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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Help with daycare options
I want to research a back-up to our babysitter who may need some flexibility in her schedule.
Is there a website, agency, directory etc. that can help with identifying and researching day cares, either in home or facility?
Also, if you use a daycare, would I have the ability to only send Max as needed, not on a regular schedule? Is this even a thing? I'd assume I'll have a day or two notice, if not that morning.
TIA
Re: Help with daycare options
first question. this may help. links for philly - i dont know your area.
http://www.angieslist.com/companylist/philadelphia/child-care.htm
http://gocitykids.parentsconnect.com/sub-category/philadelphia-pa-usa/resources/childcare/day-care-centers/accredited
second question. of the few i've looked at so far for my imaginary child you have to sign up for a day amount and if you dont go its fine, but you get charged. you can't just drop them in and pay per hour.
if you find one that does please let me know!
Thanks. I never think of Angie's List.
I think this flex option is probably best possible with in-home care. But I have no clue. I have back-up babysitters but not everyone can free themselves up last minute.
i dont know where you find in home care - but i wish i did, as this is an option i'm looking into for the the little one while it is under 1.
i also have been browsing CL - but am too scared to actually contact anyone on it.
they could be crazies!
http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/kid/
FWIW, I have a sitter who comes to my house a few days a week (with family the other days to cut cost) and love it. I worked my personal network but ultimately hired someone I found through Sittercity.com. Had a great experience. Probably had 20+ applicants of which I would have seriously considered 5.
And I now see sittercity has the option to filter on "at sitter's home"...
I would imagine most daycare centers don't have a drop in/off as needed option. This is mostly due to staffing and ratio requirements.
I would imagine a lot of in-homers wouldn't be able to commit to it either, as they can only handle a certain # of kids and they need a steady income.
This place is near the Moorestown mall and I'm thinking this might be what you're looking for? http://www.basicallybabysittingms.com/
Someone recommended that the daycare be accredited via the Keystone Stars program: http://www.pakeys.org/pages/get.aspx?page=Programs_STARS
That being said, the daycare we selected did not participate. When I asked why, the owner said, "we'd rather play with our kids than do paperwork." So, use this as a tool if you want but not a deal-breaker.
Regarding the schedule, our little guy won't be going until May but I think it's probably up to you. At our place, we pay one price, whether he goes every day all week, an hour every day, etc. They prefer to get them on a schedule as they get older, they told us, but ultimately they just want notice.
When looking for a daycare, I contacted the Department of Public Welfare and asked them for a referral list of day cares in our area....here is the link...
http://www.dpw.state.pa.us/findfacilsandlocs/childcareinformationservices/index.htm
The list included referred in-home and centers which provided additional information I would have never found on the interwebz, and stuck to that list which is how we found our facility.
In regards to your other question, every daycare center we looked at needed a confirmed days and times the child would be in their care and wouldn't allow us just to drop them off different days and times. I am unsure if an in-home would have the same requirements but have a feeling they would. I don't really have any other ideas except to have back-up family members just in case. Good luck.