Reply to Is there a general correlation between daycare cost and quality?

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[quote=Anonymous]When I was pregnant with DD we looked at a lot of different centers. We considered in-home daycares but didn't really tour any in part because their hours were much shorter and we weren't sure it would work for us (looking back, it would have been fine).

The center we chose was probably one of if not the cheapest center we found. While the cost was not the main factor, it was definitely a benefit. Location was a big factor. Also, when I toured, the teachers looked happy and engaged with the kids. The classroom was not fancy but was well organized and attractive. At some of the more expensive centers I toured, the teachers looked kind of miserable. In general, for infant care I did not see a big difference explaining the cost differences apart from the facilities. One of the expensive centers did have a separate nap room which may have been nice but at the same time, DD was never a good napper at home or at school.

The center we landed at has very good ratios, much more than the licensing requirements. The teacher turnover has been very low with the exception of the 2021-22 school year which I think was rough everywhere. They taught sign language for the babies which was fun. Were super helpful when DD was late to talk and with some other special needs that came up.

For older ages the more expensive centers often include specials like soccer/music/etc. I can see the benefit of that but we kind of like taking DD to activities and choosing ones that really interest her.

We did use an in-home daycare briefly during our center's pandemic closure and it was fine, but it was in a cluttered, cramped space and had only one teacher for 8 kids. Obviously this is not a generalization about all in-homes. Teacher was lovely but DD was much happier going back to her center with a more organized space and better ratios.[/quote]

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