When to start daycare search?

[Anonymous]

I'm just starting my second trimester, with my third kid. In the before-covid times, the rule of thumb was to get on a wait lists when the pee stick turned pink. With 2nd kid, I had sibling preference so it wasn't a big deal. Our daycare shut down due to covid-related low enrollment, so we need to start our search over for this kid (we'd need care starting in Jan 2022). Anyone have any ideas on how far ahead of time should I be looking to get on wait lists for infant care? Seems like so much is in flux right now that I'm not eager to get the search started.

[Anonymous]

I'd start now. At least you can get on waitlists.

[Anonymous]

I don’t think that much is in flux. Large centers are not going to shut down due to low enrollment. Our center has a wait list for infants. I’d start searching.

[Anonymous]

What's the harm in getting on a waitlist? In Montgomery County at least most waitlists are free to get on.

[Anonymous]

If you're looking for a center, then probably makes sense to get on some lists, sorry I totally feel you as someone entering my third trimester. It's hard to think that far ahead right now. I do home daycare for those early years so I am waiting as they don't usually know openings til a few months before.

[Anonymous]

Start now!

[Anonymous]

What are you doing for older 2?

[Anonymous]

OP here - thanks for the push to get the search started. I think I'm still mourning the loss of our daycare, so I've been a bit "stuck in the mud".

16:22 -- My oldest will be a 1st grader and my middle will be in preschool, and both will be at our local parish Catholic school. Our daycare that closed was run by the parish at another building on the school campus, so I had been planning on have 3 kids, at three different stages, on one campus with one dropoff. Would've been nice!