https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 10 Apr 2026 04:59:39 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/a-daycare-quest#post-2721666 Fri, 07 Apr 2017 14:32:56 +0000 tinyperson 2721666@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We got in the list at LO1s daycare basically as soon as we were comfortable with people finding out we were pregnant again (I think 8 weeks) (one of the teachers goes to our church so if she found out we were on the list, it was likely to get around). We just got a spot starting April 24, which is earlier than we wanted (I go back the end of May after a year long may leave). We're paying the extra month or so to take the spot, but spaces are really hard to get in our area, and this one we really like, we know the teachers, and it's across the street from DHs office (and 5 mins from home). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/a-daycare-quest#post-2721664 Fri, 07 Apr 2017 14:29:20 +0000 gingerbebe 2721664@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Uh, I put DS2 on the waitlist for our daycare when I was 11 weeks pregnant and his slot is coming open when he turns 11 MONTHS OLD. And its not like some crazy exclusive place either - its just a warm, cozy church preschool. DS1 was on the waitlist for the 2 year old room for 10 months before getting to go. Both kids had to pay an annual waiting list fee too.</p> <p>We live in a semi-rural county that's growing very fast so there just aren't enough daycares and preschools for the rate at which the population is going up. Its insane. Most places laugh at you if you don't get on a list a full year in advance. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/a-daycare-quest#post-2721655 Fri, 07 Apr 2017 14:14:15 +0000 catlady 2721655@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I put us on 2 waitlists at 14 weeks pregnant and we were given spots at both daycares when LO was a week old. We toured both and took the one we liked best. When I was pregnant with LO2, I put him on the waitlist for our current daycare again at 14 weeks, and since he had a sibling priority spot, it was basically guaranteed. We found out for sure that he had his spot about a month before he was born.</p> <p>I'm in a high COL area with long wait lists at centers, but "luckily" so many people cannot even afford the centers that I think demand ends up getting spread across centers, home daycares, nannies, etc. So it probably wasn't as hard to get into our daycare as it could have been. There are cheaper centers and also centers in more convenient spots in our area that have 2+ year long waitlists, but mostly it seems like people get spots as long as they put themselves on the waitlists while pregnant. It would still be almost impossible to get a spot for an infant after the baby was already born though. </p> <p>Preschools seem to be a whole different animal which we avoided by staying within our daycare system. The "public" preschools (which still have tuition but are far cheaper than our private one) encourage parents to put their children on the waitlist at age 1 in order to get a spot for age 3. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/a-daycare-quest#post-2721649 Fri, 07 Apr 2017 14:03:33 +0000 psw27 2721649@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We got on waiting lists when I was about 12 weeks pregnant. Three of the places I still haven't heard from and LO is 2 years and 9 months old! We were lucky that we got into a center that we loved at a time that worked for our leaves coming to an end. Our 2nd LO has been on a waiting list for that center since I was 12 weeks pregnant and is also on a wait list for a spot for when he's 1 year old at our current school. To say that it is challenging here is an understatement. It is also about $2k per month. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/a-daycare-quest#post-2721639 Fri, 07 Apr 2017 13:43:41 +0000 Corduroy 2721639@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We're also in an area that's suddenly attracting a lot of families with young kids and doesn't have care capacity for it. Real estate price increases are also driving out centers in favor of more profitable businesses that can afford higher rent. My small town lost two preschools this year so now asking about leases/ownership is on my list of tour questions.</p> <p>I found a spot for LO1 at a center when I was in my second trimester. I had my pick of places looking at that time. Then we bought a house in another town when she was 10 months. I called every place I could find. The only option I could find was a two month spot at an in home daycare that was expecting a new baby. I had to wait two months to get that (30 day escrow + a month of grandmas visiting). </p> <p>I had to continue the search and found another in home that could take LO at the end of our temporary solution. That one ended up not working out and we left after a few months. Luckily someone at the previous in home daycare turned two so we could return there.</p> <p>Preschool was a bit of a shock. Most places had waiting lists so long that she would be in Kindergarten before a spot opened so I put LO2 on the wait list instead. We did end up finding two preschools with spots and I was happy I at least had a choice.</p> <p>I would like to move my kids to the daycare/preschool by my office but I know that if something happens to my job I wouldn't be able to find them a spot closer to home. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/a-daycare-quest#post-2721623 Fri, 07 Apr 2017 13:17:57 +0000 PawPrints 2721623@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My personal experience: Started getting on wait lists the day I found out I was pregnant. Miscarried that pregnancy, but kept my waitlist spots. Ended up waiting 2 years 2 months for a spot at our current center (DD was 14 months old by that point). Bridged the gap with a long maternity leave, DH's paternity leave, plus 8 months at a different center very far from our house but close to DH's office (stressful setup but necessary since they were able to get a spot in only 6-month wait). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/a-daycare-quest#post-2721622 Fri, 07 Apr 2017 13:15:39 +0000 PawPrints 2721622@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Things around here are much, much worse than what you described. Starting at 14 weeks and finding infant care for that cheap in a good center, close to you, would be like winning the Powerball lotto around here.</p> <p>It's not uncommon to find 2+ year wait lists for infant care at daycare centers, and people often spend upwards of $2K/month. Many people have to go with a second-choice solution to bridge the gap while they wait for a spot to open up (e.g. doing a nanny-share for a while). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/a-daycare-quest#post-2721612 Fri, 07 Apr 2017 13:10:54 +0000 Pollywog 2721612@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I started getting on wait lists 4 months before I got pregnant for daycares near my office. I didn't get a spot until he was 6 months. </p> <p>My office moved when I was 7 months pregnant. We had to scramble. We called 30 places, only one had an opening and it was okay, not great. We found an opening at a great daycare when he was 2 months old. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/a-daycare-quest#post-2721603 Fri, 07 Apr 2017 13:06:28 +0000 snowjewelz 2721603@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't think infant care is as crazy... I recently realized it starts getting full for 2's and up, but since DD1 has been in daycare since 10 months we never had any space issues. </p> <p>The "popular" centers were really expensive; so I about to go in-home till I by chance found a center really close to us that's slightly cheaper than other centers. We've been really happy there and will send DD2 there in a few months. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/a-daycare-quest#post-2721499 Fri, 07 Apr 2017 10:41:57 +0000 Bibliolove 2721499@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I started at 14 weeks and called 10 in-homes and 8 centers. All had long wait lists and no openings, except for one in-home lady whose giant dog barked at us the whole time. No thanks! Many spots never even called me back, after I left a message.</p> <p>We finally found a center that is close to us, had an opening for our anticipated time, and the rooms were colorful and large. The infant rooms in particular had lots of natural light, with only 8 infants per room. It’s church-based and about $205/week, formula or breakfast/lunch/snack included. I feel like we got lucky!</p> <p>What has been your experience in your town/city? My area is really growing, with lots of families. I was still surprised at how stressful this was, with so few options! </p> <p>My husband in particular was upset at how little support families get, as most of his Euro colleagues were shocked when he had to go tour daycares with me and was struggling with finding one. </p>