https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 17 May 2026 14:53:48 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-prefer-daycare-centers-or-in-home#post-292337 Wed, 12 Sep 2012 15:38:16 +0000 Honeybee 292337@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I always thought I would go with a center, but we actually ended up with a home daycare that we love. We're in a rural location and there are only 2 centers (used to be 3), so our options are pretty limited. On top of that, two of the daycares have awful records (1 got shut down by the state after years and years of issues), and the other one has a several year waiting list. So there weren't a lot of choices for us.</p> <p>Anyway, we ended up loving our home daycare so much, mainly because it is set up very similarly to the good center in town. Everything is done on demand for infants, the preschool curriculum is the same, they have a similar menu, etc... One thing I do love about the home daycare that isn't available with the center daycare is the flexibility. For example, our provider (or one of her helpers) rocked DD to sleep until she was over a year old. Sometimes they even held her for her naps, if she was having a rough day. They also allowed her to decide if she would take a morning nap, which was great because shedidn't fully transition to one nap a day until like 20 months. Our provider was also on board with potty training DD at 18 months, and was a big help in that area. I know not everyone is comfortable with this, but I love that our provider takes the kids on field trips; they go a couple times a week, and DD always has so much fun! Our provider has up to four helpers come in at a time, and whenever a baby under 12 months is there, they get their own designated helper, so the teacher:child ratios at the home daycare are much better than the center. Those kinds of concessions wouldn't have been available to us had we been in a center, and I love that our provider has a very child-focused philosophy and the ability to be flexible and cater to the kids' individual needs.</p> <p>The other thing I like about home daycare that isn't available in a center is that DD gets exposed to a wide range of kids. There are kids at her daycare who just come after school, there are babies, there are kids her age. I like that she has been included in the preschool curriculum since she was 9 months, and that now she gets to be "the big kid" and "help" with the babies. I feel like it's a more rounded experience for her, and she's way ahead developmentally, which I partially attribute to her exposure to older kids/advanced activities from a young age. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-prefer-daycare-centers-or-in-home#post-291629 Wed, 12 Sep 2012 08:15:21 +0000 ladyfingers 291629@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I really liked the idea of an in-home daycare for a while, but we decided to go with a center because I know there would be times the caregiver would be sick or would take vacation, and I don't want to find backup care for those times. It's one thing if I have to stay home with my own LO because he is sick, it's another if he's fine and I just have to find a place to take him on the fly. </p> <p>Also it makes me nervous thinking about repairmen going over to the houses, neighbors, etc. I feel like there's more oversight at a daycare, but that may be an erroneous assumption on my part. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-prefer-daycare-centers-or-in-home#post-291546 Wed, 12 Sep 2012 06:50:53 +0000 cvbee 291546@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If I didn't have a really really good feeling and references for in-home then I'd do centre. As a JK teacher, I've seen a lot of kids who come from various places and that influences me a bit. The kids from our centre have had some major behavior issues....not sure if I can blame the centre, but it makes me hesitate. There is one particular lady that I'm hoping to get. Around here (small town in Ontario Canada) the centre is $50/day and in-home is less, but not much less. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-prefer-daycare-centers-or-in-home#post-291485 Wed, 12 Sep 2012 00:49:20 +0000 brownie 291485@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We did exactly why you are proposing. I have a friend who watches our son and her kids. This year her youngest just went to kindergarten so it's our son alone. He gets lots of attention which he needed as an infant. She is also willing to cloth diaper which none of the centers have been willing to do. I didn't want a center because there isn't enough supervision. I cant tell you how many biting stories I have heard (I understand it is a phase but it is the same kids biting/getting hit over and over again.)</p> <p>Other advantages: she picks him up in the morning and she will keep him until late at night if I have a night class and hubby is on travel. I have company when I go over and nurse him. And she's significantly cheaper than the centers. We pay $30 a day. We have alway had him on our food and we didn't need a note (he has food intolerance that wasn't official until 9 months old)</p> <p>Next year he will start toddler school 2 says a wek and she will pick him up from there for us. