents are gone, it's completely different. Usually there isn't an extra set of hands or eyes. You really need an extra set of eyes. Providers say they don't do this (no tv watching or with holding food) but I witness it. They are lovely in front of parents and then horrible to the kids. Child care centers are a bit more secure to me. Extra eyes and hands. You may not have that one stable person in the classroom but you will have teachers that will get to know your child closely and care for them. Child care centers are more strict. It's VERY strict actually. A lot of things that we, as teachers, must do or must not do. It's annoying on a teachers end because it's chaotic, but it's worth it. I understand that not all home daycare centers are like this but I'm just saying, be careful.

[Anonymous]

I chose a center because I could walk to it from my house and there were no in home daycares as close. I also did not want a situation where there was only 1 caregiver, I wanted backup in case of illnesses, vacations, etc as well as the extra eyes. I also felt like I didn't really know how to evaluate a home daycare.

That said, my center is only $1500. $850 a month and the convenience of being near home would be major advantages.

[Anonymous]

I chose a center because of the accreditation/training level of the teachers, the curriculum,and the facilities, as well as the extra sets of hands and eyes.

[Anonymous]

I chose home. Having a primary caregiver who cared about my child and bonded to my child was important to me. So was minimizing the time in care. As well I liked that at a home day care, it was a more natural setting and they could individualize the care to my child versus my child having to fit into a schedule at a center. Also I liked that there were fewer kids - so again, more natural.

[Anonymous]

In your situation, I would definitely do the in-home. You can move your baby to a more clinical setting when he's older.

[Anonymous]

We chose a center in DC near DH's job. He does pickup/drop off everyday and is fine with this...but...when he has a meeting somewhere other than his office first thing in the morning (which happens), has a training to go to somewhere else (e.g. Reston), or a doctor's appt., then I either have to drive 45 minutes in the wrong direction for my job to drop DD off at daycare or take time off work. We are now looking into options close to home where we both can feasibly do pickup/ drop off. This is a real issue that you should consider.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I chose a center because of the accreditation/training level of the teachers, the curriculum,and the facilities, as well as the extra sets of hands and eyes.

Same. Curriculum in preschool years, accountability in term of office staff etc, and the parent community.

[Anonymous]

Personally, in home daycare is just not regulated enough for me to feel comfortable. Downtown centers have lots of eyes-- parents who work in the building dropping by etc.

However, we did a downtown daycare in DH's building so DH was responsible for drop off and some pick up. DH simply could not be counted on to do pick up consistently. We battled over it constantly bc technically the day care closed at 6:30 so he had no problem picking up at 5:30. However, I just thought that was too long a day for a baby. I worked 3 stops away in the opposite direction from home. I ended up schlepping down to pick up, and then we hired a college student to help with pick up. It all worked out, but the logistics SUCKed.

Do you have other options closer to home?

[Anonymous]

PP here. Also +1 to the PP's points about what a PITA the "close to DH office" arrangement is if he travels or has an early meeting. How often do these issues arise now?

[Anonymous]

If the in-home daycare has hired help, do that. Your husband will become resentful, and you can't do the drop off/pick up from your job.