What are My Child Care Options?

What are My Child Care Options?

By: Brenna Lanigan area director at AuPairCare

Finding quality child care can be a major parenting challenge, especially for new parents. With so many child care options available, it is hard to know which one is right for you and your family. Before making a decision, here is a quick guide to help you determine the child care option that best suits your family's needs.

It is important to consider the number of children you have, your child's or children’s personality, your budget, the quality of care, and how convenient it will be for you. Whether you select a day care center, nanny, au pair, or a babysitter, the most important criteria is that your child care option provides a safe, supportive environment for your children.

Day care center

Licensed day care centers are an inspected child care option, with many staff members trained in early childhood education and development.

Pros:

• Formal Training & Education: in most licensed day care centers, employees should have some training or education in child care. This provides an educational and supervised environment for all children enrolled.
• Socialization & Activities: children can benefit from the social interaction with other children of the same age group. Day care centers also provide a variety of learning activities that can teach children different skills, such as singing, numbers, art, dancing, and the alphabet.

Cons:

• High Child-to-Caregiver Ratio: day care centers have a high child-to-caregiver ratio, which means children don’t always get the individualized attention they might need.
• Rules, Fees & Penalties: most day care centers don’t allow children who are sick and have a late pickup fee policy, both of which are important considerations for working parents or those who have less flexibility in their schedules.  

To learn more about day care centers in your area, utilize resources such as the NAEYC to find a list of accredited day care program that meets your family’s needs.

Nanny

A nanny is a person who provides child care for your child in the comfort of your own home, at a schedule you predetermined.  

Pros:

• Individual Care: a nanny offers one-on-one child care, tailored to the child’s or children’s needs, with minimal competition for attention.
• Familiar Environment: employing a nanny allows a family to keep a consistent child care routine in a familiar home environment. This is especially important for younger children or infants.

Cons:

• Cost: the cost for a nanny can vary depending on the level of experience of the caregiver and your location. The average cost can be between $500 and $700 a week, plus a premium for each additional child.
• Inflexibility: for most nannies, a set schedule is determined for the week, with an additional hourly charge for overtime. With a set schedule, some nannies are not open to altering their work schedule, or working evening hours.

For more information on nannies and their availabilities in your area, select a nanny online search engine, such as Nannies4Hire.

Au pair

An au pair is a young adult from another country who lives with your family and provides one-on-one live-in child care services in exchange for room and board and a stipend.

Pros:

• Cost: the cost for a live-in au pair is around $350 a week per family, regardless of the number of children in the family. This is an especially affordable option for families with multiple children.
• Flexibility: an au pair offers a flexible child care option based on a family’s busy schedule. As long as the au pair’s work schedule does not go over 45 hours a week/10 hours a day, the child care schedule can be altered anytime.
• Cultural Exchange: an au pair provides a family with a unique window into another country, language and culture – a unique and educational experience for children and families alike.

Cons:

• Adjustment Period: au pairs may require a short transition period to become comfortable speaking English daily as well as to adjust to cultural differences between their home country and the U.S.
• Less Privacy: having a live-in au pair requires a family to provide a separate room for the au pair and is a consideration for families who aren’t comfortable having someone live with them.

Government regulated au pair programs, such as AuPairCare, are a helpful resource to learn more about a live-in child care solution.

Babysitter

A babysitter provides temporary child care for a few hours each week when it is necessary to have child care in place.

Pros:

• As Needed Child Care: babysitters are a good solution when you need child care for an evening or for a special event.
• Cost: a babysitter’s hourly rate is usually reasonable, between $10 and $17 per hour, depending on the level of experience the babysitter has and where you live.

Cons:

• Lack of Experience & Training: many babysitters don’t have formal training (such a babysitter course) or significant child care experience 
• Limited Availability: babysitters may not be available when you need them, or for ongoing child care needs.

To learn more about the babysitters in your area, Care4Hire is a child care search engine to determine if it is the right solution for you and your family.