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-prefer-daycare-centers-or-in-home#post-291474 Wed, 12 Sep 2012 00:22:38 +0000 banana 291474@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our son is at a in home day care and he loves it! He loves his teacher (who is like a 2nd mom to him) and really likes playing with all of the kids there. She cooks super healthy foods and has an art background so she has really fun arts and crafts activities every day. My son is a little bit shy so the in home daycare was a perfect setting for him. We plan on putting him in a preschool when he's 3 1/2 to prepare him for kindergarten. But this in home daycare is the perfect transition to preschool. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-prefer-daycare-centers-or-in-home#post-291460 Tue, 11 Sep 2012 23:49:26 +0000 BoogieBea 291460@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our son was at an in-home daycare. It really was more like a preschool because she only took kids from between ages 2-5 and only offered half days m-th. Her entire first floor and backyard was part of the daycare. She'll offer them snacks but the parents provide the lunches so she doesn't have to prepare anything.<br /> It worked out well for my son to be in a smaller setting. His speech was delayed and used to get anxious in bigger crowds. It helped that he was first introduced to a smaller setting before he started preschool. He had a good time there. So, depending on the child, I do think that an in-home care situation might be better for some. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-prefer-daycare-centers-or-in-home#post-291404 Tue, 11 Sep 2012 21:24:29 +0000 Baby Boy Mom 291404@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If there were in-home daycare options here, it's something I would definitely consider. I would feel more comfortable sending a younger baby to another home. As it is, I think there are about 20 different centers within a 15 minute walk from our place, of all different sizes, prices, and qualities. We're still thinking about whether we want to send Baby Boy to daycare at 18 months or wait until he's 2. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-prefer-daycare-centers-or-in-home#post-291400 Tue, 11 Sep 2012 21:12:22 +0000 prettylizy 291400@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I originally thought I'd want a centre, but I'm just going through the process of finding a daycare for E, and I have a really good feeling about a homecare provider. I always told DH when we find the right place we'll know, and I just have a feeling this is going to be the right place. I'm going to see these places next Friday, so after we've met them all, I'll let you know what I found for pro/con's. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-prefer-daycare-centers-or-in-home#post-291393 Tue, 11 Sep 2012 21:03:55 +0000 MamaG 291393@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We only considered a center due to the following reasons:</p> <p>1) I wanted to dictate my vacation. I don't want to take vacation on someone else's schedule or find a backup to a sick in home caregiver.<br /> 2) I wanted an environment where LO will be challenged to grow. I wanted a learning environment.<br /> 3) I wanted someone certified in infant CPR.<br /> 4) I wanted to know the state requirements were being met and the state was checking on the care giver.<br /> 5) I wanted a variety for my child, various caregivers, various playmates, various healthy foods, etc.<br /> 6) We needed long hours.<br /> 7) Reputation and referral from trusted sources/co-workers was important.</p> <p>I would have considered an in-home if most of our requirements could be met. #7 was highly important for an in-home and I never got that so nothing else mattered ultimately.</p> <p>eta: transportation! I don't want my child transported anytime soon by anyone other than family. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-prefer-daycare-centers-or-in-home#post-291385 Tue, 11 Sep 2012 20:39:17 +0000 yoursilverlining 291385@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I prefer daycare centers because I feel more comfortable with multiple teachers as a "check" on each other; rather than risking that the sole in home care giver might snap or lose their temper, even for a minute. Babies are stressful and if there are multiple caregivers, I feel like there is less chance for safety risks, as there are people to take over if you need a break.</p> <p>I also am more comfortable with places that are very professional, with full liability insurance and licensing, as well education requirements of the teachers.</p> <p>We pay roughly $1400/month for daycare. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-prefer-daycare-centers-or-in-home#post-291357 Tue, 11 Sep 2012 20:13:59 +0000 Mommy Finger 291357@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We live in Chicago so our prices might seem a little high. From what I've seen, day care centers run around $350-$500/week and up and I've seen home day cares running around $245-$350/week and up.