3 kids in daycare--cost?

[Anonymous]

I will soon have 3 children under the age of 4. I'd like to know if any families out there with this many small children have their kids in daycare and how much they pay. I've worked full time until recently but I'm considering going back 3 days a week. I know most places won't allow part time spaces for children under two, so my youngest 2 children will likely be going part time, but I'll be paying for full time spaces. After I pay for daycare my entire paycheck might be gone.

[Anonymous]

It varies, of course, but for center-based care downtown at someplace with NAEYC accreditation, you should assume that you'll be paying around $1000/month for preschool-aged kids and somewhere from $1300 to $1600 for infants.

Not sure what your paycheck would be, but yes, it can be depressing. If another solution (nanny share?) doesn't work, try thinking long-term -- five years from now, will having worked now put you in a better place financially, professsionally?

Will going back to work now save your sanity?

[Anonymous]

I have an 8 month old and a 3 year old in full time daycare and we pay $3100 a month.

[Anonymous]

HI OP - you should not give up on the part time daycare solution. Our daycare does not have official part time policy but you can find somebody to match your schedule and split the full time spot cost. I think most daycares allow that. I know quite a few people who do it.

[Anonymous]

How about a part time nanny for the two younger ones for the days that you are working...

[Anonymous]

We pay $2,000 a month for Ft for a 4 year old and PT for a 3 month old.

[Anonymous]

I had 3 kids under 4 years. We had a nanny. I think cost breaks even or even better and it makes the parents lives a lot easier. No packing up in the morning and transporting them. I don't think we could have done it otherwise. When the youngest became 3 we switched to preschool with extended day. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Daycares average $1200 per month per kid and up. Some will give discounts for each additional child. IMHO if you are 3 days a week, hire a nanny. Assuming you pay her $15 per hour, that's about $450 a week for all three kids ($1800 month) which is a lot cheaper than the $3K per month for a center. You could also do a thing where you put your eldest child in a pre-school with after care and then do a nanny share with the other two. That might even be cheaper. We have a 3 day a week nanny share for our two and we spend about $350 per week. Plus the nanny comes to us, drives the kids around for play dates, and will take them at times when the daycare would not (fever, bad colds, etc). Having someone come to you is a lot easier than having to pack three of them up for daycare. That said, we've been lucky and had the same wonderful nanny for 4 years but others haven't had the same positive experiences we have with finding a nanny.

[Anonymous]

Well I have 3 kids in daycare full time -it costs me right now $1500 a month -that's not the summer program either or other fees that they get you with. Also I'm pregnant with #4 so it will be $2200 for the school year and in the summer will rise to a lot more since I don't get the after school rate.

Might look into a live in nanny to make it cheaper if you have the space.

[Anonymous]

OP - where are you located? Daycare costs vary widely from downtown DC out to exurbs. I have a great place in Bethesda that will do part-time and only pay for the days I use.

However, if I had 3 kids younger than 4, I think I would get a nanny for the first year. Not much more money than center care for 3 and much easier life day to day.

[Anonymous]

Infant care is usually around $1800/mo. Preschool and up runs about $1200/mo per kid. We paid $3700/mo in childcare costs (infant, pre-K, and elementary aftercare). A nanny would definitely be cheaper.

[Anonymous]

Yup. Do a nanny. I pay $1800/ month for each kid with my 2. If I had 3, I would go with a nanny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well I have 3 kids in daycare full time -it costs me right now $1500 a month -that's not the summer program either or other fees that they get you with. Also I'm pregnant with #4 so it will be $2200 for the school year and in the summer will rise to a lot more since I don't get the after school rate.

Might look into a live in nanny to make it cheaper if you have the space.

Wow, that seems inexpensive -- where do you live? 1500 for all three kids? I pay 1300 for one child in the 2 year old room.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well I have 3 kids in daycare full time -it costs me right now $1500 a month -that's not the summer program either or other fees that they get you with. Also I'm pregnant with #4 so it will be $2200 for the school year and in the summer will rise to a lot more since I don't get the after school rate.

Might look into a live in nanny to make it cheaper if you have the space.

Wow, that seems inexpensive -- where do you live? 1500 for all three kids? I pay 1300 for one child in the 2 year old room.

How is this possible? $1500 for 3 kids in full time daycare? You must not live in the DC Metro area.

[Anonymous]

I found infant to age 2 was the most expensive at $250 a week (I'm just a year out of this, so I don't think it's gone up much in this area). Once my kids hit age 2, the cost dropped to $235 per week at a center. When I had two kids in the center, the second got a 10% discount for tuition and when all three got to the same place, I got 10% off my overall bill.