Recent job offer, moving to Bethesda ASAP. Scrambling for childcare. Am I doomed with waitlists?

[Anonymous]

We learned just yesterday we are moving to Bethesda. Bad news is timeline is incredibly short, seeking to move in a month. We have a 2 year old and 5 month old. Generally are the waitlists really long for daycares? Any suggestions for programs you love?

[Anonymous]

I would suggest a nanny. Daycares are very hard to get into.

But try Children in the shoe

[Anonymous]

You're in nanny land with kids that age and that time frame, I would think. It's the baby that's going to be the sticking point.

Get on wait lists now, though, so you can get your older kid in somewhere you like and then have sibling preference for your younger one.

Maybe you could luck out with an in-home daycare. Where will your job be located?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You're in nanny land with kids that age and that time frame, I would think. It's the baby that's going to be the sticking point.

Get on wait lists now, though, so you can get your older kid in somewhere you like and then have sibling preference for your younger one.

Maybe you could luck out with an in-home daycare. Where will your job be located?

+1 those are perfect ages to have a nanny and it's probably cheaper than two in daycare.

[Anonymous]

Just get a nanny. Tons available now since school just got out.

[Anonymous]

Try Children in the Shoe. Your 2-year-old is more likely to get in but then might help get the 5-month-old in through sibling preference. I also found that ChildTime had a lot of openings but I didn't love the vibe there. Children In the Shoe has a bunch of locations so you might need to be flexible. If you get them into one location, that gives them priority if spaces come open at a more convenient location.

[Anonymous]

Another recommendation for the Shoe--our two older kids are there (and baby will go when he's a little older) and we love it. We got a spot fairly quickly, though much of that was luck. We're at the East-West Towers location, and lots of people like BCC, too. Seriously, I feel like we won the childcare lottery.

[Anonymous]

St. Paul's in NW DC has some openings because some families recently pulled out (diplomats returning home and one family who got in to a full day program elsewhere). It is a half day program, and fabulous!

http://www.stpaulsnurseryschool-dc.org

[Anonymous]

St. James in Potomac has infant openings currently.

[Anonymous]

Goddard School

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Goddard School

This might actually have openings since it opened relatively recently. It is at mass and Goldsboro. We considered switching from Shoe to Goddard and opted against it, but it seemed fine and you probably won't have the luxury of being picky, at least initially.

[Anonymous]

Will you be working and living (both) in Bethesda? I loved our daycare (Tiny Findings, downtown DC) and I know they have some two year old slots right now.

[Anonymous]

We have an infant and toddler spots in our small center in Bethesda. Please feel free to call us 301-828-5258, or email [e-mail]

[Anonymous]

Rock Spring Children's Center is awesome, but hard to get into especially for babies

[Anonymous]

We have an infant and toddler spots in our small center in Bethesda. Please feel free to call us 301-828-5258, or email [e-mail]