</p> <p>We're putting DS in a home day care for a few reasons. One, it's just up the street from us so it's really convenient for us to walk to drop him off and then walk to the train to get to work. The woman who runs the daycare is awesome so far. I love how it's like a second family. That being said, we also looked at a day care center that we liked as well. However, we would have had to drive him to and from the place and then take the train. </p> <p>Honestly, both places are the same per week but convenience won out for us. That and I just got a really good feeling about the home day care and the people who run it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-prefer-daycare-centers-or-in-home#post-291351 Tue, 11 Sep 2012 20:12:51 +0000 Mrs. Stroller 291351@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I loooooooove our in home care. It's homey, his daycare momma treats him like her own baby as do her older sons, it's comfortable and not sterile, it's like being at home. And there are only a handful of kids all around the same age. Love her. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-prefer-daycare-centers-or-in-home#post-291343 Tue, 11 Sep 2012 20:06:52 +0000 Mrs. Sunglasses 291343@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>we wanted in-home until about 3ish. Then we want a daycare center which will be a great preface to kindergarden. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-prefer-daycare-centers-or-in-home#post-291334 Tue, 11 Sep 2012 20:00:20 +0000 edelweiss 291334@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>we looked at both and ultimately went with a center mostly because the centers had more flexible hours (we need a 6:30am drop off time and the home daycares we looked at all started at 7:30). one seemed like it was very cramped (it was in the basement). the other was also in the basement but they had done a good job with making it bright and there was enough space, but the hours didn't work for us.</p> <p>i live in the dc metro area, in northern virginia, and the home daycare centers were about $1000 to $1300 per month, with about 9 to 12 children (so they were on the larger side). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-prefer-daycare-centers-or-in-home#post-291333 Tue, 11 Sep 2012 20:00:17 +0000 photojane 291333@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>if i had to find some sort of daycare for peanutbaby, i'd totally prefer in-home. the teacher/caregiver to child ratio alone is enough to sway me, but i like the homey and personalized aspect of it too. i feel like a lot of daycares in my area feel institutional, and i don't like that. </p> <p>in-home daycares in my area make much less than an actual center, but it's much less overhead and upkeep! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-prefer-daycare-centers-or-in-home#post-291327 Tue, 11 Sep 2012 19:56:35 +0000 Mrs. Pen 291327@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@regberadaisy: no, I'm still thinking about if it's something I want to commit to or not.<br /> @blackbird: yes I think in theory it sounds like a great setup. The worry is finding the perfect family. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-prefer-daycare-centers-or-in-home#post-291318 Tue, 11 Sep 2012 19:51:18 +0000 Mrs. Pen 291318@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@regberadaisy: both... I know that the woman I nanny for now never worries about me giving preferential treatment to my son. I am fair with all three children.</p> <p>@MamaMoose: yeah that is my primary concern. It's worked being a nanny and bringing my son, but with recent challenges I would prefer my own house. I definitely worry most about the whole liability issue more than anything.</p> <p>@pastemoo: @Mrs.B: those prices sound about right for my area too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-prefer-daycare-centers-or-in-home#post-291313 Tue, 11 Sep 2012 19:47:36 +0000 Rubies 291313@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I only considered daycares when I was researching for my LO. I would only have considered in-home if they came HIGHLY recommended or if I knew them personally. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-prefer-daycare-centers-or-in-home#post-291309 Tue, 11 Sep 2012 19:45:37 +0000 blackbird 291309@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>A friend of mine used in-home and loooooved the experience when her boy was very young. She said it was a very homely experience and he got more one-on-one attention because he was the only baby and the lady only watched two other kids. Her raving review of it is why I'm definitely going to take a peek at in-home daycares around here. There are actually some teachers in our subdivision that now do this, it sounds really great in theory. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-prefer-daycare-centers-or-in-home#post-291305 Tue, 11 Sep 2012 19:41:02 +0000 regberadaisy 291305@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Coco Bee: do you already have a family lined up? If not your best bet is to watch friend's kids. That's what my co-worker's wife does. All the kids she watches are kids of friends of theirs. Or friends of friends. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-prefer-daycare-centers-or-in-home#post-291304 Tue, 11 Sep 2012 19:40:40 +0000 Andrea 291304@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@regberadaisy: yeah, I wasn't comfortable with kids playing in a kitchen even though they said that they provided healthy, home cooked meals. