paying someone to pick up my child from daycare

[Anonymous]

How common is this, and how does one begin? Looking for advice from anyone who has been able to find someone to pick up, drop off (or both) your kid from daycare. I am considering doing this because we are looking to buy a house in Burke (more affordable, great schools and more house space for our growing family) but I work in downtown DC. My biggest concern is the commute, obviously. Husband can help with daycare drop off and pick ups every other week when he isn't traveling, but during the weeks he is away, it's up to me and I'm panicking about that kind of stress coming from my office in DC. But I also don't want to nix buying in an area like Burke solely because of my commute and daycare. Trying to think of alternative solutions...

[Anonymous]

After school babysitters are the hardest to find, most expensive and have a very high turnover. Check your neighborhood listservr first and see if there are any full time nannies who are finished with work early. Expect to pay at least $25 an hour plus mileage.

[Anonymous]

Or find daycare closer to your work?

[Anonymous]

What time will you leave DC and what time does daycare close?

[Anonymous]

Most daycares close at 6. I leave work at 4:30, can’t leave earlier than that. Don’t know where the new daycare will be since we haven’t gotten a house yet but I’m assuming it will be near the new house somewhere in the Burke area. I’d rather not put him in a daycare near my office in DC because I’d feel bad subjecting him to a really long commute in traffic. Also then my husband could never help out with daycare stuff, he works from home on the weeks he is not traveling.

[Anonymous]

Get a nanny once you move. It will be well worth the added cost.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How common is this, and how does one begin? Looking for advice from anyone who has been able to find someone to pick up, drop off (or both) your kid from daycare. I am considering doing this because we are looking to buy a house in Burke (more affordable, great schools and more house space for our growing family) but I work in downtown DC. My biggest concern is the commute, obviously. Husband can help with daycare drop off and pick ups every other week when he isn't traveling, but during the weeks he is away, it's up to me and I'm panicking about that kind of stress coming from my office in DC. But I also don't want to nix buying in an area like Burke solely because of my commute and daycare. Trying to think of alternative solutions...

You are overcomplicating this. Hire someone. Either a PT sitter looking for PT work or a PT nanny.

[Anonymous]

I had a friend that did this but it was all in DC. She finished her regular job at 6 and walked to pick up the other kid at 615 and took him home. Parent was home by 7.

I think you should look for a Nanny that might be interested in doing this every other week.

[Anonymous]

Can you try to find a nanny share?

[Anonymous]

I am sure you can find one that is opened past 6...even if most close at 6.

[Anonymous]

Find a daycare that closes at 6:30.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Find a daycare that closes at 6:30.

That is a long time for a child to be in daycare! Don’t move so far away or get a nanny,OP.

[Anonymous]

We were in a similar situation and did a nanny share with our second. It made the commute home so much less stressful.

[Anonymous]

Wait to move until daycare is finished and stay close to your job until then. Buy the house in Burke right before kindergarten.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wait to move until daycare is finished and stay close to your job until then. Buy the house in Burke right before kindergarten.

But OP is still going to have problem of pickup from aftercare. Best option is to get a nanny for the afternoons. Bump up hours as needed to ~25 to attract more candidates. Nanny comes early does some tasks before pickup.