Reply to Moving to VA - how long does it really take to get a spot in daycare

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Thanks for the tips.
Unfortunately where I will be working in DC (Reservoir Road, near the Medstar Georgetown University Hospital) seems to not be so great for public transport. From what I gather, closest metro stop would be Farragut West, and I'd still have 25 minutes on the bus after that, so I'm guessing a commute of at least an hour and a half. My daughter is asleep by 7pm, so weeknights I would hardly see her.
For my husband, best case scenario, if we find a daycare close to our house, I'll drop our baby off in the mornings so he can work early shifts, he'd be starting work at 7am and finishing at 3pm, hoping this would make the commute easier. If she has to go to daycare around Sterling for a bit then he would have to work 8-4 or 9-5, longer commute I imagine, with a baby in the back, but that would only be temporary, until we find somewhere closer to home.
Hard work to find somewhere with 1) ok commute to Sterling/Ashburn 2) ok commute to DC by public transport or bike (really trying to save on the expense and headache of getting a 2nd car) 3) good daycare close by 4)housing and daycare at a price we can afford, and all that with no knowing the area at all...[/quote]

Let's look at the issues point by point and their feasibility and what I've come up with is you're really SOL at this point and you must be willing to splurge a bit to sustain your working situation:
[b]1) ok commute to Sterling/Ashburn/ok commute to DC by public transport or bike (really trying to save on the expense and headache of getting a 2nd car) 
[/b] This is practically a nonstarter.  For the commute to Sterling/Ashburn with any semblance of public transportation to DC, your best bet is Reston.  However, your commute to DC would be a pain, especially in the part of town where you work--a higher end area where public transportation is limited for a reason. Also, the Washington DC metro is not the most reliable system, especially in summer and the fact that part of the silver line is above ground doesn't help.  Therefore, one of the priorities has to be give up. I'd lean more towards giving up the reliance on public transport.  That way your living quarter won't be limited to living in close-in proximity to public transportation.  
[b]2) good daycare close by[/b] Based on your working situation, there are two primary solutions.  If close to housing--one of you does drop off and the other does pick up.  If you DH can do early shifts, then he does pick up.  Yes, you might have to sacrifice some facetime with your child if 7:00 p.m. bed time is a strict requirement.  Close to worksite--this solution will only work for you.  However, given where you work childcare expense will be high. 
[b]3)housing and daycare at a price we can afford, and all that with no knowing the area at all...[/b] You should get the picture by now that the DMV area has one of the highest cost of living in the country, which is why many people here say that they are midlevel earners when their HHI is at 200k.  I'd also try and look into any nanny share arrangements. [/quote]

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