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-prefer-daycare-centers-or-in-home#post-291302 Tue, 11 Sep 2012 19:39:56 +0000 pastemoo 291302@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>In northern VA, the places I've looked at are $120 to $200 for a licenced family day care, and $220 to $500 for a day care center. (weekly prices)<br /> I don't know what I prefer yet but probably the in home just because of the money.<br /> AND because a lot of the in home places around here are immigrant families and I think that exposure to other languages/cultures was really good for me growing up so I think my LO would benefit from it, too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-prefer-daycare-centers-or-in-home#post-291299 Tue, 11 Sep 2012 19:38:43 +0000 MamaMoose 291299@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Coco Bee: I think you would have a hard time finding a family that would want to use you if you weren't fully licensed and covered by liability insurance. For what that would cost you you would end up having to charge the family a hefty fee in order for you to make a profit. Therefore, the family could probably just get a nanny who doesn't have her own child to come to their home which is much more convenient for them. So I think in order for you to have a successful business model you would need to take on more kids. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-prefer-daycare-centers-or-in-home#post-291298 Tue, 11 Sep 2012 19:38:34 +0000 autumnlove 291298@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I prefer centers! They seem more kid friendly and I really want my LO to have a lot of exposure to different kids and teachers...it is good for her social skills. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-prefer-daycare-centers-or-in-home#post-291297 Tue, 11 Sep 2012 19:38:25 +0000 regberadaisy 291297@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Coco Bee: in regards to the credential or her own kid getting preferential treatment in my mind at least?</p> <p>@Andrea: yes! I would want the "day care" space to be delegated. With the understanding of course that some of it will spill over occasionally into other parts of the homes. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-prefer-daycare-centers-or-in-home#post-291295 Tue, 11 Sep 2012 19:37:18 +0000 Mrs.B 291295@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Coco Bee: I have 1 daycare girl that I watch in my home. We already have 3 kids with another LO due in 4 weeks. Our older kids are 15 and 13 so they sort of watch themselves. We have a huge fenced play area in our backyard and my daycare girl has pretty much free range of our house just like our kids do. She is 2 and DS is 4 so they make good playmates. I will not have anymore daycare families because that would take away from the attention I give her and our children. I charge $125 for a full time 5 day week and $100 for 4 days. I provide all the food at this point but when she was on formula her Mom brought that. Her Mom also provides diapers but not wipes because we use the same brand so I just use mine on her. We are in the midwest and $125 for full time per kid is pretty standard. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-prefer-daycare-centers-or-in-home#post-291294 Tue, 11 Sep 2012 19:37:00 +0000 Andrea 291294@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oh! And another one had all the kids playing in the kitchen while they were cooking food!?! Um, what? That seemed so dangerous to have a bunch of little kids in a small kitchen while the stove was on...vegetables are being chopped...nightmare!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-prefer-daycare-centers-or-in-home#post-291293 Tue, 11 Sep 2012 19:36:12 +0000 Mrs. Pen 291293@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@regberadaisy: would it have helped if she had a reference from a family she worked for where she took care of her and someone else's kids? I have those credentials, and I know that was my nanny mom's #1 concern initially too. But it has been such a non-issue for us. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-prefer-daycare-centers-or-in-home#post-291292 Tue, 11 Sep 2012 19:35:12 +0000 Andrea 291292@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Coco Bee: yup, they were all licensed. They had quite a few kids, not just one family like you are planning on doing. I remember them telling me a little about the state licensing requirements and how they have unannounced check ups by the state regulators. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-prefer-daycare-centers-or-in-home#post-291291 Tue, 11 Sep 2012 19:34:04 +0000 regberadaisy 291291@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I prefer centers. I know a lot of in home cares follow state regulations as well etc. But I'm just more comfortable with a business in a building that is not someone elses' home. I had the opportunity to use a in home care that is the wife of a coworker. She has kids of her own and has a child ed degree and a Masters. So she's fully qualified. But because of the fact that she had her own kids there played largely into why I did not want to use her. I feel regardless her children will always be top concern, as it should be.<br /> I wanted my baby to be somewhere at least all the kids are at a even playing field so to speak.</p> <p>I am almost positive she does not charge as much as my day care center.</p> <p>ETA: If it were me I def would not used a in home care that is not licensed unless it was highly recommended via a friend I trust 1110%. </p>