In Home Daycare vs Public Daycare- Help!

Heather - posted on 03/30/2009

I have my son at an at home dayecare and I love it.  Of course once you put your son in daycare they are going to get sick more regardless of what you do but at least they get more one on one time and also there aren't as many kids in and out as the public daycares.  I am a full time working mom and so I don't have also the luxury of having alot of family support to help watch my son.  I walk in unexpected all the time and there is never a frown on his face. 

Sabrina - posted on 03/30/2009

My son goes to an in home daycare. She only watches 5 kids total, including my son. She is much cheaper than the public daycare is. She is truley my life saver. She lives in a big house with a huge backyard. She has an entire room just for the kids, she usually doesn't let them watch tv. She also has her house set up like Fort Knox, she knows everytime a door, window anything is opened. Even when someone pulls into her driveway.

I didn't want my son going to a public daycare because I didn't think he would get as much attention then if he were in a in home daycare. But you just have to do what makes you comfertable, you baby isn't really going to care that much either way. I'm sure it would be nice for him to spend with his grandma.

Like one of the other moms said, give it a trial run and see which one works best for you.

Linette - posted on 03/30/2009

I am big fan of daycare. (If you can afford it) But my daughter is with a home daycare and she's doing great there. She loves being there and her father often has trouble getting her in her car seat to leave. But I have worked in daycares and I see the good they do for development. So my advice is to research both places, ask questions to the teacher/s and parents. For the home daycare make sure that she wouldn't be taking in any more babies/children, find out what kind of routine she follows, if she has cpr/1st aid. As for the daycare ask what their infant ratio is because (in Canada) I'm sure it's 2 infants to 1 adult. As for your mother-in-law I wouldn't be using her to babysit only because it could be exhausting for her I would just stick to visits for grandma. But none of this advice really matters what you really need to do is follow your insincts.

Shell - posted on 03/30/2009

these are all great points. Everyone looking 4 child care should think about these. I really think if your planing to leave your children then take the time to be happy. Ask if you can spend the whole day at the place you have chosen. She what there everyday routine are good luck with finding a great place to leave your baby.

Justine - posted on 03/30/2009

hi my son goes to a daycare and loves it, has been since 10 months, i prefer daycare to home care as they have there own tv there own house to clean etc how do i know they spend all day with my child and they also have to cook at a daycare theres a person for each role and they are there for the child only no tv or house work to do and they hav a cook etc hard decision good luck

Shell - posted on 03/30/2009

Ive worked in a child care centre for 2years an now im a Day Career. Yes your worried about number ratio. Yes 2 carers to 10 babies sounds a lot and it is. Yes the carer will be ran off there feet. Yes you have the right to be worried.I love centre base care once the child turns 3years as you have tought your child right from wrong. Sometime its hard to watch 10 children at anyone time. If its the age that concerns you look around for another family day career in your area. Maybe your mother in law can have your son 2 days a week so he still gets all the one on one that he may need. Its up to you your leaving your baby with someone else to look after. Make the desion on what you think is the better place. Look about i work in child care an if your nat happy then your career wont be either.

Chelsea - posted on 03/25/2009

I personally like in home daycares simply for the fact that there are less kids there and she gets more personal attention. But I also hear people that take their children to day care centers don't have any problems with it. So it totally depends on what you are more comfortable with.  Good luck!

Rae - posted on 03/25/2009

In my opinion, when they are younger (1 and under) it's good to try and find someone with an in-home babysitting program and when they get a little older put them in public daycare. that way, when your child is becoming more social he'll have children his own age to interact with.

Jamie - posted on 03/25/2009

I have done both and honestly prefer the public. I felt like my child got more of a structured education as opposed to someone just playing with them all day. Or worse you get the one that just puts them in front of the tv all the time. Public is run by the state and while infant to adult ratio is high I never found it a problem. Id rather 2 women be in a room with all infants, then one lady trying to run after a bunch of other lil kids.

Emily - posted on 03/25/2009

SInce he is a baby and it is only for two days I would choose your MIL. Personally, I wouldn't ever let my MIL watch my baby, but yours is obviously trustworthy if you are even considering her. As he ages I would suggest public daycare. I tried two home daycares with my oldest because I was very opposed to a center for various reasons at the time. THey both sucked  and I ended up staying home because of it, I feel my career really suffered. With my youngest I went back to work right when she turned two years old. I found an excellent center where I live. She has been going for five months now, and last week as I was saying goodbye to the owner I actually started crying because I couldn't stop thanking her for taking such good care of my daughter. That said, there are centers here that aren't as good- in fact there is one that royally stinks.

Alisha - posted on 03/25/2009

My son (almost 2) goes to an in home daycare and he loves it.  She treats him as one of her own.  He gets way more attention than a public daycare because she only has 4 kids total. It all depends on the person watching them but if you feel good about the person go with your gut feeling,   Check if they are state liscenced because then they have certain guidelines they have to follow.

Candice - posted on 03/25/2009

I understand our delema TOTALLY... I think your son would really benefit from his one on one time w/ grandma and she wouldn't offer it if she didn't want to spend that time with him. You may be concerned that 2 days in a row will be too much for her but 1 she has 5 days to recover and 2 TRUST me they find the energy - just like us mom's do.

Personally my daughter HATED public day care - she criued and got very introvert. As soon as I moved her into a home day care she went back to her normal extrovert self and begged me to bring her even on my days off. I know it stinks that they require so many days off but just think of those days as a day your work has to let you stay home w/ your kids all day :-)

Good luck!

Bret - posted on 03/25/2009

I run a part time in home daycare and also help at a friends home daycare a day or two a month for activities and trips. My kids were lucky to be able to stay with their grandma when I had to work, and I firmly believe that is no one that will take care of your child better than family. I am not a fan of the public daycares in my area, but it does depend on the location if there are any good ones. I recommend if you choose to go with a regular daycare, look into ones run by local churches. They usually have a smaller teacher/kid ratio and give more individual attention.
I would give it a chance with the home daycare and grandma. If you aren't getting a good feeling after a few weeks, or its too much on grandma, then you haven't lost anything, and you can move him to the full time daycare.
Hope this helps!

Nicole - posted on 03/25/2009

I worked in public daycare for 4 years...I heard alot of stories about in home daycares like the person running it being occupied and kids hurting other kids and the parents not being told. At a public daycare anything that happens has to be reported on an incident report. Although you do run into the same kind of problems some girls just don't care about the job they are doing. It all depends on how you feel some public daycares are amazing and some aren't. Same way I'm sure some in-home daycares are great. I would check both out maybe talk to some moms around the area and really go with your gut. Good luck!

Catie - posted on 03/25/2009

Well when I had my son 3 years ago. My grandmother-in-law watched him up until he was almost a year old and she is pushing close to 70 now. Then I took him to a home daycare 3 times a week and they had him 2 days a week. It worked out perfectly! I could not ask for anything better out of my child. He learns so much from daycare but the one on one with his great grandmother taught him so much more. I would try it if I was you. My son is so smart and loves having that time with the great grandmother.  But he has also learned to play and share from the daycare.